The skill set required in the accounting workplace : perspectives of accounting graduates and warrant holders

Abstract

Purpose: There is consensus in the accountancy profession that graduates of accounting programmes must possess a broad skill set that goes beyond technical skills. Inherent in non-technical skills, there is the recognition of emotional intelligence (EI) skills, which are deemed to be crucial for the success of the accounting profession. In light of this, the study (i) examines the gap or otherwise between graduates’ and employers’ perceptions of the value placed on EI and non-EI skills for a career in accounting with the Big-four or mid-tier accounting firms; (ii) examines the extent of development of such skills during the accounting programme at the University of Malta; and (iii) examines the extent to which graduates’ perceptions converge with those of the employers in relation to the specific EI and non-EI skills that should be developed during the university’s accounting programme. Design/MethodologyApproach: A mainly quantitative approach was adopted, where online questionnaires were distributed to big-four and mid-tier accounting firm warrant holders (WH) (n=222), together with recent University of Malta accountancy graduates (n=96), to gain insight into their perceptions on EI and graduates’ skills. Findings: The findings show that both WH and graduates agree that a broad skill set, encompassing both EI and non-EI skills, is important for a career in accounting with accounting firms. Written and oral communication skills, integrative thinking skills and analytical skills are the most valued non-EI skills. It is also revealed that WH and graduates share similar views on which skills are relatively well developed in university. These include the non-EI skills of financial accounting, audit and assurance and the EI skills of teamwork and collaboration. WH and graduates also agree on which skills require further development at university, these being analytical skills, integrative thinking skills, oral communication and the EI skill of self-confidence. Practical implications: The results will assist the university in the alignment of its accountancy programme with the expectations of employers. Given the difficulty of developing certain non-technical skills within the classroom, other solutions could also be considered including structured work experience. Originality/Value: The study contributes to the literature on skill gaps between market expectations and actual development in university by looking at the perceptions of both graduates and WH on a broad list of EI and non-EI skills.