CPA CPE - How to Survive Continuing Professional Education

In my opinion, thinking strategically about CPE is thethere some things that you can do to satisfy some of
key. Like any small business owner, you are in chargethe urges resulting from answering the questions that
of your career and need to come up with a strategy.can be satisfied by continuing professional education?
And strategy starts with answering some basicHere are a few ideas:
questions, doing some research, thinking, and putting1. Identify the hard skills. These are the core accounting,
together a plan. This is all the work of a busyfinance, and law knowledge that you need to obtain in
professional - like a CPA!the coming period.
Here are some important questions to answer:2. Identify the soft skills that you will need to achieve
What are my personal objectives, both in terms ofyour near and medium term goals. These are the key
career and personal development?people skills that will open some doors for you.
Where do I want to be in 5 years? 10 years? 203. Identify the environments in which you want to
years?operate. You may need some specific industry
What are my personal strengths?exposure. You may need to seek out some specific
In what areas could I envision the most dramaticsituations where you can network with other
potential for improvement with some focused effort?professionals with particular areas of expertise that
What potential improvements would have the mostyou want to gain.
impact on my life and career?4. Identify your learning preferences. In many cases,
What challenges and opportunities am I facing over thedue to constraints of both time and money, you will
next 3-6 months? 6-12 months? 1-2 years?want to devise a blend of in person, on your own, and
What types of clients am I serving? What are theironline work that optimizes your use of time. The
needs, and in what ways can I meet their needs bettertraining options are also an input to this decision.
than today?5. Identify your networking needs. You may be able to
What are my relationships with colleagues? Are therekill 2 birds with one stone by attending education
opportunities for improvement here?meetings for CPE credit where you also get the right
Do I have an effective network? What value do I holdmix of networking to expand your contacts.
for my network? Do I want to change that?6. Many professionals find that they want to
What are some key developments in the accountingsupplement their current credentials - like a CPA - with
field?another credential that will help them to differentiate
What are the major current developments in thethemselves to their clients and in the marketplace, or
overall business environment, or in the communities Isometimes even move them in a different direction
serve? What is my program for keeping up to datealtogether. CPAs and other professionals often satisfy
and ahead of the trends?CPE requirements while at the same earning a
These questions may seem very simple and basic.certification in IT, project management, Six Sigma,
Frankly, they are not particularly scientific, but they areBusiness Analysis, or a related field.
definitely a starting point for a strategic plan thatThese are but a few ideas for gradually developing a
includes personal development. We always need tostrategic plan for earning CPE credit to maintain your
remember that personal development is the key toCPA license. Hopefully, looking at the CPE requirement
moving forward, and that working on ourselves -from a fresh viewpoint, and incorporating your CPE
increasing our capabilities and skill levels - alwaysactivities into your own personal vision and strategic
produces the best results in the long run.plan helps to satisfy the CPE requirement as much as
So, what jumps out or emerges when you answerit does to move you forward as a professional in your
these questions? Think about your CPA CPE. Aredesired strategic direction.