Who says CPAs are boring?
Conservative, maybe. But boring? That’s disputable.
Let’s move beyond the bean-counter stereotype of the middle-aged white male to a more diverse, younger, hip group of people. Those CPAs who aren’t willing to work around the clock, who want people to know they’re more than number-crunching anal-retentive geeks with a passion for math.
The accounting profession is going through some exciting changes. Emerging niches, cutting edge technology and innovative cultural initiatives are all happening now.
We want to talk to all of you, new recruits and grizzled veterans alike. The times, they are a’ changing. And we’re hoping you will, too.
That’s why we’re introducing Accounting Tomorrow:
As 30-somethings working the accounting beat, we’ve run across many people who are breaking the stereotype on multiple levels and our goal is to highlight these experiences and find out what makes them tick.
People often ask Alexandra, Senior Editor of Accounting Technology, how she got into writing about software. Their lips typically snarl up and their tone is quite sarcastic. She can get pretty defensive, but will simply respond, “I like it,” explaining that her reporting experience has included everything and everyone from bug-eating explorers to convicted child molesters. The point is, she’s not just about accounting technology – just as accountants aren’t just about accounting.
One of Liz’s favorite encounters working at Accounting Today was when she went to a breakfast meeting at the Friar’s Club in New York City and a member of an area firm said, “You don’t look like you should be covering accounting. You look like you should be covering fashion or something. You’re not very conservative.”
Looking down at her pinstriped dress, Liz said, “This is actually a little conservative for me.”
Admittedly, she was a bit shocked. But ask her and she’ll tell you that she’s proud that her style is a bit eclectic and she’s sure there are some of you who choose clothing that’s a little different, too. Who says navy blue and starched collars are the only way to go?
Our point is, there’s a lot happening. We’re taking notice and frankly, we’re excited. We are launching this column in conjunction with a dedicated portion of our Web site,
You’re thinking about these things, so let’s open a dialogue on the issues that are pushing your buttons: Recruiting and retention. Succession planning. Intergenerational conflict. We know these are topics that need to be addressed. A cultural shift is taking place. We’d like to know how you’re participating.
We also know your firms are chock full of top notch young hot shots doing their thing. We want to know about them, so we can tell the rest of the world what is being accomplished.
And to prove we don’t age discriminate, we want to hear about those stellar Baby Boomers who aren’t afraid of iPods or blogs, who serve as mentors and help to break those invisible (and sometimes not) barriers to make the profession more attractive (and fun) for everyone.
Send us your stories. E-mail us photos of your firm events. We want to show you off to your competitors and illustrate what you do when you’re not behind that desk counting beans. And of course, check out www.accountingtomorrow.com for all the latest news and opinions on the intergenerational front.
Drop us a line, introduce yourselves and tell us what’s happening. Contact us at
