People and leadership skills

Topics

February 19, 2026

Inside the AICPA’s effort to enhance the skills of early-career CPAs

An AICPA leader joins the JofA podcast to explain the Profession Ready Initiative, a comprehensive effort to strengthen early-career CPA skills. The conversation covers how research, technology trends, and employer feedback will shape the initiative.

February 11, 2026

Looking to land a CFO role? 2025 was a good year

The amount of turnover among CFO seats at big U.S. companies increased last year, along with company preference for promoting from within. An executive search firm’s annual report tracks the hiring trends.

January 22, 2026

Accountability the ‘No. 1 thing’ and other reflections from Bill Reeb

Former AICPA Chair Bill Reeb, CPA/CITP, CGMA, shares how he was drawn to becoming a CPA, along with advice on change management and succession planning. Reeb explains how momentum, the ability to face fear, and the prioritization of long‑term vision over short-term efficiency can shape effective leadership.

January 14, 2026

Report: AI speeds up work but fails to deliver real business value

Organizations are capturing speed through AI, but much of the reclaimed time is spent correcting or rewriting low-quality AI output, a global report says.

December 2, 2025

4 reasons why CAS offers a compelling career path

Why educators should help students explore the growing opportunities in client advisory services.

December 1, 2025

Personal branding and networking strategies for today’s CPA

By building a brand that reflects your passions, you can stand out from the crowd and attract valuable opportunities.

December 1, 2025

Rise2040: Envisioning the future of accounting and finance

The acclaimed futurist guiding the Association’s Rise2040 visioning project explains how to anticipate — and prepare for — the next 15 years.

November 13, 2025

Want to stop work from consuming your life? First, learn self-awareness

A CPA and award-winning JofA author shares how shifting from a survival mindset to an intentional one can help to reclaim time, energy, and purpose — without sacrificing success. Listen to the podcast episode or read the Q&A.

October 30, 2025

3 types of difficult people — and how to work better with them

An executive coach and author explains the reasons co-workers can become difficult, what makes them challenging to work with, and how to understand them better. Listen to the podcast episode or read the Q&A.

October 27, 2025

The accounting graduate pipeline: Where do things stand?

As public accounting firms continue to report a strong need for new talent, recent declines in accounting graduates are easing, according to the AICPA’s Trends report.

October 23, 2025

Reflecting on AI’s rise in accounting, looking to what comes next

A consultant and keynote speaker shares how AI, hybrid work, and uncertainty are reshaping the accounting profession. Ahead of his sessions at the Digital CPA Conference, Pascal Finette assesses the profession’s willingness to change.

October 16, 2025

Promotion opportunities abound for CFO hopefuls

One trend in a report on large company executive turnover: more hiring of internal candidates for vacant CFO seats.

October 16, 2025

AI, succession, the talent pipeline, and defining ‘unapologetic’ ambition

A profession leader and former AICPA chair shares what’s top of mind for corporate boards and looks ahead to topics of conferences in November and December. Listen to the podcast episode or read the Q&A with Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CPA/CITP, CGMA.

September 22, 2025

Managing teams, managing time: The importance of setting expectations

Leaders explain how making sure new employees understand what to expect in terms of work schedule is a crucial step for building successful teams with staying power.

September 17, 2025

NASBA, AICPA release proposed revisions to CPE standards

Comments are being accepted through mid-December on changes designed to address emerging learning methods and clarify CPE-awarding mechanisms.

September 11, 2025

Strong storytelling helps speakers deliver ‘medicine’ without the aftertaste

The keynote speaker at an October AICPA conference remembers the time he was “bamboozled” by a powerful story — and how that example carries over to the messages he delivers. Listen to the podcast episode or read the Q&A.

September 9, 2025

Skilled for success? Accounting newcomers say yes, managers say no

Employees in their first five years give themselves high ratings on readiness skills, but those who manage new employees don’t see it that way.

September 2, 2025

Incorporating prompt engineering into the accounting curriculum

It is imperative that accountants learn how to write effective instructions for generative AI applications like ChatGPT.

August 28, 2025

Mark Koziel Q&A: Talent, sense of community, profession opportunities

The AICPA’s president and CEO joined the podcast to discuss a variety of topics from his first eight months on the job.

August 25, 2025

SEC accepting Professional Accounting Fellow applications

The SEC’s Office of the Chief Accountant is accepting applications for positions that will begin later this year.

FROM THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

4 ways solo practitioners can stand out

Five years ago, a grieving Angel Zhen started his own CPA firm with no clients and no revenue. Today, he has 300 clients, $600,000 in revenue and 12 weeks of annual vacation. In this JofA article, he shares how he set up his firm and how you could do the same.