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In the professional world, success and excellence do not just require technical skills. Soft skills are also imperative in one’s performance. The National Careers Service (n.d.) defines soft skills as “personal qualities and attitudes that can help you to work well with others and make a positive contribution to organisations.” Even in my chosen field, accounting, soft skills matter. Personally, I believe that I already have some soft skills that will help me in becoming an effective Accounting Consultant. At the same time, I still need to learn about other soft skills that are needed in my future career of choice.
One of the soft skills that I have acquired through my experience is communication skills. I used to work with a large telecommunications company where I deal with almost 50 customers on a daily basis. I have enhanced my communication skills by talking with them regarding their concerns and by discussing with them the services that the company provides. In addition, I have developed my ability to actively listen to the customers. Because I will be dealing with different clients in the future, this communication skill will definitely be essential. In fact, as I search for job positions for Accounting Consultant, I saw an ad that requires applicants to possess “excellent oral and written communication skills” (“Accounting,” 2016). This shows that being a good communicator, a skill that I possess, is truly needed in my chosen career.
Moreover, my past experiences also developed my reliability, a soft skill that makes me an ideal candidate for a job as an Accounting Consultant. On the same job advertisement that I previously mentioned, one of the qualifications is to have the “ability to work in a team environment” (“Accounting,” 2016). Being a team players means that one has to be reliable because there will be times when one of the team members would depend on the output of other members. In the past, I experienced working on a salon. I had different clients, and all of them relied on my ability to give them the service that they expect and more. For instance, I experienced being scheduled for a 5 a.m. appointment to provide service for the client, and I made sure that I am reliable enough to be at work on time. In the future, once I become an Accounting Consultant, many people will also rely on me and my words. Therefore, my reliability will be an integral part of my future career.
In addition, I also believe that being trustworthy makes me an ideal candidate for an Accounting Consultant. This job requires someone who can work “as a self-starter in a fast paced environment and multitask while continuing to be a forward thinker” (“Accounting,” 2016). When people work in a fast paced environment, greater accountable is expected. This is because the pressure is higher and great risk also comes along the way. Therefore, the workers must be trusted to do their work effectively and efficiently. I have worked in a fast paced environment before, and this is where I built my sense of being trustworthy in order to be deserving of the position that I held.
Now, one of the soft skills that I believe I need to develop for my future career is my presentation skills. I have mentioned that I am good at communication, but carrying out a formal presentation is my weakness. This is important in the future because I know I have the ability to come up with good ideas and plans, but in the workplace, all ideas must be presented formally to the concerned people in order to gain support and approval. When I become an Accounting Consultant, I am sure I’ll be able to harness great ideas to that will be worth sharing to my co-workers. This is why I need to develop the skills to conduct a formal presentation. This can be done through training, practice, and knowledge acquisition.
Overall, enhancing the soft skill that I already have and acquiring new ones can help me be at my best for my future role as an Accounting Consultant.
References
Accounting consultant (2016). Booz Allen Hamilton. Retrieved from http://www.jobs.net/jobs/booz-allen-hamilton/en-us/job/United-States/Accounting-Consultant/J3F5ZY6HF5F3TTV1KM7/
National Careers Service (n.d.). What are the ‘soft skills’ employers want? National Careers Service. Retrieved from https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/aboutus/newsarticles/Pages/Spotlight-SoftSkills.aspx
