Connecting Accounting and Communication: A Survey of Public Accounting Firms

Communication skills are valued highly in public accounting firms, where profes sionals at all levels communicate as part of their jobs. However, respondents to a 1997 survey reported that the development of effective communication skills was not part of formal accounting education and that partners and managers want their entry-level professionals to have these skills at the onset. Further, these skills increase in importance as accounting professionals progress from entry-level to manager to partner. Educational institutions need to develop programs that include communication topics and courses to prepare accountants for the challenges of their profession.