Lifelong learning and listening are key to career success

By Jessica Salerno-Shumaker, OSCPA senior content manager    

Constantly learning from others and being open to feedback is vital to growing in your career, says one chief accounting officer.   

“It's always important to continue to learn and listen to those who have had different experiences and perspectives than yourself,” said Kim Floriani, CPA, senior vice president, controller and chief accounting officer at Cleveland-Cliffs. “My focus has always been about working hard, listening and paying attention to everything around me.”  

Floriani was named a Power of Change honoree at the OSCPA Women, Wealth and Wellness Conference in July 2024. The award salutes individuals who are advocates for women’s initiatives in the workplace and business community, serve as mentors or role models, make a significant impact on their communities and break barriers for other women.       

For Floriani, learning from others means being open and receptive to feedback, even when it can be uncomfortable.    

“I never expected or would have dreamed of being the chief accounting officer of a Fortune 200 company,” she said. “But my mentors and colleagues provided real time feedback, and I have been willing to accept that and take different opportunities in my career.”  

While Floriani said growing up she never considered accounting as a possible career path, after encouragement from a female professor in college she took an accounting internship and found she had a passion for the area.  

“Accounting isn’t a one-size-fits-all all type of landscape,” Floriani said. “There are different opportunities for all types of different people, personalities, skills and desires.”  

The most memorable parts of her career so far have been the opportunity to work together with team members to help the business achieve its goals, she said. Because you never know where your next opportunity might come from, continuing to work hard and build relationships is critical.  

“I would encourage others to figure out how you define success and try to find the mentors and colleagues that can help you achieve that,” she said. “This is a profession that allows you to be flexible and try new things. If you work hard there is something in the accounting world that you can become very successful at.”