Among Virginia certified nonprofit accountants, there’s a shared set of characteristics that sets the top accountants apart from their peers. Like leaders in any field of endeavor, the best Virginia certified nonprofit accountants are well-educated, hard working, and caring professionals.
But there’s more to it than that. Top nonprofit accounts are:
- Accurate: They pay attention to their work down to the last penny. It bothers them when they are off by a few cents because they pride themselves on the accuracy of their work. Details matter in most professional fields but matter quite a bit in the field of accounting. Good Virginia certified nonprofit accountants check and double check their work to ensure accuracy.
- Punctual: They never miss a deadline. If they promise you that work will be completed by 6 p.m. on Friday, it’s delivered on or before 6 p.m. on Friday. They do not excuse tardiness and complete all required paperwork and IRS submissions on or before the deadline. In their line of work, accountants cannot afford to be absent-minded or careless about deadlines.
- Communicators: It’s not all about the numbers for the best accountants. Great accountants are also strong communicators. They can explain things in layman’s terms to their clients, helping their clients understand their balance sheets and how to manage their finances for maximum impact. They also know how to communicate with peers and managers, sharing information and keeping coworkers informed.
- Tech-Savvy: While accounting may be considered an old-fashioned profession, accountants today are anything but wedded to quill pens and ruled notebooks. Instead, they are comfortable with technology. You can just as easily find them on their smartphones as on their accounting software programs. They understand and use technology judiciously to enhance their professional abilities as nonprofit consultants. In addition to technology, they must also become software prodigies, understanding, and using software that their clients use to manage their finances.
- People of integrity: Virginia certified nonprofit accountants bear a lot on their shoulders. They must display strong professional ethics and a high degree of personal integrity. Not only are they guiding nonprofit clients through their financial needs, they are also responsible for audits and other processes that require diligence, accuracy, and honesty.
- Always seeking to be the best: Not content to rest on their laurels, the best Virginia certified nonprofit accountants are those always seeking to improve their knowledge and skills so that they can better help their clients. It’s not enough to have advanced degrees in accounting and a CPA designation to these accountants. They also seek professional development activities to improve accounting skills, understand new software and technologies, and learn about new tax and finance laws that can impact their clients. They’re always seeking to improve and become their personal best so that they can give the best back to their clients.
Does this seem like a tall order or a list of qualities more descriptive of Superman than your friendly nonprofit accountant? They support, guide, and advise their clients to help them be successful. When their clients are successful, they feel successful. Accountants are truly the unsung heroes of the nonprofit world!
Beck & Company
Beck & Company are Washington DC nonprofit advisors. We also are Virginia certified nonprofit accountants. We work with nonprofits of all sizes serving many different constituents nationwide, providing a variety of consulting, auditing, and accounting services. For more information, please contact us at 703-834-0776 x8001.