Attaining the ACA qualification is a key milestone in becoming a chartered accountant. However, accounting is a constantly evolving and adapting field, and chartered accountants have to continuously improve their skills as part of their professional growth and to further their careers. Here are some tips for you to improve your effectiveness as a chartered accountant.
Register for online courses
Online courses are a great way to learn skills with their convenience and flexibility, allowing you to set aside time to learn on your own schedule and achieve your own work-life balance. Tip: look for courses that provide certifications which you can list on your CV to boost employability!
Apart from chartered accountant courses, ICAEW has also partnered with Deloitte to offer Finance in a Digital World, a suite of free online learning modules to support the growth and learning of ICAEW members and students. These eLearning modules cover a wide range of topics such as digital transformation, emerging technologies such as blockchain and AI technologies, as well as analytics techniques and how digital technologies are poised to revolutionise the industry.
Stay updated with the latest trends
As a chartered accountant, you need to stay updated on global events and trends to understand and make sound business decisions. Some popular methods include subscribing to web journals and e-newsletters that provide professional opinions and technical analysis, listening to podcasts, or following industry leaders and key institutions on social media to get bite-sized updates when you’re on the go. ICAEW also has a plethora of online communities that you can join for free and receive the latest industry updates.
Hone your tech skills
With the accelerated adoption of technology in the accounting industry, there is a growing demand for accountants who can incorporate tech skills into their work, alongside the professional skills they learn as part of their chartered accountant courses. With a variety of software for spreadsheets, data analytics, enterprise resource planning systems, e-commerce, and inventory management, having a sound understanding of the relevant systems to your industry will enable you to be more efficient at work.
Grow your interpersonal skills
While chartered accountant courses equip you with the hard skills and technical knowledge to handle a variety of scenarios, building up interpersonal skills will always be useful in any industry or role you find yourself in. These skills help you to forge strong working relationships, expand your professional network, and mould you into a better team player and more efficient manager at work.
As you progress in your career, you may gradually find yourself leading a team to achieve business objectives. Soft skills such as teamwork, effective communication, conflict resolution, and effective leadership will go a long way to setting you apart from your peers, when you are being considered for senior leadership positions. The ICAEW ACA qualification also covers business ethics as a key element of the curriculum, equipping you with the skills to identify ethical implications and reach an effective solution for all involved stakeholders.
Want to learn more about how to become a chartered accountant with ICAEW? Get in touch today!