Professional development plays a crucial role in enhancing skills and achieving success in today's competitive and dynamic professional landscape. Skill development plays a pivotal role in shaping a rewarding and fulfilling career.
The Role of Skill Development in Accounting Career Planning
Unlocking one's full potential and achieving success often requires continuous growth and development. In today's fast-paced and ever-evolving accounting world, the importance of professional development cannot be overstated. Gone are the days when a single set of skills could carry us through our entire accounting career.
To climb the ladder of success in accounting industry one surefire way to achieve this is by investing in professional skill development. Skills are the building blocks of a successful career. They represent an individual’s ability to perform tasks, solve problems, and add value to a work environment. Skill development is the continuous process of honing and expanding these abilities to stay relevant and competitive in the job market.
Skills development is essential to training yourself for a career and personal development. Learning how to showcase them on your resume can set you above the other candidates. Here’s what you need to know about skill development, how to start developing your skills, and how to list them on your resume.
What is skill development?
Skill development is the process of improving specific skills to be more efficient and effective when you perform a task. In the workplace, you’ll find three main types of skill development:
However, you don't have to be part of a workplace program to develop your skills further. You might be a college learner working towards a degree, unhappy with your current job, wanting to apply to a new company, or desiring a promotion. You can also develop your skills for personal reasons, such as improving your confidence or improving a hobby you enjoy.
Steps to beginning your skills development.
You can take these steps to get started no matter why you're working on skills development.
1. Setting Skill Development Goals
First, establish a goal. Why do you want to enhance a particular skill? This can be for a job, a volunteer opportunity, for your education, for promotion or to change your career path—there are countless potential reasons.
Incorporating skill development into career planning requires setting specific goals and timelines. Identify the skills you need to enhance and create a plan for achieving those goals.
2. Identify your skills gap.
You’ve established a goal. Now, you need to think about what you require to reach it. Several skills are necessary to become an expert accountant. Let's say you have most of them, but your analytical skills need to improve. That is an in-demand skill for professional accountants, so you'll want to develop your analytical expertise before applying for jobs.
3. Target specific skill areas.
Skills can be divided into dozens of categories. When discussing a career, you can divide it into human skills (soft skills or personal skills) and technical skills (hard skills).
Human skills
You use human skills at work to interact with others and solve problems independently. Some may come naturally to you, and some may require development. Some common human skills include:
These skills can be challenging to showcase on a resume because you usually prove them through actions and interactions. They can be subjective, and they're not easy to quantify.
4. Technical skills
On the other hand, technical skills, or hard skills, are those you can quantify. The certifications you have qualified in an accounting field.
5. Stay Competitive in Your Industry
In today's rapidly evolving accounting world, industry is constantly changing and embracing new advancements. To stay relevant and competitive, professionals need to continuously adapt and upgrade their skills. Engaging in professional development programs offers valuable opportunities for learning the latest industry trends, tools, and techniques. This will give you a competitive edge and make you more attractive to potential employers or clients.
6. Expand Your Network
One way to start skill development is to see how others do it. Networking plays a significant role in professional success. Attending professional development events provides you with a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, industry experts, and potential mentors or collaborators. Building a strong professional network can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and career advancement.
7. Unlock New Opportunities
Professional development opens the door to incredible opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach. By acquiring new skills and certifications, you can expand your job prospects. Many organizations look for candidates with relevant certifications or specific skill sets, which can increase your chances of landing your dream job or securing new clients.
8. Keep Up with Industry Standards and Best Practices
Accounting industry is governed by certain standards and best practices that professionals need to adhere to. Professional development programs often provide specialized training on industry-specific standards and regulations. By staying updated with these standards, you demonstrate your commitment to excellence and professionalism.
9. Get a coach and Seek relevant certification
If you need more time to be ready to reach out to someone at random, consider searching for someone who coaches people in these skills professionally.
While there won't be certifications for every skill, you can find them for some of the most current in-demand skills. Skills enhancement and professional training are paramount in today's dynamic industrial landscape. In an era where technological advancements and market trends evolve rapidly, you must equip yourself with up-to-date competencies to stay competitive.
10. Take courses and undergo training.
Consider signing up for a relevant course to help you develop both soft and hard skills. Developing skills is not enough to stand out you must know how to showcase your skills in a resume and interview. Professional development encourages individuals to engage in continuous learning. In rapidly evolving industries and job markets, staying updated with the latest trends, technologies, and best practices is essential to remain competitive and relevant.
How to highlight your skills on your resume
Once you have a good command of any skill, you'll want to add it to your resume. To do this, simply create a section called “Skills.” Make two separate lists—one of your human skills and one of your technical skills. Then, list the skills that are your strongest and most relevant to the job to which you’re applying.
When you’re called in for an interview, your interviewer will likely address this section of your resume. For technical skills, they might want concrete proof of what you've listed. If you mention you have strong social media skills, they might ask to see your personal account. If you claim you have taken an online course in accounting, bookkeeping or tax, they may want to see the diploma or certificate.
It’s harder to demonstrate your human skills. In this case, the interviewer might ask about a time when you used these skills at work or school to solve a problem. Be sure to come up with some good examples before your interview and practice telling someone about them.
Skills Enhancement and Professional Training
Skills enhancement and professional training are paramount in today's dynamic industrial landscape. In an era where technological advancements and market trends evolve rapidly, organizations must equip their workforce with up-to-date competencies to stay competitive.
Investing in skills enhancement fosters employee engagement and loyalty while enhancing productivity and efficiency. Moreover, it ensures that employees are adept at utilizing the latest tools and methodologies, thereby optimizing processes and delivering higher-quality products and services.
Adapting to Changing Job Requirements
Professional training not only addresses current skill gaps but also anticipates future needs, enabling employees to adapt to changing job requirements and industry trends. It cultivates a culture of continuous learning, fostering innovation and creativity within the organization.
Furthermore, skilled employees are better equipped to handle challenges and crises, thereby reducing operational risks and enhancing the organization's resilience. Additionally, offering training opportunities can attract top talent, as job seekers prioritize companies that invest in their employees' professional development.
Ultimately, skills enhancement and professional training are essential for driving growth, fostering a competitive edge, and ensuring long-term success in the ever-evolving industrial landscape.
Next steps
If you’re interested in skills development for your career, consider taking an online course that can help. In Get Trained Get Hired, you’ll find several options for general self-improvement and specific human and technical skills.
Reach out to Get Trained Get Hired to book a free 30-minute career counseling meeting. At Get Trained Get Hired we provide you with the necessary training to learn practical skills to become an accountant. Our training is based on practical real-life cases. After the training, we work on your resume and try to place you in accounting firms through our network. You will also get access to like-minded individuals who are looking for jobs through our WhatsApp group. Please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Or call us at 647-276-7150.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is intended to provide general information. The information does not consider your situation and is not intended to be used without consultation from professionals. Salman Rundhawa and Gettrainedgethired.com will not be held liable for any problems that arise from the usage of the information provided on this page