Is Accounting Still a Good Career? AI, Opportunity, and What Comes Next | Ep.31

Is accounting still a good career in the age of AI? In this episode of The Accounting Disruptors, Paul Peterson and Matt Barbieri discuss why they believe the profession’s future holds more opportunity than many students and recent graduates realize. Recorded at Wiss’s annual fall festival, the conversation explores the fears surrounding accounting careers, the work businesses still need from their accountants, and how AI could help professionals move beyond basic reporting into deeper analysis, judgment, and leadership. Paul and Matt also share practical advice for navigating a changing job market, from developing technology skills and evaluating prospective employers to building relationships, finding internships, and showing initiative. For students, young professionals, and parents helping their children think about what comes next, this episode offers a candid look at how accounting is changing and how to prepare for it. In this episode: Why Paul and Matt Disagree With Warnings to Avoid Accounting How AI Is Changing Accounting Tasks and Career Opportunities Why Businesses Need More Than Basic Financial Reporting What Growing Client Demands Reveal About the Work Ahead Understanding the Uncertainty Facing Recent College Graduates The Future Accountant as a Financial Expert, Technology User, and Problem Solver Building AI Skills and Evaluating an Employer’s Training Plans Why Enthusiasm, Persistence, and Relationships Matter When Getting Hired Taking Initiative With Networking, Career Fairs, and Internships How Colleges and Employers Could Better Prepare Students for Work Why Entry-Level Accountants Need Stronger Judgment and Business Understanding How Learning to Work With AI Could Increase an Accountant’s Value Timestamped chapters: 00:00 — Fall Festival at Wiss and a Few Confessions 02:00 — Helping the Next Generation Choose a Career 03:00 — Responding to Warnings About Accounting Careers 04:00 — Why Accounting Still Has a Future 06:00 — Technology Changes the Work and Creates New Possibilities 07:00 — The Accounting Work That Still Isn’t Getting Done 08:00 — Growing Client Needs and the Work Beyond Closing the Books 10:00 — The Uncertainty Facing Recent Graduates 11:00 — Unemployment, Underemployment, and the Value of a Degree 15:00 — Choosing a Career With Its Future in Mind 16:00 — Part Accountant, Part Tech Person, and Problem Solver 17:00 — Building AI Skills and Stronger Relationships 18:00 — Is Your Future Employer Preparing You for What Comes Next? 19:00 — Why Enthusiasm and Persistence Matter in Hiring 21:00 — Using Your Network and Taking Initiative 23:00 — Getting Experience and Taking Ownership of Your Career 26:00 — How Much Support Do College Career Centers Provide? 29:00 — Bridging the Gap Between College and the Workplace 31:00 — Higher Expectations for Entry-Level Accountants 33:00 — How Working With AI Could Make Accountants More Valuable 35:00 — Relationships, Persistence, and the Willingness to Put Yourself Out There 37:00 — Building Skills and Expanding Your Network About The Accounting Disruptors: The Accounting Disruptors podcast is hosted by Paul Peterson, CEO of Wiss, and Matt Barbieri, Technology Practice Partner at Wiss. Each week, Paul and Matt share unfiltered insights from the front lines of AI adoption inside a public accounting and advisory firm, covering tools, trends, organizational change, and the realities of building an AI-optimized firm. About Wiss: Wiss is an accounting and advisory firm headquartered in New York City and Florham Park, NJ, serving clients across tax, assurance, advisory, real estate, construction, CPG, not-for-profit, wealth management, and manufacturing. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes every week 💼 Learn more about Wiss: https://wiss.com/ 🧪 Learn more about Wiss Labs: https://wiss.com/wisslabs/ 🎙️ Listen on Podbean, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts