Here's an unremarkable (albeit relevant and timely) article at JofA entitled "Salaries, demand on the rise for U.S. accounting professionals." It has all the good things accountants go for — money, jobs, money, and money. It comes courtesy of Robert Half (Jesus, those guys are busy) and their 2014 salary guide.
The post chugs along until:
Nontechnical skills such as verbal and written communication and business acumen are now considered indispensable parts of the finance role, the report said.Other valued credentials include the Chartered Global Management Accountant, the designation which was created by the AICPA and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.The report says that public accounting firms are focusing on recruiting. Big Four firms, the report said, are “increasingly targeting top students in their sophomore year, having found the most promising candidates commonly have accepted job offers by their junior year.”
Yep, just beebopping along about jobs and money and skills and then BAM — Have you heard of the CGMA? It has all the subtlety of a fart in an elevator.
Look. We all get it. The JofA is the "flagship publication" of the AICPA. The AICPA also created the CGMA, their latest and greatest non-CPA designation, so of course they're excited about it and are going to take every chance to mention it. The AICPA has made no bones about the truckloads of money they've spent promoting the CGMA even after they boasted about it being the most popular management accounting certification in the U.S. They've probably been sneaking CGMA subliminal messages into their press releases for months.
We all accepted this for what was — run-of-the-mill shilling. But now with this latest development, the shilling has spiraled into unbridled browbeating and I, for one, won't stand for it. I mean, what's next? Dropping suggestions into the Excel tips section? You DO NOT want to be within miles of me if that hallowed ground of the JofA is sullied with CGMA stank.
So just stop it, AICPA. We know you've got a designation to ram down our throats, but please avoid this bait and switch game. It's obscene.
[JofA]
