Barry R. Palatnik, Ed.D, MBA, CPA, associate professor and program chair of Accounting at Stockton University, and Elizabeth A. Jafolla, an accounting student at Stockton University, president of its Accounting and Finance Society and an NJCPA student ambassador, sat down virtually in April with Don Meyer, chief growth officer of the NJCPA, to discuss what kind of engagement works best to inspire today’s college students to enter accounting careers.
Palatnik, who routinely invites guest speakers into his classes to showcase real-world experiences, explained that professors and college administrators need to be aware that any part of a student’s journey can be an impetus to turn them into accounting majors. This is particularly true in some of the more advanced accounting classes where students are fulfilling requirements but are not actual accounting majors, he said. “A lot of our financial accounting/managerial accounting classes are taken by other majors,” he said.
Accounting classes can often be too overwhelming for students before they even know what the profession is all about. “It’s never too early to introduce a student to accounting but it can be too early to ‘teach’ them accounting and risk scaring them away,” reminded Meyer.
Informing students about what accounting actually involves is crucial to increasing the number of students entering the profession. “It’s very important to make sure you have energized students,” said Palatnik. “We have to do better in getting students involved, getting students to offices so they can see exactly what accountants do. If you are a good role model for the profession, the students will come.”
Out of the Classroom
Events like the NJCPA Convention & Expo are great places to have students enter conversations with others in the field along with finding internships and full-time jobs. In acknowledging the importance of getting out of the classroom and attending the Convention, Jafolla said, “It’s a great opportunity to meet new people, experience the different opportunities that it has. When you go there, you’re seeing accountants from a range of positions and backgrounds.”
“It can help you narrow down what you want and really understand what accounting is,” she added. “In addition, I always tell people it’s a fun event. They have the breakout sessions where you learn beneficial tools like knowing your personal brand and knowing things about the CPA Exam, which some people don’t have the opportunity to know about prior to this convention, and also the exhibits.”
Though getting students to attend events in general can be difficult, Jafolla noted if students think there is a result or something they will be getting out of going somewhere, whether it’s a skillset or a job, that will be more well attended. “If one speaker is taking resumes, there will be 20-30 more students attending the one that’s taking resumes. It’s an opportunity to network, an opportunity to get out there,” she said. Letting students know this is a “fun event” also helps with engagement.
Communicating Effectively
A key part of the conversations around accounting involves a need for students to refine nontechnical skills or “get out of their shells,” said Palatnik. With accounting jobs increasingly requiring good communication and presentation skills, he encourages students to practice starting conversations when at a college exhibitor booth or table, for example, even if it just involves talking about housing. At Stockton, it’s worked so well that his accounting students have asked him, “When are you going to have the next open house?”
From inviting guests into the classroom to having students excite other students about the profession, the panelists said the following 10 steps can be taken to inspire the next generation to go into the accounting profession:
- Tap into those students who have not yet decided their majors. It’s a good strategy to invite undecided students into accounting classrooms so they can understand accounting topics and find out more about what such a career entails.
- Bring guest speakers into accounting classrooms. For example, pointing out various positions that involve technology in accounting is important.
- Take advantage of the parents’ weekends at colleges to inform those who may not have considered an accounting career for their student that it is a viable option.
- Set up an activity, like a putting green, to entice students to a particular information desk, booth or table.
- Get students to talk to other students. Utilizing current accounting students to help other students in classes that may need help is also a good idea.
- Encourage accounting students to talk to other students’ parents. Engaging with adults is great practice for the business world.
- Leverage accounting and finance societies on campus to promote the accounting profession and discuss majoring in accounting and what steps are needed to fulfill requirements.
- Connect with law firms who frequently need CPAs in the courtroom. From divorce court proceedings to mergers and acquisitions (M&A) projects, law firms need CPAs’ advice. This connection can engage students in other majors and show a different role for accountants.
- Tell students ahead of time what they will be getting out of an event, a talk or a visit to a company or firm. Landing a summer internship or a job will be an enticement.
- Show your own engagement with the profession to get students engaged in the profession. It works both ways.