With over half of respondents (52%) indicating they have career ambitions to be entrepreneurs, it’s clear that many see accountancy careers as a natural springboard to running their own businesses at some point in the future. But as career paths expand, there’s a deep need for accountants to bring their entrepreneurial mindsets to more traditional career paths in finance and business too where commerciality and innovation skills are prized attributes.
The world is changing fast, and the way we work is transforming just as quickly. The accountancy profession is very much on this event horizon, adapting to not only meet but shape the world's needs.
Read our latest Global Talent Trends Report to see how this incredible profession is changing and the forces shaping the future of work in accountancy.
Key insights
A job for life is a notion of the past, but what about only one job at any given career stage? 43% of Gen Z respondents and 39% of respondents across all generations suggest they are now engaged in additional jobs outside of their main job. For younger respondents “side hustles” are evident, with earning additional money and diversification of income streams key reasons cited for pursuing concurrent roles. These ambitions have big implications for employers in terms of engagement and retention, but some see the positive side in opportunities to acquire new skills.
Whilst headline inflation rates across the world have fallen, concerns on the cost of living continues to top our Global Talent Trends “workplace fear” index, a trend we have seen for three years in a row. It’s an issue that cuts right across the respondent divide and is almost entirely agnostic of sector or country demographic. Across the board it’s creating big pressure for organisations in managing salary costs, with 41% of respondents expecting an annual pay rise of at least 11%.
Having the right skills for the future is a major concern for individuals as work transforms. Exactly half of respondents are concerned they are not developing the skills they need for the future workplace. Unsurprisingly AI is identified as the most valuable workplace skill needed, but 38% suggest they are not confident in their current knowledge of AI.
The retention challenge for employers evident in this year’s data mirrors the employability confidence that professional accountants have, with almost 60% of respondents expecting their next career role to be external to their current organisation. Yet this ambition is taking place in the context of rapid organisational work change. The speed with which career paths and job roles are changing demands a rethink on individual career planning. Crowdsourcing thousands of comments on successful individual career strategies, there’s consistent advice emerging in this study around the need for “resilience”, “authenticity”, “adaptability” and “lifelong growth.”
There’s a real demand from respondents to pursue careers and jobs which help address sustainability issues, with over two thirds of respondents (67%) suggesting they are interested in pursuing accountancy and finance roles focused on environmental issues. It’s a particular ambition for Gen Z respondents, as well as those in emerging markets. Whilst many of these roles currently reside at a more senior level in the organisation, there’s a real opportunity for organisations to ensure roles with sustainability related responsibilities and skills cascade through the organisation to junior levels moving forward.
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There’s a real appetite for continuing to use accountancy as a passport for pursuing international career opportunities, and unsurprisingly it’s the youngest respondents who continue to be the trailblazers for this; 72% of Generation Z respondents and 52% of Generation Y respondents cite a desire to move abroad to pursue career opportunities. Broadly though it’s a “one-way” direction of travel with migration from developing economies to key developed economies to pursue career goals and job moves.
2025 career top tips
Our 2025 Global Talent Trends report highlights a wide range of issues and opportunities facing accountants as work transforms. But how can they continue to thrive in this environment of change?
1. Understand that personal networks matter
Professional relationships matter for career success. A strong external network built over a lifetime of a career opens new opportunities and helps people learn new things, and not every job is necessarily posted on linked-in. In a world that is very digitally driven, it’s about being prepared to invest in the relationships that matter, not just seeing networking as acquiring online connections. Strong, personal relationships and contacts can often be the differentiator.
2. Build early career momentum
The early stages of careers are all about exploration, learning, and setting a strong foundation for the future. The truth is the early years in careers can often set the foundation for what happens much later. Being prepared to try different roles, industries and working locations is vital, and international experience is often super powerful on the CV. Having ambitions that a based around short, medium and long-term goals helps give your career a sense of direction.
3. Protect your wellbeing
A good work-life balance isn’t just a nice to have, its essential in protecting mental and physical health. It’s important that well-being is never sacrificed for work reasons, and employees are more productive if their health is good. Work should support your life but not take over it. It’s also important to choose employers carefully, ones that respect your values and support your personal and professional growth. And sometimes it’s important to say “no” – clearly defined work limits help prevent burnout and overwork.
4. Learn for life
Life-long learning and continuing education are essential as work and jobs transform in accountancy and finance and new skills are in demand. Gone on the days when workers could rely solely on their employers to provide all the necessary training and learning opportunities. It’s vital that learning is increasingly self-directed, proactive and continually updated, whether through formal qualifications and micro-credentials or through work-based learning initiatives. Stay curious.
5. Have an entrepreneurial mindset
As work transforms and careers transition, building an entrepreneurial mindset pays dividends. This isn’t necessarily about deciding to start your own business, as most finance roles now require a greater degree of skills such as commerciality and strategic understanding, as well as a passion for innovation. Think about opportunities to explore “intrapraneurship” in more established finance career paths. Whatever the career path is, developing an entrepreneurial mindset can help with career decisions, and sometimes good career moves require calculated risks to be taken.
6. Be resilient and adaptable
Longer term career success is built on determination and patience. It’s about working hard, learning from mistakes, and staying focused to achieve career goals. As careers transition and new and different opportunities open to finance and accountancy professionals, having sufficient resilience is crucial Having belief in your own abilities, knowing your own value and backing yourself is really important. It’s worth remembering that career success is a long journey.
7. Embrace AI and data
Technology will transform work in accountancy, but for the better. With the advancement of AI technologies in particular, roles will change and more routine transactional work will be automated. But new roles will continue to emerge focused on value, and many of these will require a much stronger understanding of AI as well as data literacy. Data centric skills and tools have to be a core part of the future accountants toolkit.
8. Be authentic
Confidence, integrity, and discipline are key to navigating work challenges and building a fulfilling career. It’s important to stick to personal values and above all else to be authentic. Authenticity helps builds meaningful connections and creates a solid foundation for success. But it’s also an invaluable trait to develop for later career stages. Authentic leaders are admired because they build trust, have an indelible impact on organisation culture and help their co-workers feel engaged.
9. Do the right thing
Doing the right thing as a professional accountant and complying with professional codes of conduct and ethics are vital. The workplace is increasingly complex, and the risks that organisations face continues to grow in the face of technological change and a more unpredictable business environment. This heightens the individual risks faced by finance professionals, but it also re-enforces why professional accountants are so important at the heart of future sustainable, ethical businesses.
10. Do what you love
It’s difficult to fake a job that you don’t enjoy. Those who have real career “success” are the ones who love what they do. This is about finding a purpose in life, and ensuring whatever career path is chosen, it ultimately proves to be fulfilling. This also matters because growing life expectancy and dwindling financial security means for many that career lives are extending, and it’s not unreasonable to assume a career span of fifty years or more now.
