Working as an accountant provides a relatively stable career option; suitable for those who love to crunch numbers. However, like most other fields, keeping your skills up to date helps keep you marketable for intriguing new opportunities. In addition to mathematical ability, other skills also matter in making you a well-rounded candidate.
So let’s look more closely at what skills employers want in their accounting employees and candidates. Leverage this information to acquire any additional knowledge and experience to keep your career trending upwards. After all, as an accountant the learning only stops on the day of your retirement!
The Ability to Make Excel Spreadsheets Presentable
Of course, accountants need strong skills in Excel or an equivalent application for creating and managing spreadsheets. However, they also need to understand how to use Excel to make spreadsheets presentable for reporting purposes. Use the bolding of words and color to draw attention to critical data as part of this approach. Data filtering and manipulation are technical skills that also make spreadsheets more understandable for non-financial professionals.
Data Analytics Skills
Accountants with some measure of data analysis skills remain in demand throughout the business world. After all, data only provides a portion of the puzzle. Gleaning actionable insights from accounting information helps businesses plan for the future. It ultimately shows what works and what doesn’t when it comes to the profitability of any business.
Strong Communication Skills Are Also Important
Presenting accounting information either verbally or in a report resides on the task list of most accountants. This is especially the case when turning data analytics and accounting information into actionable business intelligence. Because of this duty, accountants also need excellent verbal and written communication skills. Communication is an important soft skill serving to identify a well-rounded financial professional and/or candidate.
Being a Team Player is a Must
Accountants rarely work in a vacuum. Instead, they typically operate as part of a team made up of other financial professionals. In this scenario, working as a true team player helps you build a rewarding career.
You might interact with executives at your company or even clients. The ability to present accounting data and analysis in a clear fashion without a sense of ego remains vital. Also help mentor your younger coworkers while serving as a valuable resource for the rest of the team.