Are your job skills ready to meet the challenges of the next generation?

A friend of mine called me over the weekend.  He was checking out the job posts on the AICPA web site and stumbled upon the Social Media Specialist job post.  Turns out this type of position is becoming quite popular.  According to Revolution Magazine, Best Buy is seeking a “senior manager – emerging media marketing” and requires, in addition to the proper education, 250 followers on Twitter.  Hey wait…I only have 83 followers on Twitter.  I wouldn’t qualify!

So it made me think, what new skills must we possess in today’s marketplace?  What new technologies do we need to know as CPAs?

For CPAs, skills that may be hot in the future include a working knowledge or training on IFRS. CPAs may also want to consider expanding their experience in forensic accounting, and perhaps even seek to complement their professional qualification with the new CFF credential from the AICPA.  As far as software, knowledge and experience in driving a paperless conversion continues to be a hot topic.  We also hear CPAs say that sharpening their skills on the latest trial balance and tax software is essential.  What about the latest G/L packages out there?  Keeping up with changing software is a must.

What new skills are you working on to stay current to the profession? Post a comment.

– Mark Koziel

Comments

You can have all of the accounting knowledge and technical skills in the world, but if you do not have integrity and a commitment to do the right thing for your employer at all times, you will eventually get yourself and your employer into more trouble than you're worth.

Auditors, at mimimum, should know either ACL or IDEA, SQL and at least one programming lanuage.