Advice for a Successful Career in the Accounting Profession

CHAPTER EIGHTEENThe Importance of Giving Back

Key Takeaway

No one achieves success without a lot of help from others, and we all have a responsibility to assist those who follow us. As your career advances, make it a priority to help those who come behind you and look for opportunities to contribute to the broader community where you live and work. Besides being the right thing to do, helping others is tremendously rewarding. You have valuable skills to share!

Every one of us has a unique story. But I think it is very rare for someone to be able to legitimately claim that 100% of their accomplishments were due to their own merit and efforts and that they received no help along the way. Conversely, many of us had quite a bit of assistance from our parents or other family members, teachers, mentors, and friends during our formative years. The assistance might have been monetary, as in helping to finance your education, but likely also involved guidance and encouragement as you contemplated your potential field of study and career path. Perhaps once you had decided on a chosen career, someone working in the profession took a personal interest in you and made the time to answer questions you had or provide other advice. They might even have made a call or two to help you secure an internship or serve as a reference. Maybe a supportive spouse made sacrifices that helped you pursue ...