Building relationships is a key part of finding success in your accounting career. Relationships impact every part of your job and help you become a more effective employee. Demonstrating your value to employers is what gets you hired and helps you progress in your career path.
1) Consult With Confidence
Getting to know your employer helps you effectively contribute to the goals of the company. Schedule regular check-ins with leadership to make sure that your position and role is actively and consistently aligned with their vision. Don’t be afraid to speak honestly and openly about increasing efficiencies and finances, especially since you are a subject matter expert. Continually add value to the company and your relationship with leadership to retain their trust. Consulting is an incremental process but lays a firm foundation of trust.
2) Use Feedback to Increase Performance
Request feedback from your manager to improve your work performance. Ask about your progress when reaching milestones on a long-term assignment. Find out what a client had to say about a project you completed. Schedule regular meetings with your manager to discuss your most recent accomplishments and concerns. Show employers you are dedicated to continually improving your work.
3) Uncover Opportunities
Cultivating relationships helps you uncover opportunities you may not have had otherwise. You may discover an unadvertised job opening, secure an employee referral or be able to use a contact as a character reference. By connecting with other professionals in your industry, you will gain additional knowledge and experience in your field, benefit from others’ perspectives, and draw from their wisdom on career experiences. You gain career guidance, support and advice. You learn best practices, the latest industry trends, and become a resource for others in your field.
4) Become an Expert in Your Field
Sustaining relationships helps you become an expert in your field. Suggest ways your clients or manager can increase their efficiency or effectiveness. Use your industry knowledge, skills and experience to help clients develop solutions beyond their expectations. Share advice and resources to help your clients grow their companies. Employers want to see how you add value to an organization.
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