Key Office Skills For Success in Accounting and Business Technology

Within the business sector, there are many employment opportunities that support the success of companies big and small. Accountants help businesses manage their finances. Their services go beyond creating budgets and helping clients file their taxes. Accountants can help their clients find more time for business-boosting activities by automating their cash flow, helping them with business strategy, and managing their debt–all while offering moral support. 

They are undoubtedly extremely valuable assets for businesses everywhere, and if you’re interested in pursuing a business accounting career, there are several skills that you’ll need to develop through specialized training and experience. Here are some of the skills to support your career success.

Up-to-Date Excel and MS Suite Proficiency 

The use of MS Suite is a must. Many of your clients will be proficient in this tool, and its popularity is great for keeping the lines of communication open and maintaining transparency. Excel in particular will be an invaluable tool for creating schedules and making advanced calculations. There are also several add-ons available for important accounting tasks, like financial modelling and forecasting. 

Technology is getting smarter and accounting software is no exception. Advancements in cloud computing and automation are a few examples. As technology continues to evolve, accounting and business technology graduates will do well to keep their knowledge up to date in order to provide the most value to clients. 

Business Knowledge 

As an accountant, much of your role will be to advise clients or your team on their next business moves to maximize revenue. Your clients may use you as a sounding board for key decisions like the allocation of funds and you may even serve as a business partner of sorts. A deep understanding of business operations is required for you to effectively collaborate with various departments within a company. This will allow you to understand the roles of your team members and how you can best help them. Don’t know anything about business now? Fortunately, these are skills you can gain in career training.

Excellent Communication Skills 

Crunching numbers and interpreting spreadsheets correctly doesn’t come naturally to everyone. An effective accountant will be able to keep their clients in the loop by clearly communicating what all the numbers and calculations mean in an accessible way. In an accounting context, effective communication won’t only involve expressing yourself clearly. It involves actively listening to clients about the nature of their businesses and their chief concerns, while offering actionable solutions that are tailored to their specific needs. 

Throughout your career, you’ll want to ensure that you’re avoiding business jargon that your clients won’t understand. Make sure you’re not going into too much detail so as to avoid confusion, and practice active listening consistently. 

Financial Skills Obtained Through Specialized Career Training 

This is perhaps the most obvious skill you’ll need to obtain in order to successfully launch your accounting career. To help your clients solve financial problems and strategize, you’ll need to be able to manipulate financial data with ease. You’ll be able to develop this knowledge base in our Accounting and Business Technology Diploma program where we’ll support you through courses in accounting, business skills, database management, and more. We won’t stop at equipping our students with the necessary financial skills for the field. We care about your employability after graduation and will provide you with the tools you’ll need to land your dream position. 

Exploring accounting programs in BC? 

Contact AOLCC BC to learn more about our program!