In the News: Preparing for the CPA Exam is Now Easier

The AICPA has recently taken steps to make preparing for the Uniform CPA Exam easier for international students and candidates on the go with two exciting new developments.

Recently, the AICPA announced it had expanded its website, ThisWaytoCPA.com to students overseas who may now register and create profiles.

The website, designed to educate college students and CPA-exam candidates about the path to becoming a CPA, now contains information to help international students understand the process of registering for the CPA exam and becoming a U.S. CPA while living overseas.

4 Leadership Skills That Will Make You Stand Out

In today’s job market, everyone is looking for a way to stand out. There a few key leadership skills that will propel you to the “top of the pile,” whether you’re a seasoned professional or just graduating. This Way to CPA’s latest blog post highlights those leadership lessons and skills that members of Beta Alpha Psi should have upon graduation. These skills can propel your search for a new job and demonstrate your value as an employee:

• Be an effective team player.
• Develop organizational skills.
• Grow leadership abilities.
• Communicate professionally.

Key to a Successful Career: Lifelong Education

This Way to CPA recently launched a new blogging feature on the community section of their website. Blog posts cover a range of topics, including Careers and Internships, CPA Exam and Licensure, and College and Grad School and are authored by CPAs from the AICPA’s Student Recruitment Committee. The latest post analyzes the importance of committing to lifelong learning. Not just through CPE, as CPAs and other professionals are required to complete, but by broadening your horizons. The author, Brian Beckett, CPA, an investment accounting analyst and MBA student, explains that even just reading The Wall Street Journal or CPA Letter Daily, requires your brain to think in different ways, keeping you on your toes. Lifelong learning is also the gateway to a successful career. The information, Brian explains, you gain from learning outside your day-to-day business could come in handy in future business decisions. Read more about Learning to Learn: How Small Actions Can Lead to Big Career Payoffs.

Scott Moore, Senior Manager - College & University Initiatives, American Institute of CPAs. Scott manages the AICPA’s national programs to encourage the best and the brightest college students to pursue careers in the accounting profession and ultimately become CPA's.

Related articles

• Make the Most of Your Professional Development (aicpa.org)
• 5 Essential CPA Exam Study Resources (aicpa.org)

Engaging the Next Generation of CPAs

The latest employment numbers indicate that it continues to be a tough year for many Americans struggling in the job market. Yet, I am encouraged by recent AICPA research that shows the demand for accounting professionals is poised to buck national trends. The AICPA’s 2011 Trends in the Supply of Accounting Graduates and the Demand for Public Accounting Recruits reports on a national survey of public accounting firms hiring and colleges and universities granting accounting degrees. The report identifies key trends in accounting enrollment, graduation and hiring through the 2009-10 academic year.

Mark Koziel, AICPA Director - Specialized Communities & Firm Practice Management, says “the 2011 Trends numbers jibe with what we’re seeing among our members’ 2011 PCPS CPA Firm Top Issues Survey results. Even though client retention is generally the top concern, among larger firms, succession planning still ranks within the top five.” Firm clients are struggling in the poor economy, but firms still face the pending retirements of their boomer partners and staff.