AN OVERVIEW:
ACCA qualification highly focuses on academic diversity as well as technical and soft skills, this makes the qualification unique and appealing to the employers. However, ACCA graduates can work on polishing these skills a bit more to add value to their professional profile. With each added skill in the resume, the professional worth of that candidate increases, and ACCA graduates should concentrate on key skills for ACCA professionals alongside their studies. These skills can contribute to attracting big employers, higher salary packages, career advancements, etc. If you are one of those ACCA graduates trying to start their professional journey, this guide will help you to know more about such skills.
7 IMPORTANT QUALITIES FOR ACCA GRADUATES:
TECHNICAL COMPETENCE:
One of the key skills for ACCA professionals is to have a good understanding of the important accounting and finance principles. ACCA graduates should be equipped with technical skills; these skills include integrating international accounting standards with their professional tasks. ACCA professionals are eligible to work globally, therefore, they are required to comply with local and international regulatory frameworks as well as use International financial reporting and auditing standards proficiently.
This skill holds a high value to the employer as it enables ACCA graduates to comply with law and ensure accuracy in financial reports, maintaining fraud-free activities, and efficient decision-making in the financial sector. Candidates who have additional skills like command on ERP systems, Excel, and accounting softwares (Oracle & SAP) are preferred by the employers.
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ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY:
ACCA graduates must have high ethical and professional grounds, as these professionals are responsible for managing, making, and reporting confidential financial data. Employers value candidates who follow the ACCA code of ethics and conduct, as the pillars of a strong financial sector are integrity, transparency, accuracy, and confidentiality.
Therefore, ACCA graduates are encouraged to keep their ethical grounds high and showcase it through their transparent financial activities even when under pressure.
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ANALYTICAL AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS:
Skilled ACCA professionals are not only responsible for financial transactions or reporting, rather they also take over essential responsibilities like interpreting financial data, risks, patterns, and management opportunities, helping them in making informed decisions. Other than that, ACCA members who take over managerial-level roles are responsible for strategic planning, critical thinking, problem-solving, and informed decision-making. Therefore, employers demand ACCA graduates to have good analytical skills and problem-solving skills to run the financial sector efficiently.
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COMMERCIAL AWARENESS:
Employers sought skilled ACCA graduates who understand the importance of their professional roles; the candidates who value shaping the business by their diverse knowledge. To manage the financial sector efficiently it is crucial to understand how the business operates, aware of industry trends, regulations, and competitor’s strategies. Awareness regarding all these matters enables professionals to see the bigger picture and work hard to contribute to business growth.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
ACCA graduates should have good communication skills, both written as well as verbal; this is the most basic yet sought-after quality. Employers appreciate ACCA graduates who showcase clarity, conciseness, and correctness in their communication skills. The reason behind this is the professional responsibility of ACCA professionals; ACCA professionals are responsible for communicating complex financial data to stakeholders with clarity. They should be able to make stakeholders understand the financial statements, and prepare reports, summaries, dashboards, etc. With strong communication skills finance professionals can build strong relationships with stakeholders and investors resulting in business advancements.
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ADAPTABILITY AND CONTINUOUS LEARNING:
The accounting and finance sectors are ever-evolving, to stay competent in this fast-changing financial world it is highly important to stay current with any updates made in regulations or accounting standards. Other than that, industry trends keep on shifting; professionals need to stay aware of new trends and technologies to avoid being cornered. ACCA graduates are advised to stay updated with the help of CPD activities, this way they can stay updated with any changes made in the financial sector and stay a step ahead of other candidates.
TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATIONS:
Financial professionals are inter-connected with all the departments of the organization for financing and decision-making purposes. These professionals are connected with HR, marketing, operations, and external auditors to provide them with financial insights into the company and help them make informed decisions for the organization’s growth. Therefore, the ability to work in a team is another key skill for ACCA professionals, this skill is valued by employers as they require a professional who can work within cross-functional and multicultural groups.
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CONCLUSION:
ACCA graduates can avail many local as well as international career opportunities if they have skills and expertise. However, the qualification itself equips professionals with many technical, ethical, and professional skills, but if you aim to stand out amongst other candidates you have to work hard to polish those skills and adapt additional qualities employers sought-after. Some of these qualities include technical competence, adaptability and continuous development, communication skills, ethical and professional integrity, teamwork & collaboration, industry awareness, analytical skills, problem-solving skills, compliance with regulatory frameworks, etc. All these skills add value to your professional profile, make you stand out amongst other candidates, and enhance your professional worth which eventually results in increased job opportunities and competitive salary packages.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Q1: Is just passing the ACCA exams enough to get a good job?
A: No, along with cracking exams ACCA graduates also need to gain a certain practical work experience to become a fully-qualified ACCA professional. Apart from that, to get a good job opportunity you should have good technical, professional, and soft skills.
Q2: How important is practical work experience for ACCA graduates?
A: Gaining practical work experience is extremely important for ACCA aspirants as you can not become a fully-qualified ACCA professional without gaining this experience. In simpler words, this work experience of 36 months in a relevant role is a requirement of the qualification.
