A career is an occupation or profession undertaken for a significant period of time in a person’s life and with opportunities for progress. A career is a lifelong decision that needs to be carefully planned to avoid future consequences such as poor work performance, poor work satisfaction, anxiety, and stress.
Career development is an ongoing or dynamic process that involves acquisition and refinement of skills and knowledge. It can also be referred to a set of programs designed to match an individual’s needs, abilities and career goals with current and future opportunities in the organization.
On the other hand, Career planning is a continuous process through which an individual sets career goals and identifies the means to achieve them. A career goal is a specific statement that explains what profession you want to pursue throughout your career. This process enables an individual to have knowledge of various career opportunities and personal priorities hence ability to select the career that is suitable to one’s lifestyles, preferences, family environment and scope for self-development. Career planning is not only important for individuals but also organizations as it eases the organization’s internal processes such as internal promotion, transfers which eventually motivates employees and boosts their morale and loyalty to the organization.
Finding your career as an Accountant.
With the increasing benefits, many businesses are getting through streamlining record keeping, compliance, cash flow management, credit management, and stock control. Starting a career in an accounting profession would be a smart choice as there is an increasing demand for qualified accountants.
Pursuing an accounting career would require you to plan well as the accounting field is much larger and diverse than you might have thought as it is filled with opportunities that you can apply your skills acquired from the degree of accounting. Most accounting assistant job positions require relatively the same skillset which includes analytical skills, basic computer skills, good mathematical and arithmetical skills, ability to research and interpret data among others. But for one to develop his/her accounting career to better positions, one requires numerous skills like good ethical conduct in business and various skills such as, leadership and management skills, flexibility and adaptability skills, interpersonal skills, creativity, ability to accept and learn from constructive criticism. All these enable an individual to develop different hierarchies within an organization.
Some of the accounting career options that might be available to you include Public Accountants, Tax Accountants, Financial Accountants, Forensic Accountants, Cost and Managerial Accountants, Auditors. Another important factor to note when developing your accounting career is the level of education. One should consider obtaining as Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting or Finance, a professional course in Accounting such Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), a Master’s Degree in any related field, among others.
With all the above information availed, one should now be able to make an informed decision about their accounting career path.
By Ikure Caroline Tanga
