What steps can CPAs take to challenge the stereotype of accountants as boring or
unexciting, and to showcase the dynamic and innovative aspects of the profession
that may be less visible to the general public?
“Show your passion for your work. Talk about your positive impact on organizations and clients. We can bring more people into the profession if we focus on the way accountants bring value to all types of organizations: from businesses to not-for-profits to government to small business owners. We are not constrained to one industry. By adapting and developing new skills, the options for career advancement are limitless. Personally, I think we should be sure to promote that accountants are trustworthy, knowledgeable business advisors. In periods of disruption, people can rely on the accounting profession precisely because we adapt and advise.”
Diane L. Sturek, CPA, MAcc
INCPAS Chair
Indiana University Kelley School of Business
“We need to take every opportunity to share what we actually do, whether as a guest speaker in a classroom with high school or college students, with a group of adults, through articles or on social media. Most people don’t understand all of the different opportunities available to someone with a CPA license and thus all of the different work that we do. Unfortunately, the perception society has placed on accountants isn’t reality. We need to share real examples of working with clients and management to help them succeed, interacting with different types of people and using creative thinking to solve problems. Members can volunteer for INCPAS to share their own unique story about what they do to change the stereotype.”
Carrie B. Minnich, CPA, Macct
INCPAS Chair-Elect
Dulin, Ward & DeWald, Inc.
“The best way for CPAs to challenge stereotypes of the profession is to spend as much time out of the office as possible. Volunteering to speak to students, presenting in the board room, teaching a class and participating in panel discussions allows CPAs to highlight their talents while communicating and interacting with businesses and other professions. It also lets a CPA speak about their challenges and successes, which can show the general public that CPAs are individuals and not stereotypes.”
Melanie King, CPA
INCPAS Vice Chair
The Hagerman Group
“All you have to do is Google ‘CPA stereotypes’ and you’ll see a list of how we are commonly viewed by the general public. I’d imagine for most of us we don’t feel they adequately represent who we are or what we do. The perceptions aren’t new — they existed when we chose the profession, and yet we still chose to be CPAs. Even while they exist, our clients still see high value in working with us, so my thought centers around asking, ‘Do we want to impact a pipeline perception or client perception?’ If it is pipeline focused, then I’d suggest an intentional effort to engage even more CPAs in interactions with high school and college students to talk about what you do, why you love this profession and the value you provide. Let’s talk about the entrepreneurial environment that exists in most public accounting firms and that many corporate finance members enjoy making an impact. It is really about us having a desire to change the perception and the willingness to boast about what we do.”
Kyle A. Simmerman, CPA
INCPAS Vice Chair
BGBC Partners, LLP
“Being a CPA in 2023 is incredibly exciting — the spectrum of work is continually changing, and we are constantly adapting to best meet those needs. Clients rely on us not only for traditional services, like tax compliance and auditing, but also for business consulting. We truly are their ‘trusted advisor’ and have many opportunities to assist them in meeting the goals of their business. It is also important to share with those considering our profession just how unique this career path is. No two days are the same, which is both challenging and rewarding.”
Lisa D. Tressler, CPA
INCPAS Vice Chair
RBSK Partners PC