Being a Great New Hire: 3 Tips for Entry Level Public Accountants

Starting out as a new employee can be daunting to many, especially in a profession where there is an immense amount of training done at the entry level like public accounting. I can confidently say that as a new employee, I was clueless about many aspects of my job and I’m sure there were many things I could have improved upon. Today, I’m going to share with you some lessons from my mistakes and best practices I’ve learned from others over the years to help you succeed as an entry level employee at an accounting firm. 

#1 - Ask Questions

At first, it may seem like asking questions will signal that you aren’t picking things up quickly enough, but the opposite tends to be true: the new hires that don’t ask questions are usually the ones spending too much time trying to figure something out themselves without much success. This doesn’t mean you should ask questions without giving anything a try first but being quick to ask questions when you get stuck will set you up for success in the long run, even if it feels like you are bugging your seniors in the process. I highlighted the importance of asking questions in professional settings in a separate blog, which you can check out here.

#2 - Review Your Orientation Material

In your first couple of days on the job, your firm will likely put you through some firm-specific and service area training that will help you out as you start your new job. In recent years, firms have been getting better at creating these documents and reference guides, which are useful tools even after the training sessions. Taking the time to review the material that relates to your basic job responsibilities will help you more than you think. Many of the common questions are covered in these training materials and having those answers handy will leave you more time to ask more important questions. 

#3 - Ask for Practice Scenarios and Examples

Lots of the learning in public accounting comes from the hands-on application of stuff you were taught in school. While the quickest way to learn something will be to work on an active client, doing a practice run on a dummy client or looking over a prior year file will be the next best thing. This tip is critical for the newest hires because so much is learned on the job and the quicker you can gain experience in those first few months, the better. Taking the time to ask your seniors where you can find a good example or way to practice a workpaper will not only show your initiative but may also accelerate your learning and career development.

If you are a new hire at an accounting firm, try to implement these strategies as much as you can to get a head start on your career progression. Remember to combine these tips with a positive attitude and good communication with your colleagues and you will be well on your way to overcoming busy season with ease!