Times are evolving at a quick pace. A year from now, there might be new models of Samsung cell phones or perhaps a new dance craze among teenagers. Things are unpredictable, and if you’re not adaptable, it may be challenging to be successful. Like in your career, getting an accounting certification may not be enough. You still need to attend seminars, expand your knowledge, talk with many clients, etc.

Being adaptable is a gratifying experience. It’s like sowing seeds and having a fruitful future ahead of you. So, if you’re planning to become an accountant, here’s how you can become more flexible in the working environment.

The Struggles of Being an Accountant

To be more flexible, you must first know the struggles of being an accountant. Through this, you’ll know how to handle minor problems and get through stressful situations. It may not be easy, but getting used to these struggles will help you learn many lessons in becoming a chartered accountant. Here are some problems you may encounter in your accounting career:

• A lot of overtime! – As a chartered accountant, you may work in a company where your bosses may require you to do a lot of overtime. You have many responsibilities as an accountant. It includes budgeting company money, preparing taxes, calculating financial risks, and giving professional advice.
• Fierce competition – Many professionals want to be on top in the accounting industry. The fierce competition is high among accountants because of the strict rules and regulations.
• Detail-oriented – Another struggle most accountants face is that they have to be detail-oriented. A single wrong computation can risk the financial health of the company.
• You should have technical skills – Technical skills are not easy to learn because schools focus too much on the academic area. Technical skills are more of a physical learning experience. It may be challenging to adapt to the technical skills needed for a newbie chartered accountant.
• Too much pressure – accounting is an in-demand career field. Qualified people will only get to work in a stable company. If not, looking for a job would be difficult. For this reason, many accountants feel the pressure to be qualified by studying more ICAEW modules.

Knowing the typical struggles of being an accountant will give you an idea about how to overcome them. Aside from this, it’s also better to learn how to become a flexible chartered accountant so you can adapt to the possible changes.

How to be An Adaptable Accountant in a Fast-Paced Environment

Your career depends on how you adapt to unforeseen circumstances. Can you transition from the physical setting to the WFH setup? Do you know the latest changes in the chartered accountant course? Can you be more adaptable when it comes to modern changes? And a lot more possible changes. To help you become flexible, here are the ways to become a more versatile chartered accountant.

1) Be Comfortable Making Mistakes

Young professionals want to show they are perfect and seamless. But that’s not the case with successful people, everyone went through failures, and you are not an exception. It’s okay to make mistakes, but always remember to learn from them. If you keep doing it again and again, this is the time when you need to re-evaluate your actions.

Nonetheless, making mistakes is a normal part of becoming a chartered accountant. You may incorrectly calculate the financial report, submit the papers late, or give inappropriate advice on a particular problem. All of this can happen, but be comfortable making mistakes as you can learn from them.

2) Learn from Other Professionals

Aside from your mistakes, you can also learn from other people and professionals. You can ask them questions and observe how they handle the daily struggles of being a chartered accountant. As such, you can get the hang of the accounting field and have an insight into what you should do to become successful.

Also, you must note how they deal with clients and their work for more knowledge. Another thing you can do is to ask them directly for tips and suggestions to gain more insight. You can also join professional groups to talk with other chartered accountants and share your learnings.

3) Keep on Learning

Change is a constant thing even in the accounting industry. Since the pandemic started, most companies transitioned to a WFH setup. So, a chartered accountant should be adaptable with the technical skills of computers and the internet And, for sure, there will be more changes in the years to come.

 

These changes may feel overwhelming and discouraging if you’re used to the old ways. To prepare yourself, learn from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales or ICAEW ACA because they have an innovative approach to the accounting field. You can have the needed knowledge to become a versatile accountant with the learnings etched in your heart and mind.

4) Focusing on Solutions

You’ll face more challenges that seem like there is no way out. Perhaps you have a client to whom you accidentally gave the wrong information. You’ll bring a negative impact on the company’s financial performance. It may look like you’ve made a grave mistake. However, there’s always a silver lining for every situation.

Clung on to this hope by trusting yourself that you can solve the problem. Instead of saying that you can’t get out of the solution, take advantage of your accounting certification and use your knowledge to become a better chartered accountant. With this attitude, you can surely overcome any problems you’ll face in the future.

5) Don’t Hesitate to Ask Questions

Dealing with changes may not be comfortable, and if you need help, don’t hesitate to ask questions. For instance, ask your instructor when you need clarification about your ICAEW modules to know more about your lessons. Or perhaps you can also ask for help from your colleagues if you need assistance with your current tasks. Asking questions will help you get through unforeseen changes.

Indeed, being an accountant is not an easy career field. So, let ICAEW Singapore help you equip yourself with the necessary skills through their chartered accountant course. You can visit their website to learn more about ICAEW and ACA.