Which Skills are required for CA Articleship?

CA Articleship is the backbone of the Chartered Accountancy course. In this article, we have listed down skills required for CA Articleship by CA students. Before starting our practical training, we are often surrounded by mundane questions.

For example:

• What I am going to learn in practical training?
• Whether somebody will teach me or I will learn on my own?
• Whether I will learn about all Chartered Accountancy aspects after three years?
• How will I be able to manage time in the office along with CA final studies?
• Whether I have chosen the best firm for training?
• I am not in a Big 4 CA firm. Do I have a secured future?

We often doubt ourselves, ask people to answer these questions for us. But ultimately every effort goes in vain. The truth is nobody is going to answer these questions, we ourselves will.

The article is about the qualities that one must possess before starting a CA Articleship. The skills and traits mentioned below will make your practical training much easier and build up your mind of what’s coming next?

#1 Ability to take Initiatives

A CA student must have a thunderous ability to take initiatives on his own, without being dependent upon other people. CA is a dynamic course and is constantly evolving. Nobody is going to teach you everything. You yourself have to become your own mentor.

In Articleship also, you will be only taught about Taxation or Audit in beginning few months only. Rest of the time you are going to learn on your own and provide solutions.

“Chartered Accountants are known for providing solutions to complex problems” Be that.

Now, take an instance. GST Audit is going to be conducted and GSTR-9/9C will be prepared for FY 2017-18 for the first time. Everyone is at the same level, the ones who are trying to learn it in Articleship by watching videos and reading articles. They will, later on, implement their knowledge in their work. This is how we learn.

#2 Microsoft Office

No doubt Microsoft office is going to fill a large part of your work life in CA Articleship. The more knowledge you possess over Microsoft office, the easier the work will become for you.

While writing an Audit report, you need Microsoft Word. While presenting a PowerPoint presentation about Audit findings, you need Microsoft Powerpoint. Whiling playing with large volumes of data or performing data analytics, you need Microsoft Excel.

In above mentioned all three software’s, you are definitely going to use excel more than the other two.

• Why don’t you learn excel by watching youtube videos?

Learn about Vlookup, Index & Match, Using Countif, SumIf, Conditional formatting, and excel shortcuts. Become an excel expert before Articleship.

Or if you find youtube videos not worthy of your time, then you can pursue excel MOOC courses on various websites like Udemy, Coursera, V-skills.

#3 Learn to write- Top skill required in CA Articleship

What do I mean by learning to write?

You need to learn how to write Internal audit reports, Transfer Pricing reports, Website articles. Most of us are not that experts in writing and we often commit spelling and other grammatical errors. This is the reason I am advising all the students who are starting their CA Articleship to learn how to write articles.

Don’t mind learning vocabulary or brushing up your grammatical skills. Good writing skills will surely help you in exams and on other platforms.

What would be the first step in composing an E-mail?

Most of us directly add recipient email-ids and then add subject followed by mail and other attachments. This is not the right way to compose e-mails.

Do it this way

• The first step would be to add the subject and content in the text box.
• The second step is to attach any attachments.
• The third step is to proofread your mail and check whether you have written “Thank you” at the end.
• The final step is to add the recipient’s email id and send the e-mail.

The recipient’s email address should be added in the end to avoid any omission of content or attachments.

#4 Personality grooming

You are going to be a Chartered Accountant. Your personality matters, from polishing shoes to make a knot of the tie. These small peculiar things will help you in clearing interviews and interacting with clients.

Take an example

A CA firm conducted an interview and there were two articles that appeared for the interview. One was wearing formal clothes, his shoes were polished and everything was absolutely fine about his outfit. The second one wore a T-shirt with unpolished shoes. Whom you would hire as an article in your firm?

Personality is not only about clothes, it is about other traits also. Learn speaking fluent English, this will help you to interact with top management personnel in the company. Be confident and develop an attitude that you are a future Chartered Accountant.

#5 Time Management

When you will be pursuing your practical training, you will not get enough time to study for CA Final studies or other courses you pursue. Then, how you are going to prepare for them?

Start preparing for your CA Final exams in your first year of Articleship. Complete your coaching as early as possible. You will be thrown into situations, where your boss will demand you to sacrifice coachings for your work. Then, you yourself have to prepare for that topic.

“Allocation of time is an art. One who knows the value of time will surely achieve his dreams”.

#6 Oral Communication skills

CA students don’t have a lot of options to improve their oral communication skills. The skills and confidence that were built in high school carry on. This is the reason the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India conducts Orientation classes for CA students before starting the Articleship.

It depends upon you to take benefit from Orientation class. Still, there are lots of opportunities nowadays to build confidence and develop good orator skills like Open Mic Program.

I see many students who left family gatherings just to prepare for Intermediate exams. Now, you have time, be social, and interact with your family and friends. The more open you are to people; easily you will become a good articulator.

#7 Balancing personal life with professional life

Most of the CA students do not possess this skill. They are not able to manage their personal life along with professional life. Being dedicated to your work is good, but being dedicated to your work and personal goals are better. See everybody has their own dreams and goals in life, don’t let them be curbed by any pressure from society. Your family and friends are also important in your life and they demand time.

What do I do? How I am managing my personal life with professional life?

Sometimes I am sent to far places for Audits and what I do is to carry a Camera. The photographer inside me comes out or I just start writing articles.

Did you find the skills required for CA Articleship listed above worthy? You can refer to our other related articles.