An accountant like any other professional faces some challenges at the beginning of their career. First of all, it is in itself challenging to find a job, let alone settling in and of course continuously improving yourself to become a better professional everyday of your life. This involves a lot of hard work, resilience and tenacity. There are those values you will acquire in your life as you grow and these significantly shape your world views. In addition to those values, these are some of the tips you need to excel as a trainee accountant:

Respect

One of the values that a trainee needs at the workplace is respect. This should be exhibited in all aspects of his/her life. Examples of ways to exhibit this at the workplace is through courtesy when communicating, responding to emails in a timely manner, listening with the intent to understand and following instructions as provided by your supervisor. Timekeeping is also another way of exhibiting respect. When you respect people, you respect their time. Most importantly, treat others the way you would want to be treated.

Integrity

As a trainee accountant, you are expected to be honest and straightforward in all your dealings. Be a person of your word, do not falsify documents to your advantage.  Integrity is vital in this profession and for someone starting out, it lays a strong foundation for a future accountant, finance manager or even a company CEO.   

Stewardship

You may be entrusted with handling or be part of a significant assignment at some point at the start of your career.  Sensitive company information should never be shared with people outside the organisation or even fellow colleagues who are not privy to it. Stewardship builds you trust amongst your colleagues and lays a fertile ground for growth and promotion.

Teamwork

The art or perhaps science, of working with others to achieve a set goal, is vital in excelling as a trainee accountant. Working with others enables you to get assignments completed in time and most importantly, you get to learn a lot from the more experienced colleagues.   

    Knowledge

Read widely, have a questioning mind and always listen to your colleagues. Professional courses like ACCA and/or CPA are very important for your growth in this  profession but these are not an end in themselves. There is a lot of knowledge in other books like novels, documentaries, social media etc. that will enhance your thinking and pragmatism. Quest for knowledge equips you with the latest developments in technology which in turn prepares you for the uncertain future.

Excellence

Always aim at excelling in everything you do, be it in the simple tasks like filing documents or the slightly challenging ones such as filing tax returns. Time management and decluttering your day’s schedule are key to achieving success. Find satisfaction in starting and completing assignments in the stipulated time and take time to understand every aspect of what you are doing. It becomes easy to explain or support the work in the future. Ask questions about anything you do not understand and pay attention when being given guidance. 

Conclusion

In summary, a trainee that exhibits values of respect, integrity, stewardship, teamwork and constantly seeks knowledge will excel exceedingly in their career. The real world of accounting may at first appear to be different from what you learned from your class, but with time you get to appreciate that it is mainly presentation that is different. The debits and credits stay the same!

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