The invention of the internet and modern technology opened lines of communication across the world, leading to the proliferation of new ideas and concepts. This also led to the elimination of tasks that were once trivial, yet absolutely necessary. In today’s world, technology has made many past practices obsolete to the point of absurdity, and many industries have been heavily affected by every product update that has been invented with the facilitation of communication and efficiency in mind.

One especially surprising change in communication has manifested itself within the accounting and finance fields. With the advent of cloud computing, or SaaS, there is much more opportunity and freedom for people in these industries to analyze this data. As a result, their roles have changed radically within the business sphere: the once-misunderstood number cruncher is now expected to be an effective communicator who analyzes data and forecasts meaningful insights.

These necessary skills are very difficult to find in applicants today, especially entry-level candidates who have not fully understood the changed atmosphere within the accounting and finance worlds. It is necessary to understand that the Accountant has become a trusted source for positive change within the business sphere. As a result, this influence connotes responsibility: the Accountant must become a proactive force rather than a reactive one. Modern technology has necessitated these changes, and it is the responsibility of Accountants everywhere to accept this power. If they do not, they will become as painfully obsolete as the abacus they once used.

Thoughts, comments, suggestions? Feel free to respond in the comments below!

    -Seamus Mooney is a Research Analyst at Magellan Search & Staffing. He is an avid hiker, reader, and is living the dream right now.

Sources:
http://www.bpmcpa.com/RevRecCloud/#.VWTqr89VhBc
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140724124516-134572597-the-changing-role-of-accountants-from-technician-to-trusted-business-advisor
http://www.accounting-degree.org/technology/
http://blogs.wsj.com/cfo/2015/05/19/the-plain-vanilla-accountant-goes-out-of-style/