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One of my recent blog posts was about a young full-time employee I work with who reminded me a lot of myself when I was first starting my career. He made countless mistakes, overlooked small details, and often submitted work that required a significant amount of correction. It was frustrating to watch, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but see a younger version of myself.
After nearly 15 years in the accounting profession, I’ve learned that technical skills are only part of what makes someone successful. Attention to detail, accountability, the willingness to accept feedback, and continuously improving are what separate average employees from exceptional ones.
Unfortunately, not everyone learns those lessons early.
Seeing My Younger Self
When I first entered the professional world, I wasn’t perfect either.
Fresh out of college, I thought earning my degree meant I had finally “made it.” I believed companies would automatically respect me because I had a professional job. Reality hit me pretty quickly.
I made mistakes.
I missed details.
Sometimes I didn’t fully understand why my work was being corrected.
There were occasions where I probably believed my work was good enough when, in reality, it wasn’t.
Looking back now, I realize I wasn’t intentionally doing poor work. I simply lacked experience. More importantly, I lacked the perspective to understand why certain things mattered.
Experience changes how you view your work.
That’s why when I looked at this young employee’s work, I wasn’t trying to judge him. I simply recognized patterns that I’ve seen many times throughout my career.
Experience Changes Your Standards
After working in accounting for nearly 15 years, you naturally begin to notice things newer employees don’t.
Small inconsistencies.
Formatting issues.
Numbers that don’t reconcile.
Supporting documentation that’s incomplete.
Processes that don’t make sense.
These are things that experienced professionals catch almost automatically because we’ve made those mistakes ourselves over the years.
When I reviewed this employee’s work, I noticed it lacked attention to detail. Many of the same issues kept appearing over and over again.
Everyone makes mistakes.
The concern wasn’t the mistakes themselves.
The concern was that they kept repeating.
Speaking To Him Privately
I debated whether I should say anything.
I’m not his manager.
I’m not even a permanent employee.
As a contractor, I don’t have any authority over him.
Still, I remembered how valuable honest feedback had been throughout my own career.
So I pulled him aside privately.
I wasn’t trying to embarrass him.
I wasn’t trying to criticize him.
I simply wanted to give him advice that I hoped someone would have given me earlier in my career.
We talked about paying closer attention to details.
Double-checking work before submitting it.
Taking ownership of mistakes.
Slowing down instead of rushing.
Most importantly, I tried to explain that people notice the quality of your work, even if they don’t say anything immediately.
He listened respectfully.
At least that’s what it seemed like.
I walked away hoping our conversation would help.
Three Months Later…
Unfortunately, I haven’t seen much improvement.
The same issues continue appearing.
The same lack of attention to detail.
The same carelessness.
At some point, there’s only so much advice someone can give.
You cannot force someone to improve.
They have to want it themselves.
That was probably the hardest lesson I learned as I gained experience.
Sometimes people aren’t ready to hear the advice you’re giving them.
Sometimes they need to experience real consequences before they understand.
Why I Didn’t Continue Bringing It Up
Some people might wonder why I didn’t keep coaching him.
The answer is simple.
It’s not really my responsibility.
I’m not his manager.
I’m not responsible for evaluating his performance.
I’m simply another member of the team trying to do my own work.
After our private conversation, I felt I had done what I could.
Continuing to bring it up repeatedly might come across as nagging or overstepping my role.
Sometimes you plant a seed.
Whether it grows is entirely up to the other person.
Management Already Knows
One thing newer employees often don’t realize is that management usually knows much more than they think.
They see the repeated mistakes.
They hear feedback from other employees.
They review completed work.
Performance trends rarely go unnoticed.
From what I can tell, management is aware that this employee’s work isn’t particularly strong.
He seems to do enough to get by, but not enough to truly stand out.
That happens more often than people think.
Not every employee is a high performer.
Some simply remain average.
Why Companies Sometimes Keep Underperforming Employees
People often assume that if someone isn’t performing well, they’ll immediately be fired.
The real world isn’t always that simple.
Replacing a permanent employee can be surprisingly expensive.
There may be severance obligations.
Unused PTO often has to be paid out.
Managers have to spend time interviewing candidates.
The company has to onboard and train someone new.
Productivity usually drops during the transition.
When you add everything together, replacing someone becomes a significant investment.
Because of that, companies often tolerate average performance longer than people expect.
Sometimes the employee eventually improves.
Sometimes they don’t.
Sometimes management waits until they’ve completely lost confidence before making a difficult decision.
Could Training Be Part Of The Problem?
To be fair, I don’t know the full story.
One thing I’ve learned throughout my career is that poor performance isn’t always entirely the employee’s fault.
Sometimes the onboarding process is weak.
Sometimes documentation is outdated.
Sometimes the trainer wasn’t effective.
Sometimes no one really explains why certain procedures exist.
Earlier this year, another contractor on our team was let go.
One issue that became obvious afterward was that they hadn’t been properly trained.
As a result, they struggled with tasks that probably could have been avoided had someone invested more time teaching them correctly from the beginning.
That experience made me wonder whether this young employee had a similar experience.
If someone starts with weak training, they often develop bad habits that become increasingly difficult to correct later.
Good training matters.
Mentorship matters.
Having experienced coworkers willing to answer questions matters.
Companies sometimes underestimate how much these things influence long-term performance.
But Personal Responsibility Still Matters
Even if training wasn’t ideal, there comes a point where personal responsibility takes over.
Every professional has a responsibility to improve themselves.
Ask questions.
Take notes.
Review mistakes.
Look for patterns.
Seek feedback.
Read company documentation.
Observe how experienced coworkers approach problems.
The best employees I’ve worked with weren’t necessarily the smartest people.
They were simply curious.
They wanted to learn.
Every piece of feedback became an opportunity to improve rather than something to take personally.
That’s a mindset anyone can develop.
Feedback Is a Gift
One lesson I wish more young professionals understood is that feedback is usually given because someone wants you to succeed.
Most experienced coworkers don’t enjoy criticizing others.
In fact, many avoid difficult conversations entirely because they know they can be uncomfortable.
When someone takes the time to privately explain how you can improve, they’re investing in your success.
That’s valuable.
Ignoring feedback is one of the fastest ways to stop growing professionally.
I’ve received plenty of constructive criticism throughout my career.
Sometimes I didn’t enjoy hearing it.
Sometimes it stung.
Sometimes I disagreed initially.
But many of those conversations helped shape who I became professionally.
Without them, I probably wouldn’t have developed into the accountant I am today.
Some Lessons Can’t Be Taught
As much as I wanted to help this employee, I also recognize something I’ve learned over the years.
Some lessons simply can’t be taught.
They have to be experienced.
Sometimes it takes receiving a poor performance review.
Sometimes it takes being placed on a performance improvement plan.
Sometimes it takes losing a job.
Those moments force people to reflect in ways that advice alone often cannot.
I hope it doesn’t come to that for him.
I genuinely hope he turns things around.
But ultimately, that decision belongs to him.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, I don’t regret speaking to him privately.
Even if nothing changes, I know I made the effort.
Maybe he’ll remember our conversation months or even years from now.
Maybe one day he’ll realize what I was trying to tell him.
Or maybe he won’t.
Either way, that’s okay.
At the end of the day, we can only control our own effort.
One of the most valuable habits any professional can develop is listening carefully when managers, mentors, or coworkers offer constructive feedback. They often see blind spots that we cannot see ourselves. Ignoring that feedback may not have immediate consequences, but over time, those missed opportunities to improve can add up and affect both performance and career growth.
For anyone just beginning their career, remember this: experience doesn’t automatically make someone better. What makes people better is learning from mistakes, accepting feedback with humility, and making a conscious effort to improve every single day. Those who embrace that mindset tend to build stronger careers, earn greater trust, and create opportunities that aren’t available to those who simply do the minimum.
I’ve been the inexperienced employee before.
I’ve also become the experienced coworker offering advice.
Both perspectives have taught me the same lesson:
Always listen when someone genuinely wants to help you become better. One conversation today may save you from a much harder lesson tomorrow.
