Setting Up Junior Accountants for Success

Supporting junior accountants is essential to building a resilient, high-performing team. In a recent LinkedIn live session, Ben from Sampson Fielding & Catherine, Director of Baxterworld, shared practical, experience-based strategies for setting early-career accountants up for success.

Whether you’re leading a practice, managing a team, or onboarding new hires, here are six key takeaways from the session you can put into practice.

1. Onboarding Is More Than Day One

Too often, junior staff are thrown into client work without enough context or support. At Sampson Fielding, onboarding is viewed as a 90-day journey - not a single-day induction.

A strong onboarding plan includes:

• An overview of the tools and systems in use

• Introductions to team roles and points of contact

• Regular check-ins and structured feedback loops

  
  

Pairing each junior with a mentor helps build confidence, reduces isolation, and supports faster learning.

2. Build Strong Foundations - Then Layer On Complexity

Rather than overwhelming new starters with technical work straight away, the focus should be on developing core accounting knowledge and comfort with basic workflows.

This might include:

• Exposure to bookkeeping, reconciliations, and basic reporting tasks

• Shadowing experienced team members

• Encouragement to ask questions without fear

  
  

With a strong foundation, juniors are better prepared to take on more complex responsibilities over time.

3. Make Tech Part of the Training

Today’s accountants need to be just as comfortable with digital platforms as they are with numbers.

The Live session emphasised the importance of giving juniors hands-on access to:

• Cloud accounting platforms

• Practice management software

• Workflow and automation tools

  
  

In-house training should go beyond step-by-step use, it should teach them how to work smarter with the tech.

4. Invest in Soft Skills Early

The best junior accountants are more than technically capable, they’re also confident communicators, time managers, and collaborators.

Support development in areas like:

• Professional communication (emails, meetings, reports)

• Time and workload management

• Team collaboration and problem-solving

  
  

Encouraging involvement in client meetings or internal projects gives them the real-world context they need to grow.

5. Focus on Progress, Not Just Productivity

Setting clear expectations and goals helps junior accountants understand what good looks like.

Development plans should include:

• Technical skills to master

• Tasks to take ownership of

• Personal growth areas they’re interested in

  
  

Regular reviews help track progress, offer constructive feedback, and highlight early wins that build confidence.

6. Create a Culture That Supports Learning

A strong learning culture helps junior team members feel safe, valued, and motivated to grow. That means:

• Encouraging curiosity and open dialogue

• Treating mistakes as learning opportunities

• Reinforcing that asking questions is a strength, not a weakness

  
  

Firms that embrace this mindset will build stronger, more engaged teams and retain top talent.

The LinkedIn Live conversation made it clear: investing in junior talent is a long-term strategy that pays off. When firms take the time to onboard well, develop both hard and soft skills, and nurture a culture of growth, the whole business benefits.

Missed the live session?

👉 Catch the recording here

Looking to strengthen your junior development strategy?
Use this conversation as a starting point and consider how structured onboarding, mentoring, and ongoing support could transform your next new hire.