How to Move on in Your Finance and Accounting Role
Financial Services, Career Advice, Finance & Accountancy, ...
It doesn’t always happen overnight.
One day, you’re learning, developing, and moving forward in your finance role. The next, things feel… steady. Familiar. Maybe even a little stagnant. It has you asking the questions:
‘What next?’
‘Where next?’
If you are starting to ask yourself these questions, it may be the right time for you to explore what’s available across the finance and accountancy job market. But it could also be worth taking a step back before jumping ship.
Here are five things to think about first, before you consider looking for a new finance and accounting role:
1. Be clear on what progression means to you
Progression isn’t just a title change.
In the world of Finance & Accounting, it could mean completing the studies you are currently looking at. Whether that’s AAT, ACCA or CIMA, getting these credentials under your belt can add real value to your experience.
It could be getting that promotion you have been hoping for, to a more senior level within your current finance team, if the structure allows.
If you’re unsure what “better” actually looks like, it’s difficult to move towards it. The more specific you can be about what you want from your next step, the easier it becomes to recognise whether your current finance role and employer can offer it.
2. Don't just assume progress will happen
Many strong performers in finance and accountancy roles fall into this trap.
You deliver, you stay consistent, and you expect progression to follow. Sometimes it does. Often, it doesn’t, at least not without a conversation.
If you’re aiming to understand how to get a promotion in your finance and accountancy role, it’s worth being direct. Ask what progression looks like, what’s expected of you, and what the realistic timeline is.
If the answer feels unclear or open-ended, that’s useful information
3. Take an honest look at the structure around you
Not every business can offer the pace of progression you want.
In some environments, particularly in established, long-standing finance teams, movement can be limited simply because the structure is already set and those ahead of you show no signs of moving.
That doesn’t reflect your performance, it reflects the environment.
If you’re starting to think about where to find a new finance role that offers progression, it might be less about pushing harder where you are and more about understanding what’s possible elsewhere.
4. Keep building skills that move you forward
We’re often asked, “What finance qualifications do I need to get a promotion?”
Progression tends to follow those who are still developing.
That might mean formal qualifications such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA, or it could be broader experience, leading projects, working across teams, or getting closer to commercial decision-making.
If your current role isn’t giving you that exposure, it’s something to take seriously.
5. Understand what's happening in the market
You don’t need to be actively job hunting to explore the market.
In fact, some of the most valuable conversations happen before that point. Understanding where to find new finance roles, what finance and accounting businesses are hiring for, and what your experience is worth can give you a useful perspective.
The Finance & Accounting recruitment market in the UK remains active across areas such as FP&A, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting and transactional-type roles.
Having a conversation with an experienced financial recruiter in the UK can help you sense check where you are, without any pressure to move.
So, what if nothing changes?
If you’ve asked the questions, pushed for development, and taken an honest look at your environment, but things still aren’t progressing, it may not be about doing more.
It may be about doing something different.
We often speak to people who’ve done everything right in their current finance role but have simply outgrown what that role can offer.
Thinking about what happens next?
At Yolk Recruitment, we work with professionals across the UK financial services and accountancy market every day.
Many aren’t actively looking for a new role. They just want to understand their options, what progression could look like elsewhere, and whether they’re being challenged in the right way.
If you’d like to chat about your role, your career options, and the current financial services job market, please reach out to Yolk’s Financial Services recruitment team for a confidential, open conversation.