This attention to detail is one of the most fundamental skills to being a great accountant. Another personal skill that is necessary for public accounting is the ability to communicate effectively with others. This is one of the most crucial skills that any individual must have in public accounting because auditors will have to work with many different types of people across different backgrounds and work cultures. Inter-personal skills are very hard to develop because it requires consistency, any individual can have friends or close relationship, but to constantly be a good and caring person is very difficult. Since I understand the importance of developing strong interpersonal communication skills as well as ability to work in team environments, I attempt to have helpful and caring relationships with everyone I meet. This extends not only to those who are closest to me, such as my parents, relatives, close friends, etc. But also to those who I meet in class, or casually through other activities. My purpose is to understand different types of individuals and what makes them function in order to better my interpersonal communication.

While I have achieved success in developing the above core competencies to become a successful public accountant, many doubt my ability because of certain flaws within my education and skill set. One of the common doubts is that my math ability is...

On many levels I struggle with higher end mathematics, especially calculus. Some people see this as a strong barrier for my success. However, what they do not realize is that math is a very small fraction of public accounting. This is because, math within public accounting only extends to basic math, and the majority of such math is done through computers and calculators. As a result, this is not a hindrance on my ability to become a public accountant at all.
There are many different skills necessary to become a well rounded and successful public accountant. These skills include technical knowledge, attention to detail, and interpersonal communication. I have attempted to master all three of these skills through my daily life by consistently practicing and focusing on the importance of these three skills. By overcoming my weaknesses and adding to my strengths, I fully believe that I will soon gain all of the tools for successful public accounting.

J.D. Edwards, History of Public Accounting in the United States (1960)

Booker, Quinton, Brenner, Vincent C., and Blum, James D. (1998). " Brave New World for the CPA Exam." Journal of Accountancy January:61-64.

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. (1998). Information for Uniform CPA Examination Candidates, 15th ed. New York: Author.