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Insights from the Profession
A 1989 white paper, "Perspectives on Education: Capabilities for Success in the Accounting Profession," issued by the then-Big Eight public accounting firms, identified communication and interpersonal skills as two of the three general skill sets essential to a successful public accounting career. Although the profession's need for communication skills has increased in the years since its issuance, studies have found that many accounting graduates still lack these competencies. Accordingly, young CPAs might need to focus on these skills and formulate a developmental plan to ensure that their communication skills meet expectations for advancement.
Ibis article's study collects and analyzes the perceived need for particular communication skill sets in order to advance to each of three common public accounting ranks: senior, manager, and partner. Results indicate that communication skills are viewed as critically important for advancement to all ranks, but that certain skills are emphasized for promotion to specific ranks. These findings should help interested professionals enhance the communication skills that are emphasized for the rank they currently hold, as well as for the rank to which they aspire. A developmental plan based on these targeted skills can enhance one's career prospects and the likelihood of advancement.
Important Findings from Prior Studies
As previously noted, the 1989 white paper called for an increased focus on the communication skills of practicing accountants. With a goal of cultivating these vital skills in accounting students, it challenged academia to make fundamental changes to curricula and teaching methods. In the 25 years since the white paper's publication, the accounting profession has continued to stress the importance of such "soft skills," and academic research has likewise continued its efforts to identify their significance. It would seem that, despite curricular changes many institutions have made in response to the profession's call for improved communication skills, there is a perception that deficiencies continue to exist. All of this raises the question as to the specific kinds of communication skills that are essential and the manner in which current deficiencies can be addressed.
In "Are Technical Skills Still Important?," Cindy Blanthome, Sak Bhamomsiri, and Robert E. Guinn noted that their survey of recently promoted Big Five partners identified communication and interpersonal skills as two of the top three most...