Accounting and bookkeeping will never go out of season. Every business needs to handle their finances well in order to reach their goals. And more than ever, companies are gearing towards online operations, so they need you to help them manage.
But how do you set yourself apart from the rest? How to become a first-rate accountant or bookkeeper?
Skills Required
At a minimum, you should be adept with the current accounting standards. You should also know the most-used accounting software to understand the operations better. Here are some:
- Fresh Books
- Quickbooks
- Zoho Books
But more than the technical skills, you should have the following soft skills to progress as a first-rate accountant. It’s probably more crucial than anything. Here is a checklist of the skills you should have.
Think Like an Entrepreneur
Accountants are there to provide numbers. These reports are the basis for decisions that can make or break the business. That’s why you should think like an entrepreneur and suggest actionable steps to grow the company.
Have the initiative to find the things that can be improved. And suggest it to drive a higher bottom line.
Keeping Up With the Accounting Rules
International Accounting Standards changes rapidly. What you know 6 months ago might not be applicable as of the moment. As a first-rate accountant or bookkeeper, you should know the latest trends and changes in your craft.
Collaboration
You need a team for a business to work. You can’t do everything alone. We all have our roles, and effectively collaborating as a cohesive unit is one step to success.
But not all accountants and bookkeepers can work together with a team. Some are too introverted speak-up. Nothing wrong with that, but you need to collaborate better to become a first-rate accountant. So practice your communication skills and articulate yourself better to reach the team’s goals.
Flexibility
Many accountants aren’t keen to learn new things and compromise with different departments. Some are stern and just look at the monetary value of decisions. Nothing wrong with this, but with the changing times, you should also consider the intangibles like brand value.
And during the COVID pandemic, some aren’t creative enough to find solutions to control finances. Some don’t even know the available rescue packages by the government.
So as part of the finance team, you should be flexible, depending on the situation.
Creating Your Resume
In your resume, you need to include the parts that are relevant to your client. I mean, you might be a good cook but adding that in an accounting application might not be that ideal. Make sure to highlight your achievement that can prove that you’re the right person for the job.
Be Creative
Lastly, this might be the final touches. But you want your resume to stand out from the rest. Most people just send boring pieces of paper (or pdf) that a lot of recruiters see in hundreds every day. Why not add a simple design to it?
Include something that will make it unique. Besides, there are many templates in Canva that you can use for it.
Conclusion
Becoming a first-rate accountant or bookkeeper is challenging. But with hard work and dedication to change for the better, you can raise your career to heights you’ve never imagined. If you want to check out accounting and bookkeeping online jobs, complete your profile today!
