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From compliance to advisory: Preparing staff for the next evolution of public accounting 

Finance and accounting Thought Leadership Management tips Article
By Steve Saah, Managing Director of Eastern U.S. and Europe Permanent Placement, Robert Half  For generations of accountants, starting a career in public accounting followed a familiar path. A new graduate might join a firm in audit or tax, spend the next several years learning the work and gradually take on more responsibility. By the time they reached the senior or manager level, often within 3 to 5 years, that experience could open doors throughout public accounting or into industry. CPA firms have long been very good at giving new accountants experience that opens doors. Now they have an opportunity to create more paths within their own organizations. As technology takes on more routine accounting and compliance work, professionals can spend more time working directly with clients. They can use what they know about accounting to better understand the client's business and contribute to conversations that go beyond the immediate accounting issue. Many accounting professionals are looking for more of that client-facing work. For firms, that means giving professionals opportunities to build on their audit and tax experience as they take on broader client work. That can strengthen client service while giving professionals a clearer picture of what a long-term career in public accounting could look like.

How AI in accounting is changing the profession

Someone who spends several years in audit or tax builds technical knowledge that becomes increasingly valuable with experience. As AI in accounting continues to evolve, professionals have more opportunities to apply that knowledge to the issues clients are working through. Consider a client evaluating its technology needs. An accounting package upgrade may be the immediate issue, but the conversation can quickly extend to what the business will need from its technology over the long term and how those decisions support where the company is headed. That kind of conversation still depends on accounting expertise. The professional who understands accounting can bring that knowledge to the discussion and help the client think through what comes next. As firms find practical uses for AI and automation, the question isn't only how much time they can save. It's what professionals can do with that time. Giving accountants more opportunities to work directly with clients can help them develop the experience and judgment they'll need to take on more advisory and consulting work. For CPA firms investing in AI and other accounting technology, efficiency will always matter. More direct interaction with clients can deepen those relationships and give professionals more opportunities to apply their expertise.

What accounting skills are becoming more important?

Moving closer to advisory work builds on the technical expertise accountants already have. What changes is how they are expected to use it.  Technology can give professionals more information and help them analyze it faster. But someone still has to understand what that information means for the client's business and be able to explain why it matters. That helps explain why critical thinking is becoming so important. Robert Half research found that 64% of finance and accounting leaders identify critical thinking and problem-solving among the soft skills most needed to guide and implement AI-driven solutions. An analysis of finance and accounting job postings also shows employers value data and business analytics. Much of that judgment comes with experience. An accountant who understands the technical issue can begin to recognize when it points to a larger business question. Working more closely with clients can help professionals develop that perspective and become more comfortable asking questions that move the conversation forward. CPA firms can help that development happen in the work itself. Bringing professionals into those discussions earlier in their careers allows them to learn how experienced advisors approach business issues and begin contributing their own accounting knowledge. That is how technical expertise can grow into advisory value.

What skills do accountants need in the age of AI?

Accountants still need a strong technical foundation. As AI and automation handle more routine tasks, professionals also need skills to interpret financial information, explain what it means and work with clients on business issues.
These include:
  • Critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Data and business analytics
  • Clear business communication
  • Client relationship management
  • Business acumen
  • AI and technology fluency
Access the Salary Guide These skills help accountants use technology effectively while applying the professional judgment and accounting expertise clients depend on. Take a look at how these skills are informing salary trends in the 2027 Salary Guide From Robert Half.

Why developing talent from within matters

Finding experienced talent remains a challenge for many finance and accounting organizations. Robert Half research found that 61% of finance and accounting leaders say finding skilled professionals is more difficult than it was a year ago. Skills shortages are already affecting priority work, including AI and automation implementation and financial planning and forecasting. For CPA firms, some of the talent they will need may already be inside their organizations. Developing people internally can also help firms retain institutional knowledge and client relationships while building skills that may be difficult to find in the market. Someone several years into audit or tax has built technical knowledge and experience working with clients. Giving that professional more opportunities to participate in client discussions can help them learn how experienced colleagues approach business issues and where their own expertise can add value. Not every professional will want the same career. Some may want to deepen their specialization in audit or tax, while others may want to move toward advisory, consulting or leadership. The firm’s role is to understand those aspirations and help people build toward them. That development can begin well before the next promotion or title change. Professionals can contribute when they have relevant expertise. As their knowledge grows, so can their role in those conversations and their responsibility for the issues clients bring to the firm. For employees, that creates another way to see how their career can grow within public accounting. For CPA firms, it can help build advisory talent from within when experienced professionals remain difficult to find.

How can CPA firms make career development part of the work?

Audit and tax remain important foundations for a career in public accounting. But a career within a firm doesn’t have to follow a single path. As professionals build technical knowledge and a deeper understanding of their clients, they can begin contributing to broader business discussions and working alongside experienced advisors. Over time, that experience can prepare them to take on more advisory and consulting work. CPA firms can help professionals make that progression within the firm while continuing to build strong audit and tax teams. Firm leaders also need to ask people where they want to go. Not everyone will want the same next step, and leaders shouldn’t assume they do. Ongoing career conversations can help leaders understand the work employees want to do and identify the assignments, exposure and support they need to get there. Someone beginning in audit or tax should be able to see how the work they are doing today can lead to greater client responsibility over time. Career growth becomes easier to picture when professionals can see it in the work they are trusted to do and the responsibility they are given along the way. That progression can benefit clients as well. As professionals gain experience, they bring a deeper understanding of their clients' accounting needs and greater familiarity with their businesses. They can begin taking a larger role in discussions where that combination of knowledge matters. Public accounting has long given professionals experience that can take them almost anywhere. Firms now have an opportunity to show talented people how far that experience can take them within their own organizations, giving them more reasons to stay and build their careers. Follow Steve Saah on LinkedIn. The original version of this article appeared on the CPA Practice Advisor website.
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