The Next Generation of CPA Professionals

The CPA Evolution is coming, and with it, a whole new generation of CPAs. Increasingly, accounting firms are looking to hire CPAs and CPA candidates who can keep up with the changing tides of a technology-driven marketplace. The CPA Evolution is the way that the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) plan to answer that growing need.

So what is this new generation of CPAs going to look like? What benefits will there be to hiring them? Of course, all hiring decisions come down to an individual basis, but as a whole, firms can expect to see a few general benefits to the newly licensed CPAs (nlCPAs).

Tech-Savvy

If the CPA Evolution is designed to keep CPA candidates on the cutting edge of modern technology, it naturally follows that those who pass these new exams will be among the most capable of harnessing the power of technology and adapting to innovations as they come. From an employer’s perspective, these are the kind of people you want working for you. If your firm has to stay ahead of technology trends to be competitive, then it needs employees who can lead that progression, not lag behind it.

Specialized

Another important aspect of the CPA Evolution is that candidates are able to specialize in either tax compliance and planning, business analysis and reporting, or information systems and controls. For employers, this makes it simple to find candidates that are already deeply specialized in the discipline where they will be working. This won’t limit their scope of ability to only one discipline though – it is still one CPA License that carries the full rights and privileges of any other CPA.

Strong Core Knowledge

The discipline a candidate chooses doesn’t limit them to one specific field of practice because the CPA Exam will still contain all of the core information that was required of CPA candidates in the past. The CPAs that pass the evolved exam will have all of the general core knowledge that past generations of CPAs have, but with an added level of specialization and technological proficiency. It’s a win-win.

As the profession prepares for this evolution, firms of all kinds should be looking for the best tools to empower and prepare their current and future employees to enter this prestigious new generation of CPAs.