Transitioning from a career in accounting to finance can be an exciting and rewarding move. While both fields share some common ground, finance offers a broader range of opportunities and challenges for professionals with a background in accounting.
If you are considering making the transition from accounting to finance, there are key steps you need to take to set yourself up for success.
Table of Contents
10 Key Steps to Transition to Finance
Here are the steps to successfully transition to Finance:
#1: Understand What Finance Is About
Finance is not just about money. It’s really about optimizing existing resources and capitalizing on opportunities for growth. In other words, in finance roles, you will spend a lot of time working with people outside of your finance department.
#2: Know Your Strengths
Your accounting and quantitative skills will greatly assist any finance role.
#3: Develop Your Analytical Skills
Learn when and how to use key analysis methods, such as Price Volume Mix and Scenario Modeling.
#4: Work on Your Soft Skills to Transition to Finance
Developing certain soft skills, like Storytelling and Communication, will help you in your transition.
#5: Invest in Continuing Education
Certificates are good, but practical training is better. Therefore, get out of your comfort zone to take on different assignments whenever possible.
#6: Target The Right Responsibilities
Focus on responsibilities first rather than titles.
#7: Start Your Transition to Finance Where You Are
You have more chances of learning new skills within your existing organization than elsewhere, so start growing where you are.
#8: Find A Mentor or Career Strategist
Finding the right success partners will help you in the long run. Especially if they already went down your desired path.
#9: Grow and Cherish Your Network
Networking can bring you new ideas, meaningful friendships, as well as valuable advice about conquering obstacles you may face in your career.
#10: Have a Lifelong Learning Strategy
Developing professional skills should not only happen in formal education settings. There are several ways you can set yourself up for success.
The Bottom Line – Start Your Transition to Finance Today!
In conclusion, with dedication and hard work, you can successfully transition from accounting to finance and take your career to the next level.
Wassia and I worked together to prepare this mini-guide. Our goal was to help and inspire people who want to transition to finance.
So, in this document, we share the following:
- Our personal stories of how we went from Accounting to Finance
- Our recommendations on how you could do the same.
Furthermore, what makes this extra collaboration special is that:
- Wassia and I both speak French
- Also, we both worked at some point for PwC
- We both worked at some point for a German Company
- We both earned our MBA from US State universities and lived only a few hours away from each other without knowing each other.
- And most importantly, we both successfully transitioned from Accounting to Finance on two different continents.
Finally, I am grateful to Wassia, who approached me to make this collaboration and provide a guide to help finance professionals transition towards a new career!
If you had a career change, let us know what worked best for you. Also, if you are interested in more finance insight and knowledge, you can take my course.
