Brutal Career Mistakes in Accounting I made (And How to Avoid Them)
Before we get to it, I’ll add a half-excuse: I’m older than Google, and I didn’t have anyone to ask about careers. My school basically said, fail your GCSEs, and your life is over—and that was it. The rest was left for me to figure out through trial and error, and boy, did I bathe in errors.
1. Not Knowing About Dyscalculia
I had no clue what dyscalculia was or how it could impact me. Today, I know much more about it. Understanding your challenges and how they affect you is crucial. Thankfully, awareness in this area is growing, and dyscalculia won’t stop you from becoming an accountant if that’s what you want.
I first learned about this in two places: an AAT forum where a brave member shared their experience and explained dyscalculia, and from Would I Lie to You? (Series 4, Episode 8). I found the episode on YouTube—go to 06:30, where Patsy Palmer explains what it is. I’m glad she did.
2. Not Knowing What an Accountant Was
I wanted to be an accountant but had no clue what they actually did. I didn’t know the different types of roles available or the difference between accounting and finance. As a result, I was chasing a job instead of a career.
3. Not Having a Five-Year Plan
I didn’t have a clear plan for my next move. Instead of taking control of my future, I was waiting for things to fall into place.
My goal was simply to get promoted at work. The problem with that approach? What if the promotion leads to a role I don’t even want? Or what if the role is being phased out of the industry or is only relevant to that particular company?
4. Not Understanding What Additional Qualifications I’d Need
I had no idea what I was signing up for when I picked this profession. AAT completely drained me. Any enjoyment I had for studying died once I completed it. When I realized that AAT alone wouldn’t get me to the top and that I’d need further qualifications, I felt sick. I asked myself, Why did I pick this damn profession?
The funny thing about accounting? The studying is 100 times harder than the job itself—especially now, with so many good online resources.
5. Thinking Hard Work Alone Would Get Me Promoted
The dumbest thing I ever believed was that hard work alone would get me promoted. It doesn’t. Relationship-building is just as important. In many companies, you’re judged not only on your work but also on your social skills.
6. Not Understanding the Impact of Being an Introvert
Offices Favor extroverts. If you have a head down, work, go home persona, you might be overlooked in corporate settings. Being an introvert isn’t the end of the world, but the social butterfly who does less work than you will often progress noticeably faster.
7. Not Having a Mentor
Ideally, a mentor should be someone a few levels ahead of you. For example, if you’re starting out in accounting in an AP or AR role, a good mentor would be a Financial Controller or a Head of Finance—roles that are typically 4-6 years ahead of where you are now.
8. Not Embracing the Art of Storytelling
I’ve always enjoyed telling stories, but I held back because I thought the corporate world only spoke in dry business jargon. That was a mistake. Even if you take a short six-week course somewhere, learning to tell a compelling story will massively help your career.
9. Not Researching Things Like Imposter Syndrome
I once heard someone say about Sebastian Vettel: “You’re old enough, when you’re good enough.” This was in response to concerns that he was too young for F1. The sport used to be dominated by middle-aged drivers until: Lewis, Kimi, Vettel, and Alonso (all world champions) broke the mould.
For too long, I questioned whether I was ready for XYZ roles, afraid of doing a bad job. The irony? No one is born a CFO—you become one.
You have to tell the world, you’re ready, not the other way around. I regret not realizing imposter syndrome sooner because my own mindset held me back.
10. Not Embracing Corporate Politics
I used to hate office politics. I thought, Why would a bunch of adults rather waste time playing games instead of just getting things done?
The reality? That mindset was childish. Politics are a part of life. Ignoring them doesn’t mean you’re avoiding the game—it just means you’re playing it badly. Learn how to navigate them.
11. Not Interviewing at Least Once a Year
Simple: You should aim for at least one interview per year. Why?
- To see what the job market values (keeps you relevant).
- To stay interview-ready just in case.
12. Working Too Hard
I used to proudly work weekends, evenings, and bank holidays. While I genuinely enjoy working, that time would have been better spent developing skills to make my work easier.
The better mentality? How can I streamline this task so I don’t have to work late? ALWAYS work on your craft.
13. Not improving my software skills fast enough
I did not learn how to better improve my use of software skills for my profession until later on. For example, if you can use Excel up to INDEX & MATCH, pivots, SUMIFS, and XLOOKUP, you will already be off to a good start. If you can build on that with Macros and VBA, this will put you in the advanced Excel user group, and this alone can propel you.
Learning SQL, Azure and/or AWS, and Python will not only push you beyond a vast majority of your peers, but it will also open up more opportunities. You may even pivot out of accounting into Business Analyst, Operational Finance, FP&A, or Finance roles, which you may enjoy more.
14. Not Understanding Salaries
Many employers still hide salaries to pay as little as possible. Researching salaries, will ensure you know what the current market rate is for your skillset.
Have you made any of these accounting career mistakes? For more career insights, check out my other posts on BrainThrough.
Avoid these brutal accounting career mistakes that could hold you back. Learn from my experiences and get practical advice to advance your career in finance. Read now!”
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