Professional development news and resources

TOPICS

September 1, 2015

Changes proposed for CPA exam would enhance higher-order skills testing

The AICPA has proposed changes to the Uniform CPA Examination that are designed to enhance testing of higher-order skills.

September 1, 2015

Lisa J. Cines, CPA, CGMA

Lisa J. Cines, CPA, CGMA, is regional partner in charge of business development and marketing at Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP in Rockville, Md.

August 10, 2015

Hiring and enrollments reached record highs last year

Enrollment in accounting programs and hiring of new graduates by accounting firms are at all-time highs. Master’s degrees are taking off, too, and firms will need to get creative in their pursuit of in-demand talent.

August 1, 2015

Boost your LinkedIn profile

Be prepared when an unexpected career opportunity arises, by following these tips for keeping your LinkedIn page current.

August 1, 2015

How to prevent death by PowerPoint

Communications consultant Steve Bustin outlines the secrets of an effective presentation.

July 1, 2015

Millennial women: How to woo a new generation of employees

Opportunities for advancement and work/life balance matter to this key demographic.

July 1, 2015

Belicia Cespedes: A CPA at 17

Discipline and determination pay off for California teenager Belicia Cespedes.

June 12, 2015

CPAs share lessons from dads

To celebrate Father’s Day, the JofA asked accountants across the country to share some lessons they learned from their fathers—especially ones that helped them later on in the accounting profession.

May 26, 2015

How to motivate students and professionals to take the CPA exam

Environmental factors play a pivotal role in the motivation of students and professionals to take the CPA exam, according to survey findings presented at the AICPA governing Council meeting.

May 19, 2015

Proposed CPE standards update would permit new modes of learning

Newly proposed revisions to continuing professional education standards would allow CPAs to receive credit for instruction in short segments (nano-learning) and blended learning, which combines aspects of face-to-face and online instruction.

April 21, 2015

Doughtie to become first female CEO of KPMG in U.S.

KPMG in the United States has elected Lynne Doughtie, CPA, as its next chairman and CEO, adding to the growing ranks of women in prominent leadership positions in the accounting profession.

April 13, 2015

Cathy Engelbert, CPA, CEO of Deloitte LLP

Cathy Engelbert of Deloitte LLP discusses the path she followed to become the first female CEO of a Big Four firm in the U.S.

April 13, 2015

You made partner: Now what?

Becoming a partner requires a shift in mindset from employee to business owner. Young partners share what they’ve learned about being leaders, setting goals, developing others, and adjusting to new roles.

March 20, 2015

Accountants prefer problem-solving over number crunching, survey says

Accounting and finance professionals said solving problems gives them the most career satisfaction, ahead of working with numbers, according to a new survey.

March 1, 2015

40 tips for taking control of the meeting room

The event planners or facility staff will typically set the facility according to their preferences, but as the presenter, you should review their efforts, and make any adjustments necessary to better accommodate your audience and deliver the best possible presentation.

March 1, 2015

Go ahead, take the stage

For many professionals, public speaking is a dreaded task. The reality, however, is that CPAs often are called to the front of the room, whether it’s to present at a board of directors meeting or speak at a conference or other event. This article presents dozens of tips to help CPAs shine in the public speaking spotlight.

February 9, 2015

Deloitte’s Engelbert to be first female U.S. CEO of a Big Four firm

Cathy Engelbert, CPA, has been elected CEO of Deloitte LLP, the firm announced today. When Engelbert begins her role in March, she will be the first woman CEO of a Big Four firm in the U.S.

February 1, 2015

Michael K. Syracuse, CPA

A conversation with Michael K. Syracuse, CPA, CFO, Harlem Globetrotters International.

February 1, 2015

Becoming a strategic risk adviser

Accountants can leverage the training and experience they have in managing compliance risks to become strategic risk advisers for their organizations.

February 1, 2015

Drive competencies and develop talent

The financial planning and analysis department at Baker Hughes is more valuable and more collaborative thanks to a three-step employee-development process, the company’s Michael Kinney, CPA, explains.

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Build reusable Skills in Anthropic’s Claude AI

Instead of rewriting prompts each time, CPAs can turn routine tasks into reusable AI Skills. This Technology Q&A walks through how to build Claude Skills that process files, ask setup questions, and export clean Excel outputs.