Professional Growth in Finance: Follow These 6 Tips To Advance Your Career

Article

Being proficient with the latest technology tools plays a key role in climbing the ladder in a finance career. But advancing also hinges on blending that technical know-how with strategic career planning, strong personal branding and the ability to clearly demonstrate your value.

Whether you’re a financial analyst, controller, staff accountant or aspiring to become a CFO, these six practical tips can help you keep your career in finance moving in the right direction.

Top 6 Career Tips for Professional Growth in Finance 1. Learn how to use AI, data analytics and blockchain in finance 2. Earn resume-boosting finance certifications 3. Gain strategic experience as a finance business partner 4. Make yourself discoverable with a personal brand 5. Invest time in finance networking 6. Accelerate growth through a finance mentorship

1. Learn how to use AI, data analytics and blockchain in finance

Today’s finance professionals are expected to go beyond spreadsheets and develop financial skills grounded in tools that lead to faster business decisions. These include:

Finance AI: AI tools are increasingly used to automate financial processes and support real-time insights. This includes AI-driven forecasting models, natural language processing (NLP) for financial reporting, and machine learning tools embedded in various platforms.

Data Analytics: Tools like Power BI and Python are enhancing the use of data analytics in finance, enabling professionals to identify meaningful trends and insights from complex data.

Blockchain: Blockchain is no longer just about cryptocurrency. In treasury and compliance, blockchain enables real-time settlement, secure cross-border payments, and tamper-proof transaction records, making fraud detection and audit transparency far more robust. Understanding the best blockchain use cases can give you a competitive edge.

Each of these technologies is complex, so identify which are most relevant to your current or future finance career goals before diving in. Once you know which to focus on, you can enroll in online courses like the Google Data Analytics Certificate or Blockchain Fundamentals from Blockchain Council.

2. Earn resume-boosting finance certifications

Whether you’re entry-level or a seasoned professional, earning a finance or accounting certification is an excellent way to pursue upskilling in finance. Certifications validate the level of expertise you’re building and can lead to promotions or salary increases.

Choosing the appropriate certification(s) to earn depends on your professional growth goals and specialization. Some of the best finance certifications to look for include:

CPA (Certified Public Accountant)

CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)

CMA (Certified Management Accountant

CFP (Certified Financial Planner)

Once registered, schedule your certification exam date as early as possible and create a study plan to stay on track. Joining a local or virtual study group can help you stay motivated throughout the process.

Even if you’re already certified, consider renewing or recertifying with continuing education (CE) courses or seminars that cover the latest best practices and technologies used in the industry.

3. Gain strategic experience as a finance business partner

To grow in your finance career, especially if you want to move into senior financial leadership roles, you need a holistic understanding of how the business operates. One of the most effective ways to gain this experience is by working with other departments as a finance business partner. The role has become increasingly popular as companies move further away from finance being seen as primarily a reporting and compliance function toward professionals being strategic advisors throughout an organization.

Cross-functional collaborations help you better understand the goals and challenges driving the entire company’s performance. For example, working with marketing can help you connect budgeting decisions to campaign ROI, while partnering with HR on workforce planning can improve your understanding of labor costs and retention metrics. Collaborating with operations teams can reveal how supply chain decisions impact cash flow, margins and inventory forecasting.

4. Make yourself discoverable with a personal brand

If and when advancing your career means moving to another company, a strong social media presence, especially on sites like LinkedIn, can boost your visibility among finance recruiters and hiring managers and help to establish your expertise. Tailoring your LinkedIn profile for finance networking requires consistency, but you can start small. Here are some quick and easy personal branding tips for finance and accounting professionals:

Update your profile headline and summary with keywords that reflect your expertise.

Use your About and Experience sections to highlight your certifications and work contributions, such as cost-saving initiatives or process improvements

Share short takeaways from finance articles, reports or webinars. Adding your own perspective helps demonstrate thought leadership and keeps your profile active without having to create original content from scratch.

5. Invest time in finance networking

It’s easy to overlook the importance of networking, but building genuine connections with other finance professionals can lead to job referrals, mentorship opportunities and new business connections. Professionals with diverse, active networks may be able to advance faster in their careers and better withstand downturns in the job market.

Some easy ways to start building an active finance network include:

Attend events hosted by professional organizations like Financial Executives International (FEI) or the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA).

Join online communities or groups for finance professionals and try to engage them by asking questions, sharing an interesting article, or giving advice to someone seeking help.

Send a LinkedIn request to new contacts, such as an inspiring leader, a colleague in another department, or a speaker from a recent event you attended.

6. Accelerate growth through a finance mentorship

A professional mentor in the finance industry can provide you with valuable insights, guidance and feedback as you navigate your career path. Mentorship can also help you build up your confidence and open doors to new opportunities, which is especially valuable if you're aiming for a leadership position.

While a formal finance mentorship program through your company might provide the best structure for this kind of relationship, you don’t need to wait for one to reap the benefits. Many mentoring relationships begin with a simple conversation.

Start by identifying someone who inspires you, has relevant experience and seems willing to support emerging leaders. Once you’ve built rapport through networking, ask if they’d be willing to mentor you, explaining your goals and emphasizing that you don’t expect a significant time commitment from them.

Career growth doesn’t happen by accident. As you strengthen your technical skills, expand your network and position yourself for leadership, each step you take builds momentum. Focus on the moves that matter most to your path—and keep going.

Accounting Certifications Employers Really Want to See

How AI-Enabled Finance Functions Can Help Companies Navigate Macroeconomic Challenges More Effectively

How to Network in Accounting: A Guide for New Professionals