Exploring The Needed Soft Skills Amongst Accounting Students

Asian Journal of Accounting and Finance
e-ISSN: 2710-5857 | Vol. 2, No. 2, 14-27, 2020

http://myjms.moe.gov.my/index.php/ajafin
Exploring the Needed Soft Skills amongst Accounting Students

Nuraishah Raimee1*, Nurazwani Mat Radzi1
1
Faculty of Accountancy and Management, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 43000 Sungai Long, Selangor,
Malaysia
*Corresponding Author: nuraishah@utar.edu.my
Accepted: 1 June 2020 | Published: 15 June 2020

________________________________________________________________________________________
Abstract: A Business is very challenging and competitive nowadays, therefore most of the
employer seeking for multitasking employee to support their business activities. Accountants
are in high demand and need to require some skills to perform many important functions
throughout a business, so there is a need for accountants in almost every industry. Different
companies and career paths look for different attributes and characteristics in an individual.
It is important that students are aware of and develop soft skills in order to meet the
industrial requirement. The purpose of this paper is to address the developing soft skill that
needed among accounting students that could help them to be well prepared and benefits
before entering into real life as an accountant. This study methodology is based on the
qualitative method. Focus group interview was conducted with undergraduate students who
had been completed their internship programs. The outcome of this study will help the
accounting students to enhance their soft skills such as time management skills, problem-
solving skills, critical thinking, communication skills, and self-directed learning skills so that
they can be well prepared to face the real life as an accountant. This paper presents the
findings of the above study by suggesting that higher education institution have a
responsibility to provide a curriculum that emphasis on developing soft skills. In addition,
lecturer needs to be creative in conducting lecture and tutorial class in order to enhance
student soft skills development.
Keywords: problem-solving, critical thinking, communication skills, leadership skills, self-

directed learning skills, accounting students
_________________________________________________________________________
1. Introduction
Various careers have been increasingly challenging due to recent developments in

globalization. Inevitably, a career in accountancy has also been largely impacted. This has
resulted in a shift of skills required from merely technical knowledge to skills beyond that.
The measurement of career success is now no longer guaranteed by one’s academic results
but defined by the ability to apply appropriate knowledge while performing accounting
matters, transactions and procedures. Although accounting is a technical subject, with the
onset of globalization, soft skills are seen to be of higher value than technical knowledge.
This is due to the existence of misuse of accounting treatment despite the presence of
knowledgeable and experienced accountants. Undeniably, the acquisition of soft skills is
crucial in complementing the accounting knowledge that accountants have. Hence,
necessitating it to be taught in high schools, colleges, or universities along with accounting
subjects (Jaafar, 2018).
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e-ISSN: 2710-5857 | Vol. 2, No. 2, 14-27, 2020
Knowledge of communication and time management skills should be provided to accounting

students. The existence of those who abuse their authority in mishandling financial reports for
their personal gains proves challenging for accountants without these skills. Therefore, these
challenges may be successfully addressed by equipping students with relevant knowledge on
soft skills elements. Furthermore, in maneuvering through current modern business
environments, accountants need to be able to multitask with ease by implementing both hard
and soft skills accordingly (Rahman et al., 2007). In the accounting field, the whole process
of documentation requires much discussions and inevitably, arguments. Therefore, the
inability to communicate efficiently inadvertently results in misunderstandings with
customers and employers. These episodes often incur unnecessary costs and with the absence
of good communication skills, businesses might have clientele problems.
When assessing college graduates to be hired, one of the most important qualities that
employers look into is their ability to problem-solve. Problem-solving is a basic life skill that
is required in comprehending even technical matters. Therefore it is crucial that students are
adequately equipped with this skill when challenged with issues or problems that are novel to
them. Being proficient in applying problem-solving skills appropriately also enhances
students’ learning. Moorthi (2018) suggests that when students use problem-solving skills,
"The role of the student changes from a passive recipient of information to a participant in the
creation of understanding. The problem should captivate students' attention, be meaningful,
and allow a wide range of individual responses." It is deemed that problem solving is an
element of critical thinking. Both of them apply the same strategies when dealing with
problems, making it tricky to differentiate. The only main difference is that problem solving
skills are applied to well structured problems whereas critical thinking is used to attain
solutions to ill-structured ones. Basically, problem-solving is the process of reasoning to
solutions using more than simple application of previously learned procedures.
Meanwhile, critical thinking is a noteworthy skill and a part of continuing tertiary education.
The enhancement of critical thinking ability in students has consistently been given attention .
The culture of thinking that should be sharpened by the lecturers must be based on the idea of
the 21st century. It is the key component in advanced education which is result based and the
main part of learning is accomplished by creativity, analyzing skills, and appraisal. These are
advanced through various philosophies and is subjected to instructor’s capacity and ability
(Abdullah, 2018).
As one’s behaviour in life is influenced by the conception of time (Pant, 2016), several
studies on perception and management have been carried out. In the business field, studies of
the earlier times to the most recent ones have placed great interest in examining the designing
and organization of time, in order to ascertain its link with performance or income. This study
further discusses on the development of soft skills that is required among accounting students
so as to enable them to be aware of its benefits and therefore prepare them before embarking
on their journey as accountants. There will also be a discourse on the five aspects of soft
skills namely, communication, self-directed learning, problem-solving, critical thinking and
time management.
2. Literature Review
The level of success of an organization is based on the role of human capital. The shortfall of
human capital capabilities has been highlighted to the education sector. This has resulted in
the higher education system taking over globally as graduates are currently experiencing
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steady growth and flows. However, this has resulted in the industry facing an additional
problem rather than providing it with a solution. Market overflows of graduates has resulted
in them having difficulties in seeking employment. This problem is also apparent for
accounting graduates, hence urging them to acquire good soft skills to support them in the
workplace as well as more specialized and technical skills to perform specific tasks. There is
little need for soft skills as accountants and auditors to enable them to work efficiently and
accurately with financial documents to organize large data sets. Hence, having such a range
of soft skills will help them to deliver better services.
Employability
Employability has been defined as a set of qualifications, skills, attitudes and personal
characteristics acquired by the graduate of a university that allows him or her to seek and
secure a job and, ultimately, succeed. Successful acquisition of employability skills can
benefit both employees and the economy, but employability is not necessarily transformed
into a job, as there are many external social and economic factors affecting employment
(Ismail, 2013; Aman & Ramly, 2015). According to (Ismail, 2013) when the number of
graduates increases, employers prefer personal attributes and skills to an academic career.
Employers therefore focus on employability as the behavioral skills and abilities of a person.
Work experience and understanding of the economy are equally high as criterion for
selection. Companies are therefore searching for graduates with short learning curves,
thereby ensuring fast-track adjustment, which is important in increasing markets and under
competitive. As Foerster-Pastor (2017) state, "although the terms, wording, amount and
outlook differ, all of these employability skills specifications have one aspect in common.
They distinguish between intangible individual skills and tangible skills.” These tangible
skills can be measured in the form of academic achievement and degrees as they are the result
of education and continuing education (Andrews, 2008)
Accounting Education
Accounting is an indispensable instrument in any business function. It involves the process of
identifying, measuring and communicating economic information that the management uses
to plan within the company. With the reality that businesses have now evolved into a more
challenging and complex field, accounting requires people with solid technical knowledge,
the ability to think critically and problem solve, and possessing interpersonal skills and
effective communication (Aman & Ramly, 2015; Irafahmi, et al. 2018; Jaafar, 2018).
Nowadays, a professional accountant goes beyond stereotype perceptions in playing key roles
within the organization. Roles assumed range widely from various job functions at different
levels including leadership or administration, operational, management control and
accounting, and stakeholder communications. Due to the diverse functions of accountants,
they can even be categorized as creators, enablers, preservers, and reporters of sustainable
values. In realizing the ascending changes to the occupation of an accountant due to
globalization and competitiveness, the need to develop into being one is now imperative.
However, this fact has created disparity between the quality of graduates emerging from the
academic institutions with the demands of the industries. Hence, it is crucial that educational
systems around the world update accordingly and continuously so as to be ever ready in
confronting the rigorously changing needs of the world economy. This development
necessitates all stakeholders involved namely the educators and education institutions, the
ministry of education, employers and professional bodies to discuss and work intently in
reducing the gap. Producing a graduate of quality, who is reliable and employable, needs to
be the focus, as this will not only benefit the industry but additionally, the country's economy.
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Soft skill
Soft skills is a term that has been utilized in both educational and business settings, namely
corporate meetings and curriculum development, for years (John, 2009). Normally, when
people discuss about the abilities that they have, they tend to think about skills that they have
already mastered such as the speed and accuracy of their keyboarding or their precise wiring
in an automotive system. The Collins English Dictionary defines the term soft skills as
“desirable qualities for certain forms of employment that do not depend on acquired
knowledge: they include common sense, the ability to deal with people, and a positive
flexible attitude” as cited by Heckman and Kautz, 2012. In a nutshell, the term soft skills
refers not to technical knowledge or aptitude but rather on intangible character traits,
including one’s attitudes and behaviors. These traits reflects one’s potential as a leader,
facilitator, mediator, and negotiator. Inevitably, a person’s daily communications and
dealings, job performance, and career potential are enhanced by possessing these soft skills
(Rashidi, Zaihan & Samat, 2018). Being not just limited to one’s profession makes it the most
noteworthy attribute of these skills as soft skills are continually developed through practical
application during one’s daily undertakings in life and also at the workplace (Maelah et al.
2012). Equipping students with soft skills could be a determining factor in their being hired
for a job in their field or the sinking of a promising career of one who may have the technical
ability and professional expertise but lacks interpersonal qualities (Klaus, 2008).
According to research done for the 21st century, new graduates are unable to meet potential
employers’ expectations of applicants who have strong interpersonal skills. (Bee Yin, 2018).
In attempting to maintain a competitive edge, successful organizations lean towards hiring
applicants with soft skills. Therefore, employers demand that educators stress upon their
students the importance of cooperating with others in the workplace and successfully acquire
both soft skills and hard skills (John, 2009). In fact, soft skills are deemed extremely
important that they are ranked as number one especially for potential job hires.
Soft Skills and Accounting Career
Unemployment rate within the youth is more than three times the national average
unemployment rate – 10 in 100 youths are unemployed compared to 3 in 100 workers of all
ages. Currently, one in four Malaysian graduates have failed to secure a job upon six months
of graduating despite the World Bank reporting that local employers are struggling in seeking
new talent (Bee Yin, 2018). Hence, the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia (2012), has
said that graduates are required to possess the elements of soft skills to measure their abilities
such as proficiency in interacting in the English language (communication), the ability to
think critically and being apt in problem solving skills. They should also be able to work as
teams, develop business proposals and identify business opportunities (entrepreneurial skills),
and apply ethical principles. Additionally, graduates need to have the skills to plan, supervise,
monitor and lead (leadership), build relationships, interact and work effectively (lifelong
learning and information management) and feature professional ethics.
Previous studies emphasized the need for soft skills in accounting (Rashidi, Zaihan & Samat,
2018; Maelah et. al, 2012). For accounting students, the acquisition of soft skills enhances
value as it is directly related to higher levels of knowledge and intelligence. This in turn leads
to increased chances of being employed. However, this does not provide the answer as to
which soft skills are deemed necessary and being sought after by employers. It would be
taxing on students to acquire every soft skill available. Therefore, it is crucial that those who
are assigned to design the curriculum are able to distinguish which aspects of soft skills are to
be given priority in being a component of the curriculum.
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Previous studies have also shown the importance of soft skills required by employers. The
studies showed that the elements of soft skills that should be learned by students are problem-
solving (Weaver & Kulesza, 2014; Rashidi, Zaihan & Samat, 2018; Jaafar, 2018),
communication skills (Holtzman & Kraft, 2011, Rashidi, Zaihan & Samat, 2018), time
management (Holtzman & Kraft, 2011; Weaver & Kulesza, 2014; Jaafar, 2018), and critical
thinking (Maelah et, al 2012; Jaafar, 2018). Thus, five aspects of soft skills such as
communication, self-directed learning, problem-solving, critical thinking and time
management are discussed below:
1) Communication skills
As with any business, the volume of clients that a company acquires inadvertently affects its
operations and survival. Therefore, utmost precedence is given to fulfilling their clients’
expectations in ensuring their satisfaction. With this in mind, it is the company’s
responsibility to convey and explain clearly to their clients so that they may have a
comprehensive understanding of their company's financial status (Holtzman & Kraft, 2011,
Rashidi, Zaihan & Samat, 2018). Without effective communication skills, clients begin to
question the existence of fraud in the accountant’s decisions. This results in doubts being
raised in clients on the accountant’s intentions in mishandling the money for personal gains.
This is due to communication barriers between the accountant and clients resulting in the
latter not understanding accounting procedures. With this in mind, it is therefore implied that
the inability to relay crucial information may lead to the integrity of the accountant being
doubted. This signifies that both communication and technical skills are equally important in
ensuring client’s satisfaction, without which, would lead to the client having a bad perception
of the company.
Effective communication is also as important between employers and employees in
facilitating the completion of tasks efficiently. When less errors are made in accomplishing
jobs, costs then tend to be reduced and profits increase. Likewise, costs tend to increase when
there is a breakdown in communication as employees’ performance is negatively affected.
Therefore, communication skills can be rightly said to a certain degree influence the costs
and profits of a company. In ensuring students having a better chance of being employed,
class or co-curriculum activities should provide them with platforms to develop their
communication skills.
2) Problem-solving
Possessing problem-solving skills helps in catering to client’s needs and satisfaction, and also
accounting regulations. Clients usually favour lower tax payments that prove costly and they
also wish for higher profits which may attract potential new investments. However, if the
accountant blindly adheres to the customer's desire, he or she may infringe on the accounting
regulations, hence negatively impacting his or her own reputation. Situations such as this
require accountants to possess adequate problem-solving skills in order to satisfy each party
(Holtzman & Kraft, 2011, Rashidi, Zaihan & Samat, 2018). Furthermore, it is crucial that
accountants are competent in handling the client's account. In cases whereby complete
documents are not provided during the preparation of the account, the accountant should still
be able to solve the problem (Aman & Ramly, 2015). Although these documents prove to be
vital in providing relevant information, the accountant should still complete the financial
statement even though the client's documents are not well prepared. Therefore, it is vital that
students learn problem solving skills via activities in the classroom, as without which they
may face difficulties in even passing the interview stage.
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3) Critical thinking
Critical thinking is characterized as a form of high level of thinking ability that is encouraged
across all fields of study beyond various sciences and factual subjects. It encompasses critical
thinking in relation to feelings, values and beliefs and the social sciences, because research
has shown that feelings and attitudes can be regarded as facts (Smith, 2014). In addition,
some useful definitions of critical thinking include "rationally deciding what to do or believe"
(Norris and Ennis, 1989); or "reasonable, reflective thinking". It has also been interpreted as
"the extension of logic to the rational examination of controversial social, ethical, political,
economic, and religious issues, such as abortion, euthanasia and terrorism" (Bandman, 1988).
The definition preferred describes critical thinking as a way of life - involving many skills
and abilities in treating ideas and facts (Taba 1971).
With the GAAP-based standards replacing the IFRS standards in accounting, the accounting
learning paradigm has been changed from a rule-based to a principle-based one. Presently,
higher expectations have been set on students’ abilities requiring them to no longer just be
able to “calculate” but also to think critically in solving various accounting issues in different
contexts (Reinstein & Bayou, 1997). Therefore, it is expected that students are able to
understand and implement the IFRS well. As accounting is no longer just menial clerical
work, being apt in critical thinking is highly required in accounting students (Irafahmi,
Nagari, & Nuris, 2018). Clerical jobs such as manually counting depreciation, calculating
deposit, and preparing accounts receivable for client’s confirmation have already been
replaced with computers. Students are also highly recommended to participate in activities
that allow them opportunities to think, rationalize and make decisions objectively, assess new
ideas and procedures systematically, evaluate arguments and claims critically, and decide
logically when faced with situations requiring processing and utilizing of new information.
As nowadays, expectations are laid on accountants to ‘add some values’ to information and
convey it effectively to the relevant parties. And while evaluating the system of an entity,
accountants are also supposed to detect, predict, and offer proposals and recommendations.
4) Self-Directed Learning
Self-directed learning, also known as active learning, has been a long-standing and influential
idea of what learning should be. However, there is often a lack of agreement about exactly
what it entails (Chi, 2009). For example, self-directed learning is somehow related to being
physically active while undertaking a task (Harman, Humphrey, & Goodale, 1999), the
generation consequence (enhanced long-term memory for substances that is actively
retrieved; (Crutcher & Healy, 1989), or with elaborate cognitive processes such as furnishing
self-generated explanations (Roscoe & Chi, 2008). Considering this skill, accounting students
particularly need to have an initiative to develop a sense of self-directed learning to enhance
their self-empowerment which may also help to enhance their employability. According to
Garisson’s (1997), when students are able to self-direct their own learning, employing the
most effective methods for themselves, their confidence is increased and they feel motivated
to obtain the utmost benefit from their learning, which involves psychological features of
motivation, responsibility and control. In a book chapter entitled Challenges in the Study and
Practice of Self-directed learning, Long (2000) strongly urged for the developing of a
theoretical model for self-directed learning founded on an interactionist theory that caters for
multiple variants. However, it was discovered to be incompatible based on the psychological
make-up of the individual learner. In a 1990 article in the International Journal of Lifelong
Education, Long argued that for self-directed learning to occur, psychological control is key.
According to Chi (2009) highlighting that self-directed learning as an important source of
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education to professional contacts or networks so that it may help to enhance their

employability.
5) Time management
Time management points to a person’s attitude towards personal commitment especially in
his or her structuring of priorities alongside working patterns. It also denotes an accumulation
of various acts such as time assessment, goal setting, planning and monitoring of activities
(Hafner, Oberst & Stock, 2014). For a business to succeed, time management is considered to
be a crucial factor. This is because due to globalization, expanding businesses require an
advanced speed of telecommunication in the race to ensure that their services and products
are up on the market in time (Jaafar, 2018). With effective management of time, the ability of
employees to execute their tasks within a stipulated amount of time is increased and this
inevitably leads to a sense of job gratification. In today’s competitive business arena,
managers who abuse their usage of time are at a distinct loss. While time management does
not offer immediate solutions to management problems, it does, however, in the least furnish
the discretionary time needed whereby the manager can uncover insights into various plans,
results and also assess overall progress (Jaafar, 2018).
3. Methodology
This study uses qualitative research strategies, interpretive and in-depth case study approach
(Walsham, 2006). (Jack & Norman, 2006) mentioned that the purpose of qualitative research
is to know the meaning of people and their experiences in the world through their own
perspectives. Qualitative data was collected through interviews with respondents that were
conducted in the faculty office. The interview sessions were recorded. The duration of the
whole interview was 3.15 hours with each respondent being allocated about 10 to 15 minutes.
The interview stage was set so that the respondents would be able to share their experiences,
daily routines, and new skills developed during their industrial training. The respondents
consisted of 20 undergraduate accounting students from the Faculty of Accountancy and
Management, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), who have completed their industrial
training. From the above mentioned ways of qualitative research, respondents were able to
describe and examine the skills needed by an accounting student before graduating from
university and entering into industrial training. As for the qualitative research procedures, the
researcher utilised the analytical tools such as transcribing, coding the data, identifying the
theme and illustrating it in a diagram of boxes as adopted by Bozeley (2009). In order to
ensure the reliability of the coding system, each member of the research team has reviewed
the transcript and several adjustments have been made.
4. Research Finding
Table 1 presents the demographics of respondents who have participated in this study. At the
time of this study, respondents were in their final semester in Bachelor of Accounting from
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. Sg Long, Selangor and have completed their Industrial
Training. They were chosen at random from a particular class to form a focus group so as to
obtain their feedback. Since the majority student population in UTAR was females, most of
our respondents were females too.
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Gender Students
Male 6
Female 14
Table 1: Demographics of respondents
Table 1 shows the summary of the finding analysis based on the focus group feedback. The
feedback gathered from the students has been classified into five soft skills needed by
accounting students for their future careers. A total of 16 of the 20 respondents provided their
perspectives as to what skills are needed by accounting students before graduating. With
regards to the best aspects, the following themes emerged (1) critical thinking, (2) problem-
solving, (3) communication skills, (4) self-directed learning and (5) time management.
without relevant activities in the classroom, students may not learn problem solving skills.
The implication of this notion is that the interview stage could possibly be challenging for the
students (Jaafar,2018).
What types of classroom activities can be applied to problem-solving skills? This study looks
at classroom activities such as tutorials or exercises. For exercise activities, the lecturer may
set a time limit for completing the questions and require students to solve the problems within
a certain time frame. Thus, students would need to think and write down the answers quickly.
Each student should have an equal chance to be involved in the activities. Answers should be
discussed during the class to ensure that students can see their mistakes and try to improve on
them. The more activities are provided in the classroom, the more problem-solving skills will
increase. It is very important for all students to participate in activities to ensure equal change
among the students. Benefits from the activities can be applied to their work. Lecturers’
creativity and serious participation by students during problem-solving activities are linked
with better employability.
1) Critical Thinking
The ability to think critically is widely acknowledged as an important skill that graduates
should possess. In accounting, students are not only expected to be able to “calculate” but
also to think critically in solving various accounting issues in different contexts (Reinstain &
Bayou, 1997). The changed accounting standards from GAAP-based standards to IFRS
standards also affect the change from rule-based to principle-based accounting learning
paradigm. Therefore, students should prepare to understand and implement the IFRS well.
The importance of critical thinking in accounting education plays a vital role in accounting
work, which is now no longer just a clerical job (such as manually counting depreciation,
calculating deposit, and preparing accounts receivable for client’s confirmation) (Irafahmi, et,
al., 2018). Such clerical jobs are already replaced with computers. Nowadays, accountants are
expected to ‘add some values’ to information and communicate it effectively to the relevant
parties. While evaluating the system of an entity, accountants are also supposed to detect,
predict, and give suggestions and recommendations. Students who are used to think critically
would think and make decisions objectively, evaluate new ideas and techniques efficiently,
evaluate arguments and claims critically, and make a decision logically when faced with such
activities of processing and utilizing new information.
He,Craig and Wen (2015) suggested that the curriculum, the way of teaching and evaluation
should change to be able to improve the critical thinking abilities of accounting students.
Derstine et al. (2015) recommended that a fully integrated case study approach can replace an
ancient pedagogy in accounting education such as reading books, listening to lectures, doing
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assignments and tests by remembering the given lessons. Derstine et al. (2015) proposed a
better learning approach for accounting, for example through teamwork in analyzing a
financial statement, studying newly emerging issues, analyzing an issue and connecting it
with the client’s condition, determining the effects to the client’s financial condition and the
necessary disclosure. The evaluation of such learning approach can be done on the aspects of
students’ communicating, critical thinking, and decision analysis abilities, and mastery of the
quantitative aspects of accounting. Bonk and Smith (1998) emphasized that memorizing is
not an appropriate method to learn accountancy since it is not effective in preparing
accounting graduates with the ability to solve many complex business issues. Therefore,
consultative model of teaching is the effective method to teach accounting because it
stimulates students’ critical thinking abilities and creativity which can meet the demands of
the working world. Consultative teaching model utilizes active learning and student-centered
approaches. Several accounting researchers and professionals have since then suggested the
use of alternative instructional approaches such as case studies, practical training and
computer-assisted instructions in teaching methods (Luke & Hogarth, 2011).
2) Problem-solving
Problem solving skills are very important in terms of customer’s satisfaction and accounting
regulations. Customers usually prefer lower tax payments, which are very costly for them. At
the same time, they want the profitability to be higher, which is important to link with new
investments. This situation may attract potential investors to invest in companies. If the
accountant prefers to follow the customer’s desire, he or she may break the accounting
regulations, which would impact his or her reputation. This requires accountants to have good
problem-solving skills in order to satisfy each party. Furthermore, accountants should know
how to properly handle the client’s account, which is important. If documents cannot be
provided during preparation of the account, the accountant should be able to solve the
problem. The documents are very important in accounting as evidence. Even if the client’s
documents are not well prepared, the accountant should complete the financial statement.
Therefore, without relevant activities in the classroom, students may not learn problem
solving skills. The implication of this notion is that the interview stage could possibly be
challenging for the students (Jaafar,2018).
What types of classroom activities can be applied to problem-solving skills? This study looks
at classroom activities such as tutorials or exercises. For exercise activities, the lecturer may
set a time limit for completing the questions and require students to solve the problems within
a certain time frame. Thus, students would need to think and write down the answers quickly.
Each student should have an equal chance to be involved in the activities. Answers should be
discussed during the class to ensure that students can see their mistakes and try to improve on
them. The more activities are provided in the classroom, the more problem-solving skills will
increase. It is very important for all students to participate in activities to ensure equal change
among the students. Benefits from the activities can be applied to their work. Lecturers’
creativity and serious participation by students during problem-solving activities are linked
with better employability.
3) Communication skill
The importance of communication skills for accountants has been emphasized in the
literature for more than 50 years. In 1963, following a two-year study, Roy and MacNeill
(1963) reported on the common body of knowledge that a Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
in the USA should possess at the outset of his/her career. In this context, the authors
commented: ‘What is the outstanding deficiency of college graduates? The answer has come
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back in unison — the inability to communicate orally or in writing’ (Roy & MacNeill, 1963).
Since this early study, many researchers have undertaken studies focusing on the
communication skills of accountants, and universities across the globe have attempted to
better integrate communication skills into accounting programs. Based on this definition,
accountants should have the appropriate communication skills to perform communication
tasks. Examples of oral communication tasks include giving presentations, conducting small
group meetings and answering clients’ questions. Examples of oral communication skills
include informal speaking skills, formal presentation skills and listening skills. Effectiveness
of oral communication also depends on various elements of speech such as clarity, brevity
and tone. In a similar manner, written communication tasks require different skills and
elements.
Company survival depends on the number of clients, and their satisfaction is a priority.
Therefore, the company has a responsibility to explain and clarify to clients to ensure their
understanding regarding the company’s financial status. This shows that communication and
technical skills are very important to client’s satisfaction. If the accountant is unable to
communicate effectively and clients have little understanding, it tends to create a bad
perception of the company. Communication between employer and employee is vital in
ensuring that the task given is completed effectively. The implication is that costs tend to be
reduced and profits increase when fewer mistakes are made. However, a break in
communication could possibly negatively influence the performance, which is linked to an
increase in costs. In its entirety, communication skills are vastly associated with cost and
profit for a company. In order to ensure their employability is higher, students should be
taught communication skills, either through curriculum activities or during class.
How do we link communication skills to accounting students? As we know, there are many
activities during class, such as exercises, tutorials, or case studies. Therefore, sharing answers
is required so as to gain a part of soft skills, such as communication skills, which require
presenting answers to others. The presentation is required to provide space for others to
address answers if they have less understanding. This shows that a question and answer
session is associated with communication skills. Furthermore, students participating in co-
curriculum activities such as sports and student bodies could possibly develop
communication skills (Jaafar,2018). Co-curriculum activities associated with soft skills
balance the curriculum and lead to better employability. Most of the sports and uniform
groups activities involve soft skills such as communication skills. Furthermore, games,
exercises, and outdoor activities could increase students’ communication skills. However,
effective communication skills depend on participation between the lecturer and students. In
addition, students need to know that the benefits of better communication are linked to their
future career. Therefore, the lecturer needs to ensure that students participate in all activities
in order to gain better communication skills.
4) Self-directed
Self-directed learning enables individuals to improve their self-confidence, autonomy,
motivation and lifelong learning skills (O’Shea, 2003). It turns learners into active
participants in the learning process and encourages them to become deep learners (Spencer
and Jordan, 1999). Accounting students should be trained to accept and study any tasks
given. Their inadequate knowledge on certain aspects should not hinder them from
completing the tasks. The lecture method has been the most commonly used teaching method
within universities. Chi (2009) pointed out that teachers use the lecture method to
accommodate the large quantity of course content needed to be covered, and because the
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usage of other methods are not possible due to lack of resources. Large classes and the fact
that the lectures are easier to prepare in comparison to other methods have also been reasons
for this stance. Furthermore, most lecturers are most familiar with this method because it is
the way that they were taught themselves. Accounting is used in business today as a basic
tool for procuring, integrating and disseminating information. Hence, lecturers should not just
teach for the sake of examination success, but also to make their students lifelong learners
and independent thinkers; objectives that cannot be achieved through use of the lecture
method. Parnham (2001) further asserts that a “key aim for those who provide learning must
be to make it easier for people to learn”, arguing in support of self-directed learning.
Moreover, it has been suggested that teacher-centred methods, such as the lecture method, are
not effective for promoting self-directed learning. This argument correlates with Tokkel &
Demirel (2018) who found that if a blended learning approach is adopted, it can improve the
students’ academic performance. Abraham (2007) also discovered that online learning of
Accounting in a self-directed learning environment brings about a multifaceted, student-
focused perspective that provides learners with the flexibility to utilize online resources to
support their individual learning styles. Self-directed learning, which encourages students to
use their own style of learning, boosted students’ confidence and self-motivation to gain the
utmost benefit from their lessons. This is in agreement with Garrison’s (1997) model which
incorporates the aspects of motivation, responsibility and control. Self-motivation to learn
and search for answers is critical to ensuring that students remain relevant in their accounting
career.
5) Time management
For employers, time management is very important as it provides value for money. Without
good time management, a company could possibly face financial difficulty because the job is
not completed on time and costs may rise. Employers are very pleased when their employees
are punctual. The absence of disciplinary issues among employees with regards to time
management may lead to an increase in company’s performance. Therefore, accounting
students should learn and understand how a company’s productivity is deeply linked to good
time management skills. For example, a company is required to complete a client’s account
within 2 weeks. This means that the full set of accounting financial statements should be
delivered to the client within that time. If the account is not completed during the 2 weeks, it
could possibly result in increased costs due to utilities and wage expenses. The implication of
this notion is that clients would not be satisfied with the services provided. This shows that a
lack of time management skills could affect company’s performance.
How do we apply time management skills to accounting students? Throughout the

undergraduate years, students are presented with various coursework such as individual or
group assignments, presentations, midterm tests, and final examination assessments. Time
management skills may be developed during this period. For example, the lecturer should set
a date for the submission of any assignments given out. As these tasks are usually assigned to
the students on the first week of the semester, they should be vigilant in adhering to the
submission dateline. Students should also be made aware of the consequences if the
assignments are not submitted on time. For presentations, students are required to present
within the time allocated that is usually between 20-30 minutes. They should learn to be
mindful of the repercussions on the other groups waiting should they exceed the time allotted.
Students should also train themselves to be punctual for classes and any other appointments
with their lecturers or peers. These initiatives would inevitably aid students in adopting good
time management skills in the long run. Accounting students need to learn how to manage
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their time during their studies to ensure that they are able to apply time management skills to
their future work.
4. Conclusion
Being a professional accountant entails one to possess several skills so as to to efficiently

accomplish various tasks. This study has helped to highlight and discuss the importance of
skills development within accounting students. It also investigated the relevant soft skills that
are needed by accounting students that would most benefit and prepare them for real life as
accountants. The study was conducted on UTAR Bachelor of Accounting students who have
completed their industrial training. Findings from the study revealed that students developed
many skills particularly in communication, problem solving, critical thinking, time
management and self-directed learning during their internship programme. This study
however is not without its limitations. Due to time and cost constraints, it was able to focus
solely on UTAR accounting students. The results, therefore, are inadequate to draw
conclusions for accounting students throughout Malaysia. Future research should use a larger
sample to include accounting students of both public and private universities in Malaysia. It
should also consider involving academics who are associated in developing soft skills among
graduates. This study proposes that higher education adopts an obligation in providing a
curriculum that encompasses soft skills that are relevant to the accounting field. In addition, it
is essential that lecturers display creativity in class to further enhance students’ soft skills
development. Lecturers also need to diligently ensure that all of the students are active
participants in each activity as their engagement highly reflects their success in gaining the
required soft skills. This may in turn assist them in getting employed in the extremely
competitive world of business.
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Asian Journal of Accounting and Finance

e-ISSN: 2710-5857 | Vol. 2, No. 2, 14-27, 2020

Exploring the Needed Soft Skills amongst Accounting Students

*Corresponding Author: nuraishah@utar.edu.my

Accepted: 1 June 2020 | Published: 15 June 2020

Keywords: problem-solving, critical thinking, communication skills, leadership skills, self-

Various careers have been increasingly challenging due to recent developments in

Knowledge of communication and time management skills should be provided to accounting

education to professional contacts or networks so that it may help to enhance their

How do we apply time management skills to accounting students? Throughout the

Being a professional accountant entails one to possess several skills so as to to efficiently

Abdullah, N. S. (2018). Assessing Critical Thinking Skills in Polytechnic. International

Competency/Assurance of Learning Requirements. Mustang Journal of Accounting

O’Shea, E. A. (2003). Self-Directed Learning in Nurse Education: A Review of the

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