Special tax auditor skills for your resume and career

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, accountants should possess analytical skills, critical-thinking skills, and communication skills. They should also be detail-oriented and possess strong math and organizational skills (www.bls.gov). Of course, we can all agree that technology and teamwork skills are also necessary for successful accountants.

While these skills are still in high demand for accountants, post-pandemic, I believe we will see an increased need for job candidates to demonstrate flexibility and adaptability. This year's graduates are entering a work environment that is not "traditional"; at this point it seems unlikely that this year's graduates will start their careers in a traditional office (or at a client) in close proximity to more experienced professionals who are immediately available to provide instruction and assistance. So, this year's graduates need to be prepared - professionally and emotionally - to adapt to the work environment in place at their employer. And they need to be prepared for that environment to change with little warning. This semester I am teaching almost exclusively undergraduate seniors, and at Bucknell we started classes in-person, after one week we went remote for two weeks and now we are back to in-person learning. During these transitions, I have found that some students are struggling to keep up with the material; they are falling behind and missing deadlines in far greater numbers than in previous semesters. The ability to be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances while still accomplishing goals will be in great demand by employers.

I also think that graduates should place an emphasis on developing time-management skills and the ability to prioritize effectively. Alternative work environments, like working remotely, remove certain cues that the day is passing. For example, in a "normal" work day, a young professional would find routines including a mid-morning coffee break and lunch with friends or colleagues and these daily routines would help to mark the passing of time. When someone works from home, these cues may not occur naturally so time can "slip away". Also, working from home provides any number of distractions that may seem urgent in the moment but are not important to achieve that day's work goals; effectively prioritizing tasks in a distracting environment is a skill that will also be in great demand by employers.