As a well-known expert in locating tax executives for major corporations around the world with a client list of Fortune 1000 companies, I know what companies search for in hiring for their corporate tax department. Having placed thousands of tax professionals over three decades, I know what it takes to make it to the top of tax organizations. The corporate organizations who retain us on tax searches have very high education expectations. Corporate executives expect their management teams to have advanced degrees and/or certifications and we know from experience having both is the best for your tax career. If you want to climb the corporate ladder in tax, you must have a graduate degree and or a CPA to stay competitive. What kind of education are you receiving today?

Over the past few years, we have researched hundreds of CPE providers and reviewed the education they offer the tax community. It is a very competitive field but there is something more compelling I want to alert you to. Last year, I shared a very private conversation with a former CEO of a multinational public accounting firm regarding education. I told him there is so much free CPE it is hurting the good providers but even more so the free CPE is hurting the tax professional. This free CPE is no longer about training; the free CPE is about selling products and services. The former CEO of this international accounting firm admitted they do not give much away with free CPE training. The question I posed to him was “ Are the tax professionals really learning anything substantial with free CPE?” “Are we really preparing the next tax generation as they should be?”

Forty hours of free CPE courses may very well be dumbing down a tax generation! We discussed what firms offer the deep training grounds that firms like Arthur Anderson did in the old days and did not come up with an answer. We discussed the fact that the majority of 3-5 year  tax professionals leave public accounting because they feel like they are not getting the education they anticipated. Things have changed and this is precisely why TaxConnections is seeking strong relationships with education institutions that provide training for tax professionals today. Our goal is to lead you to valuable advanced education programs.

One education program we spent time to get to know is San Jose State University Master of Science Tax Program in San Jose, CA under Director and Professor Annette Nellen.  In conjunction with San Jose State University, Tax Executives Institute and San Jose State University also hold and an impressive  TEI-SJSU High Tech Tax Institute Annual Conference held at the Crown Plaza in Palo Alto, CA on November 13^th and 14^th this year. It is a who’s who of the best tax experts in Silicon Valley and a great education for all attendees to this conference. A must attend event for any tax professional. You will certainly gain a great education through San Jose State University given all the work Annette Nellen does to bring these extraordinary tax experts and program together. Annette has done an amazing job connecting students and tax experts through this program. If you do not have a MST and you are located in Silicon Valley, San Jose State University is the place you want to earn your tax education.

Another education program we recommend is offered at American University/Kogod School of Business in Washington DC. This program is online enabling students worldwide to enroll.  What American University offers is a flexible program; and you can take the courses to earn a certificate online or a MST on site. Go to this link to learn more about the online tax program at American University. Don Williamson, Associate Dean of the online certificate program and the MS Taxation program at American University is an amazingly talented, and approachable  who welcomes the opportunity to speak to anyone who wants to learn more.

Education is changing and with tax reform the laws will change. Both of these programs offer an education that will provide a much deeper understanding of taxes and advance your tax career. Believe me, I definitely know what it takes to get ahead in the tax profession having played a roll in advancing thousands of tax professionals in their tax careers. Your advanced education is what will make the difference in whether a company selects you or someone competing with you for a plum corporate tax management role.