A career in accounting offers a stable and rewarding path, but achieving true success requires more than just a talent for numbers. It demands a strategic combination of credentials, skills, and a commitment to lifelong learning. This guide outlines the essential steps and qualities you need to cultivate to succeed in public accounting. Understand the technical expertise, soft skills, and professional commitments that separate a good accountant from a great one and get clear insight on your next steps—be it starting your career or advancing from your current role.
Summary
Achieving long-term success in public accounting requires a strategic combination defining your goals, earning the CPA license and additional credentials, developing critical soft skills like communication and ethical leadership, and committing to continuous professional education and proactive career planning.
Public Accounting Success Starts with CPA
Especially for a career in public accounting, there’s nothing more than valuable than earning your Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license—so much so, that it’s nearly a requirement for real career advancement.
While you can work in accounting without being a CPA, earning your license is the single most impactful step you can take for your career. It serves as a powerful differentiator, signaling a high level of expertise and a commitment to the profession and granting you the legal ability to perform CPA tasks that accountants can’t do.
Why the CPA License Matters
Enhanced Credibility and Trust: The CPA license is the gold standard in the accounting industry. It immediately tells employers, clients, and colleagues that you have met rigorous educational, examination, and experience requirements.
Greater Career Opportunities: Many senior-level and leadership positions, especially in public accounting and corporate finance, are exclusively available to CPAs. A license opens doors to roles like Controller, CFO, and Partner.
Increased Earning Potential: The CPA salary is consistently higher than that of their non-certified peers. This premium reflects the advanced skills, leadership opportunities, and responsibilities that come with the designation.
Legal Authorization: As a licensed CPA, you are authorized to perform certain tasks that other accountants cannot, including signing audit reports for the SEC and representing clients before the IRS.
Earning your CPA license is a foundational element for anyone serious about how to be a successful accountant. It provides the credentials and knowledge needed to build a long and prosperous career.
Consider Credentials Beyond CPA
If you’re set on public accounting, starting with earning your CPA license is the best first step. But if you’re already a CPA, you want to expand into a specific area of expertise, or you’re interested in shifting your career from public accounting to different industry, gaining additional certifications is the best way to grow.
These are a few of the credentials that can set you apart as you grow within or from public accounting:
- Certified Management Accountant (CMA): best for professionals who are moving from public accounting to success in corporate accounting
- Certified Internal Auditor (CIA): best for professionals with a focus in auditing, specifically internal audit and global auditing best practices
- Enrolled Agent (EA): best for professionals who know they want to focus exclusively on tax services and do not want to become CPAs
- Certified Financial Planner: best for professionals who loving working with individual clients to help them reach their financial goals
Develop Essential Soft Skills to Succeed in Accounting
Technical proficiency is crucial, but the most successful accountants pair their technical accounting skills with well-developed soft skills. These abilities determine how you interact with colleagues, communicate complex information, and lead with integrity. True accounting success is built on your ability to connect and collaborate.
Analytical and Critical Thinking
Beyond balancing ledgers, you must be able to interpret data to tell a story. Analytical thinking allows you to identify trends, spot anomalies, and provide valuable business insights. It involves questioning the data, understanding its context, and using it to solve complex problems and inform strategic decisions.
While important for all accounting professionals, this is an especially vital soft skill for auditors, whose role depends on channeling data into actionable insights.
Effective Communication
Accountants are translators. You must be able to explain complex financial information clearly and concisely to non-financial stakeholders, including executives, clients, and investors. This includes:
- Written Communication: Crafting clear, error-free reports, emails, and financial summaries.
- Verbal Communication: Presenting findings confidently in meetings and answering questions with clarity.
- Active Listening: Understanding the needs and concerns of clients and colleagues to provide relevant solutions.
Ethical Leadership
The accounting profession is built on a foundation of trust. Ethical leadership means demonstrating unwavering integrity, objectivity, and confidentiality in all professional activities. It involves making sound judgments, upholding professional standards, and promoting a culture of honesty within your team and organization.
The nature of accounting work is often sensitive, and part of your professional integrity also means holding client confidentiality and establishing the trust to handle private information and high-stakes decision-making.
Sharpen Your Tech Skills
Modern tech is changing how professionals work across all industries—including accounting. Proficiency in accounting software, ERP systems, and data tools is no longer optional, but the biggest and fastest changing are coming with the introduction of AI.
The Role of AI in Accounting
AI has the potential to transform routine accounting tasks, allowing professionals to focus on higher-value strategic activities. However, a key challenge of modern accounting is learning to leverage AI responsibly—finding the balance between using AI tools to improve efficiency and output, and maintaining trust in the profession by ensuring a human touch that maintains absolute accuracy.
There’s no room for error or misstep when dealing with highly sensitive client financial data and decision-making. But certain responsible uses of AI that’s approved by your organization can support your accounting workflow:
- Automating Repetitive Tasks: Using AI-powered tools to automate data entry, reconciliations, and compliance checks, which frees up time for analysis and strategy.
- Enhancing Data Analysis: Employing AI to analyze vast datasets, identify hidden patterns, and improve forecasting accuracy.
- Maintaining Human Oversight: Understanding that AI is a tool to assist, not replace, professional judgment. It is your responsibility to verify AI-generated outputs, ensure data accuracy, and apply critical thinking to its suggestions.
Learning how to use AI for accountants and auditors, developing critical thinking skills related to technology, and gaining confidence in usage will all be defining factors in how to be a successful accountant in the years to come.
Commit to Continuous Professional Education (CPE)
Your education does not end when you earn your degree or even your CPA license. The worlds of business, finance, and regulation are constantly evolving—and you must grow your knowledge with it. A commitment to continuous professional education (CPE) is essential for maintaining your expertise and providing the best possible service to your clients or employer.
CPE ensures that you stay current on:
- New Accounting Standards: Updates to GAAP and IFRS can significantly impact financial reporting.
- Changing Tax Laws: Tax codes at the federal, state, and local levels are frequently amended.
- Evolving Regulations: Industries often face new compliance and reporting requirements.
- Technological Advances: Staying informed about new software and digital tools helps you remain efficient and competitive.
- Ethics & Leadership Growth: Most states have ethics CPE requirements when it comes to completing CPE, but these courses also ensure that you can perform responsibilities and lead accounting teams with clarity, integrity, and professionalism.
Most state boards require CPAs to complete a certain number of CPE hours to maintain their license. However, the most successful professionals view this not as a requirement, but as an opportunity for growth and a key component of long-term accounting success.
Develop a Plan of How to Be a Successful Accountant
Every successful accountant starts with a clear plan. Just like any great journey requires a road map, your path to accounting success should begin with a well-thought-out career strategy.
- Reflect on your interests and strengths, considering the various specializations within accounting—such as auditing, tax, or financial reporting—that you experienced during your education or training.
- Set specific goals for what you want to achieve in both the short term and long term.
- Outline a timeline for earning certifications, targeting desired roles, and developing expertise in areas that inspire you.
- While it’s important to have direction, remain flexible as opportunities arise and the profession evolves.
- Reflect on what truly motivates you and seek out organizations that share your core values.
- Prioritize a work/life balance that supports your well-being and long-term satisfaction.
Remember, your plan is a living document—it can and should adapt as your interests grow and your experiences expand.
Focus on Achieving Your Goals
The first job offer after graduation can be exciting, but when considering how to be a successful accountant, it’s important not to settle for a position that leaves you uninspired. Your early experiences will shape your perspective on the profession and influence your commitment to accounting success.
While it might be tempting to accept the first opportunity that comes along, strive for a role that aligns with your interests and motivates you to keep growing. Look for positions that provide learning and engagement, even if finding the right fit takes more time. Choosing a job that excites you will help you avoid early burnout, setting a positive tone for your entire career.
Your Next Step Toward Accounting Success
Building a successful accounting career requires dedication, action, and continuous improvement. But it’s satisfying and fulfilling as you see your hard work pay off in each step of your growth! From earning your CPA license and other credentials to mastering soft skills and embracing new technologies, each step builds upon the last, solidifying your path to leadership and influence in the field.
Learn more about the current accounting industry landscape—and define your career goals within it—through our FREE 2026 Accounting Salary Guide.
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