EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Statistics show strong job prospects for CPAs are likely to continue well into the next decade. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates employment for accountants and auditors to grow by at least 22% between 2004 and 2014. Sarbanes-Oxley compliance,
Advertisement
TOPICS
Professional development
Self-Taught CPAs
Entry-level professionals are likely to navigate the career ladder on their own, according to a poll of more than 1,400 CFOs. A majority (58%) of executives said it was uncommon for their company to assign mentors, either formally or informally, to new hires in their accounting and finance departments. Only
10 Minutes to Impress
According to a survey of hiring managers, it takes just minutes to form a positive or negative opinion during the initial interview, despite spending on average 55 minutes and 86 minutes meeting with staff and management-level applicants, respectively. “The opening minutes of the conversation often set the tone for the
The Accounting Allure
Temptations such as better pay and job satisfaction are drawing more people to the accounting world. A Salary.com survey ranked public accounting among the best jobs for career-changing professionals, citing a projected 10-year job growth rate of 22% and salary range of $36,800 to $90,700. More than 30% of career-switchers
Place a Bet on Gaming
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Gaming has come of age and become a real discipline and a serious nationwide business. It involves a lot of different industries under one roof: gaming, lodging, entertainment, food and beverage, golf and other recreational activities. CPAs with auditing skills are in high demand
Market Every Day (in Every Way)
Marketing is the process of educating people about the availability and value of your firm’s CPA and advisory services. It lets potential clients know how you can help them solve problems and meet financial goals. Targeted, budgeted marketing plans generally work best, but many simple strategies cost
New Kids on the Block
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In the face of new regulatory demands, more companies are hiring chief accounting officers (CAOs) to handle everything from corporate accounting, financial reporting and internal controls to corporate tax and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. In addition to day-to-day compliance activities, CAOs also sometimes take on the duties of a controller
Managing Change
Robert L. Bunting, chairman and CEO of Moss Adams LLP in Seattle, assumed the AICPA chairmanship at the Institute’s annual meeting. His acceptance speech will appear verbatim in a future issue of the JofA . oss Adams is in the vanguard of midsize firms skilled at serving an international clientele.
Follow the Greenback Road
ith a sixth-grade education, legendary gangster Al Capone thought he was smart enough. By the time he was 26, “Scarface” had 1,000 employees and a weekly payroll of $300,000. In the 1930s, when the average American worker made about $2,400 annually, Capone was raking in more than a hundred million
The Fraud Examiners
ecoming a fraud examiner—a.k.a. a financial detective—is not for everyone. Detectives—either in law enforcement or in the private sector—typically have distinct personality traits (see “ America’s Original Private Eye ”): They’re as good with people as they are with numbers and they are inclined to be aggressive rather than shy
How CFOs Stretch Boundaries
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE CORPORATE FINANCE function, driven in part by technological advances that have freed CFOs from routine information-gathering chores, means today’s finance professionals must be big-picture thinkers, excellent communicators and skilled managers and motivators who can widen their staffs’ horizons. THE CFO’s JOB HAS BEEN BROADENED
What Does It Take to Become a CFO?
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY TO INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF BECOMING A CFO, you need a broad range of skills beyond knowing the ABCs of accounting. You must be a business strategist, think like someone on the board of directors and be familiar with technology. Don’t ignore the operations side of the
Landing a Job In a Strange New World
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY THE ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT NOW PLAYS an important part in the hiring process. Internet job listings, hyperlinks and e-mailed resumes speed the exchange between hirers and job seekers, accelerating the recruitment process. ON-LINE CANDIDATES HAVE ENHANCED opportunities and geographic reach, as well as an excellent method to gather
Stopping the Brain Drain
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SMALL CPA FIRMS ARE FEELING THE PINCH from a shortage of qualified staff. It is important for firms to do what they can to keep the best and brightest employees from leaving. FIRMS CAN ASK STAFF WHAT THEIR SALARIES should be and work with them on an annual
Filling the Knowledge Gap
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WHAT NEW SKILLS DO YOU NEED if the demands of your job change, you’re seeking a promotion or you want to shift your career to a different area of accounting? THE ANSWERS ARE IN CAT— the AICPA’s Competency Assessment Tool. CAT is a software program scheduled to be
Features
SPONSORED REPORT
How to find the right CAS clients
The key to success with CAS is selecting the best clients. Tools like ideal client profiles (ICPs), buyer personas, and even artificial intelligence can help identify the businesses that best fit each CAS practice.
From The Tax Adviser
March 31, 2026
Current developments in taxation of individuals: Part 1
March 31, 2026
Current Developments in Taxation of Individuals: Part 1
March 6, 2026
