Nobody Cares About Your Career More Than You — And That’s Exactly How It Should Be
If you’re early in your accounting career, especially in public accounting, there’s something you need to understand right away:
Nobody is going to care about your career as much as you do.
Sure, there are mentors who will support you. Managers who will answer your questions. Partners who may advocate for your promotion — if it aligns with their goals. But no one is going to wake up in the morning thinking about how to move you forward. That job belongs to you, and only you.
This isn’t cynical. It’s just the way the real world works. And the sooner you internalize that, the sooner you can make intentional choices that align your present work with your future ambitions.
A Quick Reality Check on Today’s Market
Public accounting firms are still hiring. In fact, many of them are desperate for smart, capable staff — especially as fewer students pursue accounting degrees and many professionals leave the field early. But just because jobs exist doesn’t mean the path is easy or automatic.
Today’s young professionals are more vocal than ever — and that’s not a bad thing. But many still lack one key ingredient: perspective. They may know what they want (more client interaction, advisory work, faster promotions), but they don’t always know how to realistically get there — or how their own performance stacks up against those goals.
If you’re not careful, that gap between what you want and what you’ve earned can start to close in around you. Especially when social media shows you highlight reels from people who appear to be moving faster than you.
Let me tell you something important:
Success in public accounting isn’t found in aesthetics or ambition — it’s found in experience.
What I Learned the Hard Way
I started out in a regional accounting firm doing financial statement audits. After a few years, I realized I wanted something more dynamic — more advisory work, more complex engagements. So I tried to shift.
I talked to managers, volunteered for different projects, made my goals known.
But here’s what I didn’t understand at the time: I was asking partners — whose careers and client bases were built on audits — to prioritize my career direction over their business reality.
That wasn’t going to happen. And in hindsight, I can’t blame them.
Sure, I got tossed a few projects here and there, but ultimately I was pulled back into audit work. Why? Because that’s what served the firm’s business needs — and I didn’t yet have the leverage or experience to ask for something more substantial.
I eventually realized: If my long-term goals had changed, I needed to change the environment — not just keep hoping someone else would reshape theirs for me.
Short-Term vs. Long-Term: A Framework That Grounds Everything
Young accountants often ask: “How do I get on the path to what I want?”
Start by asking yourself two questions:
How is what I’m doing right now contributing to my short-term goals?
How are my short-term goals contributing to my long-term goals?
Early in your career, your short-term goal might be simple: “Get better at audits,” “Learn Excel and data analytics,” “Build relationships with seniors and managers.” And guess what? Those are great goals. They’re the foundation for everything that comes later.
But if your long-term goal is to move into advisory, become a partner, or specialize in a niche area, you have to ask whether your current short-term goals are building in that direction — or just keeping you comfortable.
Most importantly, you have to realize when your goals no longer align with the people you work for — and when it’s time to make a change.
Self-Advocacy with Empathy
Here’s where most people get it wrong.
Some professionals wait too long to advocate for themselves. They get good at what they’re doing, but they never ask for more — even when they’ve earned it. Others speak up too early, demanding high-visibility work before they’re ready — burning bridges they don’t even realize they’re crossing.
The key is this: Advocate for yourself with empathy.
Understand that the managers and partners you work with have their own goals, their own books of business, and their own pressures. If you want something from them — a new opportunity, a different type of project — frame your ask in a way that aligns your goals with theirs.
Don’t say:
“I don’t like doing this work anymore.”
Do say:
“I’m grateful for what I’ve learned so far, and I think I’m ready to take on something that helps me build toward X — and also helps us deliver more value in Y.”
And if those goals never align? That’s your signal. You don’t need to burn a bridge — you just need to build a new one somewhere else.
Final Thoughts: Own Your Path
Your career isn’t a conveyor belt. It’s a strategy. And like any strategy, it needs regular tuning.
Keep learning.
Keep reflecting.
Keep asking: Is this moving me toward the life I want?
And when the answer is no — act. Don’t hope someone else will act for you.
Also, whenever you're reflecting on your progress or preparing for a career conversation, ask yourself:
How is what I’m doing right now contributing to my short-term goals?
How are my short-term goals contributing to my long-term goals?
And remember: the people you’re working with have their own goals and constraints too. The best way to advocate for yourself isn’t to demand more — it’s to understand how your growth can complement theirs.
Because at the end of the day, no one is coming to rescue your career.
But if you show up with humility, clarity, and initiative — your future self will thank you.