Professional Credentials

The topics of Communication and Professional Credentials discussed in this unit of ACCT 690 – Professional Accounting Colloquium have given me new insights on the opportunities and challenges faced by accounting professionals. Technology has had a great impact on how people communicate, on both a macro and micro level. Day-to-day exchanges are often typed out instead of talked out. Digital communications, such as emails, texts, or other Short Message Services (SMS), are a series of compartmentalized actions where we lose out on the opportunity of building stronger relationships and gaining a better understanding of people. In doing so, we lose the ability to benefit from the impromptu side of problem solving or learning from the instant face-to-face …show more content…
Interpersonal skills are essential, and make up the foundation of all levels of public accounting opportunities. In the article, “The Importance of Communication Skills at Different Career Levels”, Boyle et al. (2014) highlight the importance of developing strong communication and interpersonal skills in the workplace. As individuals progress in their careers, work relationships are often critical components for the future advancement of an accounting professional. In my experience, these relationships are often leveraged in order to meet prerequisite recommendation requirements in the application process when pursuing many accounting professional certifications, such as Certified Public Accountant (CPA) , Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), and Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) accounting …show more content…
Competition can be fierce when seeking employment in the Washington, DC area where there are many opportunities for entry into specialized accounting fields that focus on international or government standards. Accountants that have professional credential have a competitive advantage. Another reason I applied to the George Mason University (GMU) Masters in Accounting program was to further expand my education in the field of accounting, make advancements toward my goal of passing the CPA exam, and become a licensed accountant in the state of Virginia. The Virginia Board of Accountancy (VBOA) is the leading resource for all topics involving CPA licensing for the state of Virginia. Established in 1910, VBOA “regulates CPAs in Virginia through a program of examination, licensure of individuals and CPA firms, consumer protection through enforcement of VBOA statutes and regulations, continuing professional education and peer review” (Virginia Board of Accountancy, 2015). VBOA requires Virginia CPA candidates to have at least 150 semester hours of education, a baccalaureate or higher degree, and an accounting concentration or equivalent, in accordance with Board Regulation 18VAC5-22-70” (VBOA, 2015). I’m currently focusing on satisfying the education requirement in other to sit for the