9 (Scientific) Ways to Improve Your Focus for Online Study

If you want to progress in your career and achieve personal goals, it’s important to have a personal development plan. After all, those who fail to plan, plan to fail!

It’s been proven that those who write down their goals are more successful. In a study, reported by Forbes, only 3% of Harvard graduates wrote down their goals. This 3% was found to earn, on average, 10 times as much as the other 97 percent of the class combined.

What is a Personal Development Plan?

A personal development plan is a document that considers your current skills and strengths and also the areas you need to develop in your personal life, career or education.

The personal development plan should include personal, career or educational goals that you want to achieve and include ways to move towards these goals in a set time, whether it’s weeks, months or years.

When you develop a plan for your future you’ll realise your natural strengths, weaknesses, as well as any opportunities and threats that will help you create a plan that helps you meet goals that are important to your self-development and life plan.

Signs You Need to Focus on Personal Development

We should all set goals for our personal and professional development, but there are times in everyone’s life when a personal development plan is critical. The following are signs that you need to focus on creating a personal development plan.

You can’t stand your job

If you’re unhappy in your job most of the time it’s a definite sign it’s time to start planning your personal development. There’s nothing more energy-sapping than spending the majority of your time – let’s face it we’re at work a lot – at a job that doesn’t fulfil or motivate you.

You may be able to move into a completely new career by investing in self-development courses in an area or industry that’s of interest to you personally or professionally.

You’re stuck in a rut

If you’ve been working towards something, whether in your personal or professional life, and you can’t seem to get past a certain point, you’re stuck in a rut. Ruts are difficult to pull yourself out of, as it means your motivation and energy are stuck on low gear. This is another opportunity to re-evaluate your goals or projects to discover if this is where your energy is best spent.

You feel unhappy in a relationship or in your personal life

The people we surround ourselves with are the biggest influence on our mood. If you are surrounded by people who don’t support you or make you feel uninspired, depressed or stressed it’s time to plan. A personal development plan will help give you the motivation to put space between yourself and those who are zapping your confidence or ambition.

You feel lonely or isolated

If you’re feeling lonely, it’s a sign that the people in your life and/or your life purpose is lacking. It’s time to focus on ways to keep you involved socially and professionally. A personal development plan can give you the practical solutions to lead a more fulfilling, social and meaningful life.

You are often sick or lack energy

If you feel unwell more than most people and lack the energy or motivation to do the things that make you feel happy and accomplished it’s a sign you need to plan to focus more on your health and wellbeing. This doesn’t mean you have to rush and join a gym or jump on the next diet craze heading your way, but it does require you to be mindful of finding ways to focus more of your energy on health and wellbeing. A personal development plan will give you direction and a purpose to work towards feeling healthier and more energetic.

How to Create a Personal Development Plan?

Emma McQueen, Executive Coach and HR Professional, says that throughout life, we are constantly learning and having a personal development plan puts thoughts into action.

“There is something about committing goals to paper that makes it real enough to hold you accountable. The best plans are well-rounded, incorporating career, health and social.”

So, how do you create your personal development plan? The following tips will help you create a practical personal development plan.

1. Brainstorm: Write out what you want to accomplish or do better. It may help to separate your goals into categories, including career, relationships and health. At this point try not to sensor yourself or worry about spelling, grammar or presentation of your personal development plan – it’s about getting all your ideas and dreams on paper/screen.

2. Break big goals down into smaller actionable steps: McQueen advises that a big goal should be broken down into smaller steps, making it as practical as possible to achieve the overall goal.

3. Make goals that are S.M.A.R.T: If you are to set and achieve goals, they need to be SMART:

Specific: State specifically what you want to achieve. Use the five w’s (what, when, where, who, why)?

Measurable: You should be able to determine if your goal is on track.  If it’s a goal that’s going to take months to complete, set milestones by breaking it down into specific tasks to accomplish.

Achievable: Do you have the tools, skills, knowledge and financial means to bring the goal to fruition? Are there any self-development courses you need to take before you can achieve your goal? You need to feel motivated and inspired by the goal, not overwhelmed or discouraged. So, make sure the goals you set in your personal development plan are achievable.

Relevant: Consider if the goal is relevant to your overall personal development plan. How will achieving this goal bring you closer to achieving the overarching goal.

Time-sensitive: Think about the timeline for achieving your goal/s. If the goal or project will take weeks or months to achieve it’s helpful to break the goal timeline into what should be achieved at the halfway point. Setting time constraints creates an important sense of urgency.

4. Make it visible

So that you don’t forget about your goal, put it somewhere visible. A successful business person once said that he writes his goal multiple times a day because it is the password to his computer!

5. Review Often, to Make Sure You’re on Course

McQueen says that reviewing your plan often is important. Depending on your life circumstances, goals and aspirations change. Maybe you’ve had a family or developed an interest or a new hobby.

6. Celebrate Big and Small Successes

Giving yourself a reward for your hard work in achieving the steps you’re taking in achieving your big goals is a great motivator.

McQueen adds that to achieve goals you need to favour progress over perfectionism. “Just keep moving, it doesn’t need to be perfect. You just need to keep making the steps.” She also says it’s vital to review your personal development plan often.

Invest in Your Greatest Resource

Personal development means setting effective goals that inspire and motivate you towards a fulfilling future. It’s about taking time and making a commitment to investing in your greatest resource – you! The most successful people in the world have already figured this out. So, what are you waiting for?

Australian Online Courses

If you’re looking for quality self-development courses enrol with Australian Online Courses. A private training organisation, Australian Online Courses offers unique personal and professional development programs that are flexible in delivery. A state-of-the-art e-Learning platform ensures your education fits with your lifestyle and commitments.

To find out more, or to enrol in self-development courses, call one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221 today.

There are many occupations that require continuous professional development to ensure relevancy and safety in the workplace.  Arguably, child care is one of the most critical. After all, the responsibility of caring for babies and children is significant.

Continuous professional development is a lifelong process of learning. In education and childcare, it’s important to create a structured pathway to develop, update and specialise for many reasons, including: job security, career promotion, staying informed on childcare best practice, moral obligations and a love of learning.

1. Job Security

It is through continuous professional development that you will develop the skills and knowledge to do your job more effectively. You will feel more secure in your job if you are up-to-date with childcare best practice. There are many online childcare courses that can enhance your professional development and increase your knowledge as a child care worker.

2. Career Promotion

The best way to get ahead in your career is through investing in professional development. If you maintain a high level of professional competence throughout your career you’re less likely to be passed over when it comes to a promotion. An online professional development course in child care is an ideal way to keep your skills fresh and enhance your CV.

3. Staying Informed

Providing quality child care requires deepening your understanding of child development and early education. In child care, new developments in how best to support the educational, emotional, behavioural and developmental needs of children are constantly evolving. So, professional development courses play a significant role in keeping early years educators informed.

4. Moral Obligations

Child care is an enormous responsibility. The most important competency you can acquire is in child safety and protection. Staying abreast of new developments in how best to care for and support young children and families is a moral obligation.

5. Love of Learning

Creating a professional development plan means committing to lifelong learning. When you embrace lifelong learning you keep your skills fresh and enhance mental stimulation and focus.

If you love learning, it’s easy. If you don’t – think of professional development and child care courses as part of your work commitments.

So, what are you waiting for? Enrol today in an online professional development course with Australian Online Courses. There are a variety of child care courses to support your continuous professional development.

Australian Online Courses

If you choose to study a professional development course, make sure it’s with an education provider you can trust. Australian Online Courses offers personal and professional development courses, covering a multitude of industries, which are industry-approved and flexible in delivery. Simply visit us online or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants today on 1300 762 221.

The following online childcare courses are ideal professional development for anyone working with babies or children.

Certificate of Baby and Toddler Care

Certificate of Education Support – Early Childhood

Nurture Creativity in Children

Respond to Suspected Abuse

Certificate of Education Support – Learning Difficulties

Certificate of Child Protection & Case Management

Certificate of Youth & Family Intervention

If you have a passion for travel, and can string a sentence together, you could make a living by sharing your adventures with the world. If this sounds like exciting, keep reading to find out how to make this wanderlust dream a reality.

The first step is to set up a place to write about your adventures online, such as WordPress, and create social media handles so that you can share them with your network, family and friends. So, where to start?

Register Your Blog’s Domain Name

The first step to becoming a successful travel blogger is to think of an amazing name. You’ll need to put on your creative thinking cap, as it really is all in the name. You should steer clear of obvious choices and come up a unique and descriptive name. Once you’ve found the perfect name for your travel blog you need to register it, and make sure it’s not already taken, with a domain name registration service. Find out more on the practicalities of setting up and registering your blog name at Business.gov.au.

Bring Your Blog to Life

You don’t need an uber web developer to create an awesome website for your travel blog. Website-building platforms, such as WordPress, make it easy to set up your blog by yourself. Be prepared to embark on a steep learning curve as you take on the tutorials involved in getting your travel blog ‘publish’ ready. If you want to skip this step, you can also use website-builders such as SquareSpace. But if you have time, the effort of learning to use WordPress will equip you with a valuable skillset.

Writing for the Web

Once your travel blog is created and ready for action, it’s time to focus on writing and publishing quality content. Writing for the web is different to writing for print publications. This is because people read differently online that they do in print. A short online course such as Writing for the Web  with Australian Online Courses is an ideal way to ensure your content is engaging and effective in building your online audience.

Take Professional Photographs

You don’t need advanced skills in photography to take amazing photos, but it helps to know the basics. A good quality SLR camera to capture beautiful, travel scenery that you’ll want to share is a must. Most cameras come with instructions, and while it might take time to work out the settings, it will be worth it! Great photographs are not usually made by having your camera stuck on its automatic settings.

It’s also a good idea, as you become more experienced, to invest in photo editing software, such as  Photoshop, to enhance your shots.

Find Your Niche or Point-Of-Difference

It’s in your best interest to explore (and follow) other travel bloggers to get an idea of what others are doing in this space. There may be influencers (people who have a large online audience) who will be willing to mentor or help you. Then again, maybe not; but, you won’t know if you don’t ask.

Next, you need to carve out your niche, or point-of-difference, to make your mark as an original voice in the travel blogosphere! As an example, do you adore food? If so, you could explore the best restaurants of the world. Maybe you’re an avid camper? You could visit all the best camping sites in Australia and blog about the experience. The ideas are limited only by your imagination and interests.

Digital and Social Media Marketing

There’s more to creating a successful travel blog than writing creative content and posting extraordinary photographs. Why? Because no matter how awesome your travel blog, if no one knows about it, it doesn’t exist. This is where social media and digital marketing skills become essential. You can learn a lot from studying how other successful bloggers operate but to educate yourself on digital marketing techniques.

Build Your Network

Networking is particularly important for new bloggers. You can network and build links to your new blog by commenting and guest posting on other blogs. Just make sure it’s authentic and relevant to the travel blog you have created.  If you provide valuable content you’re more likely to be promoted by other websites. You can also connect to an audience looking for travel inspiration through social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to build your Likes and Followers.

Build an Email List

When you have your travel blog up and running it’s time to focus on advertising and marketing. One of the best ways to find those true fans who love reading about your adventures is through building a regular readership. So, how do you do it? You need to build an Email subscriber list by offering something of value. It could be a poster-size photograph of one of the most beautiful places you’ve visited. Or it could be your subscriber-only 100 Things to do In Switzerland.  Whatever your giveaway, it needs to create excitement. You can use a marketing automation system like Mail Chimp to help you set up and create emails and e-newsletters to send out to subscribers.

Time-Management

Starting a successful blog is time consuming, so if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Time-management strategies will be your best friend, especially if you’re juggling a full-time job or work commitments. Check out the short online course offered by Australian Online Courses, Successful Time Management, to master the art of managing your time well.

If you create a content strategy and set goals for your blog, you’ll be more likely to stay motivated. Keep in mind that the quality of your content is more important than the quantity you publish. After all, your audience won’t return or share your content if it’s not remarkable.

Australian Online Courses

Australian Online Courses delivers quality online professional development courses covering a variety of subjects from many industries. All online courses are industry-approved and flexible in delivery, so you can study when, where and how best fits your lifestyle. Simply visit us online or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants today on 1300 762 221.

If you’re in a management or senior position, a large part of your job probably involves mediating interpersonal issues. Resolving conflict and disputes in the workplace can be a difficult and stressful process, especially if you don’t have counselling or mediation skills.

When you have the skills to mediate conflict it reduces the risk of litigation and investigation, which is a drain on organisations. There are many online courses and professional development programs dedicated to upskilling in mediation and counselling. But for now, the following seven steps are a great starting point to help you confidently resolve workplace conflict.

1. Start the Process as Soon as Possible

As with most problems, letting them fester over a period of time only intensifies emotions and makes them harder to solve. So, as soon as an issue is brought to your attention make plans to try to resolve the conflict quickly.

2. Do Your Research

When a complaint has been lodged, take the time to do your research on the grievance. As a mediator you’ll want to go into the meeting with as many facts as possible. This could involve speaking with human resources, senior staff or other employees about processes, workflow or responsibilities to better understand how the issue has arisen. Keep in mind that you must keep the complainant and complaint confidential.

3. Meet with Both Parties Separately

Conduct separate interviews and ask questions to clarify specific problems experienced by individual people/parties. This is an important step so that the individual involved feels comfortable to disclose feeling and issues freely without the other party present. This way you are able to ascertain each person/party’s point-of-view.

4. Meet with Parties Together

The next step is to arrange a mutually agreeable time and place to conduct the mediation with both parties. Mediation is a way to prevent, de-escalate and resolve interpersonal conflict, so try to focus on finding positive options for resolving the conflict in a timely manner.

5. Use Active Listening

During mediation it’s important to use active listening techniques – reframing, summarising, reflecting, clarifying, paraphrasing and problem solving –  to carefully summarise the key issues. Try to avoid interrupting but make sure you ask questions to clarify specific problems. A flow chart may be helpful to highlight any discrepancies in the information provided.

6. Consider Limitations

It’s also important to understand the limitations of resolving the conflict. These could include legal, ethical, moral or logistical limitations. Ensure you consult organisational guidelines/policies or speak with key staff so you can confidently facilitate an agreement.

7. Resolution – Ensure Everyone is Satisfied

You should encourage both parties to discuss their own resolutions. If you can come to an agreement that’s mutually advantageous at this stage, great! If not, see if you can have both parties agree to reconvene to continue negotiations.

Hopefully this information is useful but be aware that mediation is a complex process. So, if your job involves resolving workplace conflict and you don’t have mediation training, consider an online course or professional development program today.

Australian Online Courses

When you choose Australian Online Courses for your personal and professional development, you’re in good hands. Browse hundreds of industry-approved, flexible online courses covering a variety of subjects today. Simply visit us online or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221.

If you feel you could improve at work, you’re probably right. Most of us have jobs that keep evolving and professional development is important to stay abreast of the competition. This fact alone may sway your employer to foot the bill for your education expenses, but if not, you’ll have to be tactical about your request.

So, what’s the right approach? The following five tips will help you feel more confident about requesting financial assistance to fund a course.

1. Do Your Research

How will this course benefit you professionally and how will it help the company?

This is the first and most important consideration, because no matter how interesting the course or how much you think it will benefit you personally, your employer needs to know how it will positively impact the business. You could bargain with your employer on the measurable or tangible benefits they’ll see if you complete a course of study. Take for example, a course on content writing and digital marketing strategy; you could tell your employer that you’ll be able to increase their Google ranking or increase their social media following by a percentage as a result of this training.

You’ll also need to consider cost.

It’s important to offer your employer options. You should include at least three options for training, including a lower cost alternative, such as online professional development course. If your preference is for the more expensive alternative, that’s fine but you’ll need to convince them that this option is valuable and give convincing reasons why.

2. Send a Professional Email Listing the Facts

Once you’ve done your research its time to state your case. The best way to approach an employer to begin with is to send them an email. This is a non-confrontational approach and gives them time to consider your request at a time that’s convenient for them. If they’re having a bad day, the last thing on their mind will be investing in your education – timing is everything.

In your email, include the following:

• Information about the opportunity – the course/s
• The total cost for the course – including travel and accommodation if it’s not an online training provider. Make sure you include the three alternatives with varying prices, from highest to lowest and the pros and cons of each course.
• Benefits – both for your own professional development and the future of the business
• When – when do you plan to undertake the training?
• Where – where is the training provided? Is it online or on campus?
• Timeframe – how long will it take to complete?
• How – how will you fit the study about work commitments?

Sample letter asking employer to pay for education

Hi Jayne,

I’m contacting you because I’d like to study digital marketing to help me gain a better understanding of social media marketing. I feel this is important in my role as Marketing Assistant so that I can increase Pampered Pets’ Google ranking and social media followers.

The course I’m most interested in is the Diploma of Digital Marketing Strategy with Private Training College, at a cost of $5,800. This course will take six months to complete and I will need to take one day a week off work to attend classes on campus. I will make up the time by working until 6.30pm weekdays and half a day on Saturdays.

However, the following course is a cost-effective option with greater flexibility:

• Certificate of Social Media & Engagement with Australian Online Courses at a cost of $599.

This course is delivered exclusively online. This means I can study outside of work hours, so it won’t interfere with my position as Marketing Assistant at Pampered Pets. They are also self-paced, so I can complete the course in my own time. The course will take 75 hours, which means it will take between six weeks and three months to complete.

I would like to begin this course before the end of this financial year. As such, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further with you at your earliest convenience.

Kind regards,

Amy Willows – Marketing Assistant “Pampered Pets”

3. Follow Up & Schedule a Meeting

If you haven’t heard from your employer after four days, it’s okay to follow up with a phone call or visit. Just make sure your timing is right; you don’t want to follow up if your boss is just about to attend an important meeting or at five o’clock on a Friday afternoon when they’re walking out the door.

If your employer is busy or unable to talk about your proposition when you approach them, ask if you can schedule a meeting to discuss the request in person at a later date. This way you’ll have their full attention and will have time to prepare a convincing case.

4. Be Realistic

You employer may feel it’s not possible to meet your request at the present time or they may tell you it’s not an option. You need to be prepared for a negative response and think about how you will respond. Is there an alternative? If you’re realistic in your expectations, you’ll feel less disappointed with the outcome if it’s not favourable.

Make sure you have a Plan B up your sleeve if your employer throws you a curve ball. You could, for instance, ask if you could make the request again at a later date, then find out when the company is most likely to consider funding educational expenses. If there is no possibility of expenses being covered, could you request time off or flexible hours so you can study? Make sure you consider all the options and how they will benefit you and the company.

5. Offer to Contribute

If your employer can’t pay the full fee, consider contributing a percentage of the course yourself. This shows your employer that you are committed and that you have an investment in succeeding at your studies. If you don’t have the financial means to pay for part of your education you may be eligible for government assistance, a grant or a loan that will help you meet expenses. It’s worth looking into all your options, as where there’s a will, there’s usually a way!

Australian Online Courses

When you choose Australian Online Courses for your personal and professional development, you can rest assured that you’re getting a good deal – both in course quality and reasonable course fees. Browse hundreds of industry-approved, flexible online courses covering a variety of vocations today. Simply visit us online or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants on 1300 762 221.

Studying developmental psychology will help you in your personal and professional life. So, what do developmental psychologists do? They study the physical, cognitive, social, intellectual, perceptual, personality and emotional growth of people across their lifespan, from infancy to old age.

Whether you want to take a short online course or dedicate your entire career to developmental psychology, there are many reasons to gain knowledge in this area. The knowledge learned will be instrumental to many careers, such as counselling, aged-care, community service, child protection, teaching, nursing and childcare.

The following are six great reasons to study developmental psychology:

1. Better Understand Yourself

If you know where you’ve come from and where you’re going, you’ll be better prepared for the future. We were all children, we will all grow to adulthood, reach middle age, and navigate old age. You will continue to develop and grow throughout all these stages, it doesn’t begin and end with adulthood. Having an appreciation of what’s to come throughout all life stages will help you better manage all stages and changes you will experience throughout your life.

2. Make Connections with Others

Human beings are complicated creatures and it pays to have an education in developmental psychology to better understand the motivations and behaviours or others. This knowledge will help you become a more perceptive and thoughtful person, enhancing your ability to make connections with others.

3. Confidence to Raise Your Children

When you become a parent, you take on one of the most important and daunting jobs of your life. If you understand developmental psychology, you will be better equipped to understand and interact with your children.

4. Recognise Abnormal Development

If you know what’s normal, you can better identify when problems arise. The sooner developmental abnormalities are picked up and treated the better the outcome. There are many developmental delays and disorders that affect children, including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder and dyslexia.

5. Professional Development

Those interested in a career in social work, community health, counselling, teaching or childcare would benefit from a course in developmental psychology. If you currently work in these industries a course, such as the Certificate of Developmental Psychology would be a beneficial professional development for you.

6. Advocate for Others

If you work in an advocacy role, whether professionally or personally –  as a parent of a school-age child or a carer for an elderly relative – being able to understand human development through the life stages will act in your favour. This educational background can even lead to a career in advocacy.

Australian Online Courses

Choose to study better with Australian Online Courses and enhance your personal and professional development. Browse hundreds of industry-approved, flexible online courses covering a variety of sectors. Simply visit us online or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants today on 1300 762 221.

To be successful you’re going to have to take some risks, whether it’s applying for a job, asking for a pay-rise or promotion, studying to enhance your professional development or even making decisions about what’s important in your life. Fear can be debilitating and it’s not uncommon for fear of failure and fear of success to get in the way. So, what are the most common career fears? We spoke Kris Reynolds, Managing Director at Let’s Talk Career, a career counselling service, for advice on how to identify and overcome fears.

1. Fear of Failure

What if I don’t succeed? I will look a fool, and everyone will know I failed and I will be outed as the loser I am. I will have wasted my time trying!

Strategy

Think about what life is like if nothing changes for you.

2. Fear of Success

What if it goes well and things change for me? Things I don’t know and understand. What if I don’t like that change? What if I succeed and I don’t deserve to? What if I succeed and am happy?

Strategy

Understand how you can wind back success if it becomes a negative for you.

3. Fear of What Others Think

What if I am found out? What if people think less of me? What if people don’t like me or what I do?

Strategy

Stop being a people pleaser and doubting yourself; this is about self-acceptance.

4. Fear of Taking on Too Much

My work-life balance will be disrupted. What if I start a course or new job and it takes over my life? I value my (add own values here) and what if this new thing takes away what I love in my life? What if it takes over?

Strategy

You control your life, you can always moderate the change by doing part time study; taking a sabbatical etc; or asking to go back to your old role; nothing has to be forever. Makes sure you are wanting the change for the right reasons.

5. Fear of the Unknown

What will change look like for me? I don’t like change. I’m unhappy where I am now, but at least I am safe.

Strategy

Reflect on a time you felt this way in the past and how it worked out great; develop some self-confidence to trust that change can be a good thing.

How to Conquer Your Career Fears

Fear is an unpleasant emotion that plagues us all from time to time and is caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. It’s powerful and if you don’t face fears they have a way of limiting your personal and professional life. Reynolds suggests the following strategies for tackling your fears head on.

Recognise the Fear.

Our brains our wired to be negative and to be fearful which served us well for our primitive survival (being hunted by the lion etc) but not so well for adjusting to change in today’s fast paced world.

Understand the Fear.

Think through what each fear is, understand it – is it real? What is the worst-case scenario? Can it be undone if you are unhappy? In most instances it isn’t as bad as our minds make up! Write a list of what you fear; write what will happen, the likelihood it will happen and how you might be able to minimise the risk.

Write About the Fear.

If you struggle to articulate your fear, journal for five minutes without stopping; start with “What I fear is …?” Don’t stop until the five-minute timer rings. Keep the pen moving without stopping and write whatever is in your head uncensored. Read through your notes and see if you gain any insight. This is an incredibly powerful exercise because your subconscious thoughts come out.

Be Inspired by Others.

Inspire yourself by reading about others who achieved what you want to achieve. Read how they saw and conquered their own fears. How they fell and got back up again. How it made them stronger and more successful in the long run.

Talk to a Career Coach.

If you continue to have fears that create obstacles in your professional life, it might be a good idea to consult with a professional. Career counsellors and coaches are trained to identity and help people move away from fear and towards a more positive and confident mindset.

Australian Online Courses

Face your fears and invest in yourself to achieve career goals. Consider a professional development course with Australian Online Courses to become the best you possible or to find your new direction. Simply visit us online or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants today on 1300 762 221.

Accountants get an unfair deal when it comes to stereotypes; there’s this notion that they’re loners who sit doing mathematical equations all day, but the reality is much brighter. Of course, accountants should have a solid grasp on mathematics, economics and business-related subjects, but they also need to be able to build rapport with a variety of people. After all, without excellent communication skills how can you be entrusted with a person’s financial accounts?

So, what do accounts do all day? They apply their expert knowledge in accounting across many disciplines, including financial and corporate accounting, taxation law, corporate planning, government, management accounting and taxation. The role involves analysing, interpreting, auditing, preparing reports and providing advice on financial information for individuals and organisations.

The work environment is as varied as the work and includes chartered accounting firms, large multinational organisations, private businesses, universities, government organisations (tax department, audit officer, treasury, local government), financial planning companies, investment companies and financial institutions (banks and building societies).

If this is music (mathematics?) to your ears, you’ll also be happy to know this occupation has strong future job growth, as reported by Job Outlook. So, is accounting the right direction for you?

Is It Right for Me?

Do you have a passion for mathematics, economics or business-related subjects? If so, this profession could be for you.  As well as an interest in analysing and solving problems, you’ll need good organisational skills, excellent communication skills and have the ability to use discretion when dealing with sensitive information.

Key Skills and Attributes:

• Excellent communication skills
• Good presentation skills
• Able to build rapport with clients
• Professional and ethical
• Able to work as part of a team

Meet James Madden – Accountant Extraordinaire & Director of Madden Partners

James enjoys hanging out at cafés, flexible work hours, wearing pyjamas while working and spending time with his family. He wakes up each morning not knowing exactly how his day will play out. I suppose you could say he’s not your stereotypical, nine-to-five accountant!

Wear Pyjamas if You Want To

Madden says he doesn’t always need to get dressed for work in the morning. “There is now technology available that allows me to service clients from across the globe without even leaving the house!  I’ve done more tax returns in pyjamas than anyone on the planet!”

Those Dreaded Deadlines

So, what’s the worst part about being an accountant? Madden says it’s definitely the deadlines! “Ah yes!  The deadlines…  When I started Madden Partners, my plan was to grow slowly to 1,000 individual tax returns (IRTs).  I was going to do these in three or four months and spend the rest of the year sitting on the beach!  The great thing about ITRs is, you do them and people go away for 12 months.  Instead, in my first year, I have over 1,000 tax returns and a lot of these started businesses…  so now, I have the tax returns which are due by a certain date and I have to lodge about 30 business activity statements (BAS) every three months.”

A Globe-Trotting Occupation

One of the perks of being a professional accountant is that there’s no shortage of places to work, according to Madden. “There are accounting jobs literally anywhere!  Think of a place you want to live, then search on SEEK for “accounting jobs”.  Something will come up!”

The Rules Keep Changing

When asked about the challenges he faces as an accountant, Madden says it’s keeping up with industry rules. “I work in taxation – the rules are constantly changing.  There are always updates.  I deal with this by subscribing to a number of specialist information providers who send monthly newsletters and have regular webinars.”

An Atypical Day is Typical

“The only typical part of my day is the morning!  I get woken up by my daughter around six o’clock.  We have breakfast and play till my wife gets back from the gym.  I aim to be at my favourite cafe by 8 o’clock – usually I arrange to meet a client here, but if not, I answer my emails and say hello to the regulars.

“From here, I have no idea where the day will take me – I might have appointments lined up or tax returns on my “to do” list.  Other times of the year, it might be quiet, and I can work for half a day and then head back and relax with my family.”

Study Bookkeeping and Accounting

Considering a career in accounting? Why not begin with a professional development program with Australian Online Courses? The Certificate of Bookkeeping is an excellent course for those wanting to set up a bookkeeping business; it’s also an ideal introduction to accounting as a profession. If you enjoy the learning experience you might feel confident to commit to a longer course of study in accounting.

Australian Online Courses offers hundreds of professional development courses, covering a variety of industries. All courses are industry-approved so you can rest assured your studies will provide work-ready skills and knowledge. You can also study by your own timetable using our state-of-the-art eLearning platform. Plus, there are no deadlines for assignments and your course won’t expire, so you set the pace. Talk to one of our friendly Learning Consultants today to find a course that’s right for you.

The transitory nature of temp work suits those who don’t want to commit to an employer, but others can be left feeling off-balanced and insecure with this type of arrangement. If you’re in the latter, there are seven things you can do to increase your chances of securing a permanent position according to Geoff Balmer, Director of Richard Lloyd Accounting Recruitment.

1. Attitude.

When companies hire permanent staff, attitude is one of the key factors they consider at interview. Displaying a great positive attitude makes you a lot more employable and a company is far more likely to make you permanent if you have a positive attitude.

2. Understand Job Responsibilities.

Make sure that you are clear from day one of the temporary assignment of what the job entails so you can outperform the role from the beginning. Strong on the job performance in the role will make the company want to hire you permanently.

3. Clarity.

If you are unsure of the job tasks, make sure you ask so you can do a great job and make them want to hire you permanently.  Taking on new roles, using new processes and systems can be daunting for any temporary employee. Make sure you are clear on the expectations and responsibilities from day one, so you can be a star performer.

4. Go Above and Beyond Your Job.

Make sure you exceed the job expectations and make yourself invaluable to the business. Companies never want to lose star performers; make yourself a star performer and companies will want to make you permanent.

5. Timeliness and Sick Days.

Be on time and have impeccable attendance. If you are unwell, make sure that the employer knows this, and they understand how much time you will need to take off. Attendance is still clearly judged as an indicator of your performance, so make sure you are on time every day.

6. Embed Yourself in the Team.

Try to get to know everyone in the team and build up good professional relationships.  Employers always want employees who fit into the team culture and if your colleagues are saying they like you, then that will help the hiring manager form an opinion that they want to keep you permanently.

7. Understand Company Targets, Goals and Objectives.

What goals are your team working towards? What is the company trying to achieve?  This is relevant to temps and contractors at all levels in all disciplines. For example, if the company is trying to change a process then make sure you follow the new process. If a company is trying to offer better levels of customer service go above and beyond to make sure you meet the future goals.

Australian Online Courses

Have you considered a professional development course to give yourself the best chance of securing a permanent position? If you want to take your career to the next level, studying with Australian Online Courses increases your chance of success, as employers value professional development and initiative. Simply visit us online or contact one of our friendly Learning Consultants today on 1300 762 221.