First accounting job struggling to meet expectations and unsure how to handle manager feedback. How can I improve?
Hi everyone, I’m looking for career advice.
I recently started my first job as an accountant and I’m about one month in. I was hired together with another new employee, but he has around 8 years of experience and was a supervisor in his previous role. We handle different clients but similar work (tax and month-end tasks).
Because of the experience gap, he has been picking things up much faster. My manager has told me several times to “pace up,” and lately I’ve been worried that I’m not meeting expectations. I’ve been putting in extra time after work to study and understand the processes, but I still feel behind.
One thing I’m struggling with is how to interpret my manager’s feedback and behavior. Sometimes feedback is given in front of the team, and I feel like my mistakes are highlighted while my coworker is praised. My manager also seems to avoid direct conversations with me, which makes it harder to know exactly how I’m doing or what I should improve first.
I might be overthinking, but the situation makes me feel like I’m being compared to someone with much more experience, and I’m not sure how to handle this professionally or how to build confidence in this environment.
I really want to succeed in this role and grow in accounting, so I’d really appreciate advice from others who’ve been in similar situations:
• How long did it take before you felt competent in your first job?
• What practical steps helped you improve faster and meet expectations?