By Hannah Dolan Annual Conference5 reasons to attend the AAT Annual Conference 201924 Jan 2019 This is a time of transition, and accountants must be prepared to adapt and make the most of new opportunities. The political environment looks to be uncertain for months. As an expert in your field, it’s important for you to navigate through major changes and identify trends and tools that can support your organisation. With a great deal of change ahead, it’s more important than ever to learn from each other so that you can continue to best support your clients.This year at the AAT annual conference on the 13-14 June, there will be a mixture of talks, workshops and presentations from leading financial professionals discussing the most pressing issues facing the sector.Here are five key reasons why you should attend the AAT annual conference this year…1. Dedicated technology workshops Technology has brought many advantages to the accounting and finance sector including intelligent forecasting, automation and digital records and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.Understanding new technology is fundamental for business growth, and for your own professional development. Which is why a key focus at this year’s conference is digital transformation, with a number of workshops dedicated to bringing you up to speed on all the latest tech.Get to grips with AI and robotics as well as the latest updates on Making Tax Digital.2.Learn how to data visualise Advisory is becoming a bigger and bigger part of day-to-day accountancy work, due to the digital revolution.As a great deal of compliance work is becoming automated, the focus has shifted to, “what do these number actually mean?” and how will they affect the running of the business?The ability to explain complex concepts derived from data to both clients and the wider organisation is becoming more and more important. At this year’s conference, there will be discussions on the importance of data visualisation and how to communicate information clearly and efficiently.3. Develop soft skillsWith employers placing more emphasis on soft skills such as communication and creative thinking, it’s now not enough to ‘just be able to do the numbers’.Networking is an ideal place to start when building up those highly sought after soft skills.The annual conference offers the ability for members to share insight, gain practical advice and gain a different perspective on common problems from others in the sector. There will also be specialist talks around to how to communicate well with others and build influence within your organisation.4. Broaden your industry knowledgeThe typical accounting role is expanding. Today’s accounting professionals need sound decision-making, negotiation and strategic-thinking skills as well as the ability to crunch the numbers. It’s also important for accountants to be able to see the big picture and understand how their role impacts the wider business.Organisations often seek to recruit accountants who are adaptable with their approach, who have experience working in different environments and who are confident with change and challenges.At this year’s conference, there will be a focus on pertinent issues from the industry, from digitalisation to advancing your career to the next stage.5. Learn how to utilise social media for your businessThe growth of social media’s influence and popularity over the years has been astronomical. Almost everyone keeps an active online presence because they want to be given fresh information and real-time updates.From a business perspective, social media is an inexpensive way to promote your services and to keep new and existing customers chatting about your business. Learn how to put your services online and stay in touch with your clients, utilising key the advice from industry experts.You can view the full list of speakers here.More details around the AAT Annual Conference 2019 programme will be available in the coming months, but early bird tickets are available here (until Monday 18 Feb). Hannah Dolan is AAT Comment’s Content Editor.