Opportunities for Accountants during COVID-19

Everyone has had change forced upon them due to coronavirus but our experiences have all been unique. Although the last few months have been difficult for many, there are silver linings out there (if you look hard enough) and opportunities for personal and professional development.

As a Recruitment Consultant in contact with numerous Accounting firms all around Victoria, these are the trends regarding what the biggest opportunities for Accountants are right now.

There are, no doubt, countless more positives and negatives that are personal to you in addition to this list but the below may practically help your productivity, value-proposition and job security.

Seven current opportunities for Accountants:

1. Go above and beyond
A highlight of the role for any Accountant is helping their clients – isn’t that the whole point of working?! Your clients will remember the assistance you give and their appreciation will be long-lasting.

This is a chance to strengthen your client relationships and offer a service that will make a difference. Your clients are stressed right now and will value any support you can offer.

2. New business development
There are Accounting firm clients who are not happy with their current service – use this as an opportunity! Clients who have heightened stress and a need for urgent support may find their current firm cannot cater for it with their increased workload and decreased resources.

If clients need help, they will have no hesitation in finding it elsewhere, so new business development could be easier than usual for you, if you can accommodate them.

3. Focus on your internal reputation
This is a chance to prove your hard-working, trustworthy attitude to your employer. Trust me, your efforts are being noticed.

Also, with some leadership distracted with managing an ever-changing business in an ever-changing landscape, you have an opportunity to become an invaluable member of the team. Help your Manager or Partner and they will not only notice, they will appreciate it. Whoever steps up during this period will do themselves and their career a lot of good in the future.

4. Get to know how your colleagues and Managers optimally work
Training and developing your skill set can be trickier without having your mentor physically beside you. Ask them how they would like to be contacted if you have numerous “little” questions during the day. That way, you can avoid bothering them and still get the answers you need.

5. Discover what works best for you
Create an environment that suits your personality and work-style. Data shows that remote workers have additional stress if they feel the need to prove their worth while Managers cannot physically see activity. This can result in some people working longer hours or not taking a break.

Don’t go overboard with your effort, it is not sustainable and can have a negative impact on you in the long run. Focus on getting your work done to the best of your ability and make sure the appropriate people know what you are achieving.

6. Seek the help you need
Working from home is not the same for everyone and many people are finding it tough, with less than ideal working environments. If this is the case for you, speak with your employer and discuss tips or alternative options you can explore that might help make your life easier and your work more efficient. The right employer will try to help you.

7. Consider different employers than you might have before, that might be even better for you
There are many smaller, high-performing and innovative firms who are growing and actively recruiting due to increased demand from their clients, while in contrast, some of the bigger firms have let people go. This is an opportunity to consider firms that you might not have known about before but could offer you an environment in which to flourish.

I have spoken with many Accountants recently, particularly at leadership levels, who are using this forced change in the workplace as an incentive to finally make the move they have been considering for a long time. There is a trend of Partners and Managers in the market who didn’t love their job but didn’t explore moving firms until now. This could be you too and now is always the best time to improve your life.

In summary, despite the difficulties many Accountants are experiencing right now, use the points above to focus your efforts and feel productive and purposeful during this period of uncertainty.

For more valuable career information, visit our Accounting Resources page or contact our specialist Professional Services team on 03 9946 7300 or support@lawsondelaney.com.au

Lawson Delaney is a leading executive search and professional recruitment firm based in Melbourne. We specialise in recruiting CEOs and leadership teams, and accountants of all seniorities for Accounting firms.