Fall 2024

Resilience is defined as “the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.”¹ Resilience is well-known in the world of accounting, but building resilience can be easier to preach than it is to practice. Individuals who wish to become resilient must be capable of practicing self-reflection, perseverance, and optimism in the face of adversity. Resilience is a critical characteristic for emerging CPAs because there is a host of early career challenges. The keys to building resilience are identifying and understanding situations in which you might face difficulties, acknowledging the stressors that may be involved, and creating a plan for how to move forward when those challenges present themselves.

Identifying Stressors

Building resilience involves identifying and understanding the difficult situations that may arise in your career. Personal and professional issues are triggers of a stress response within the body. Some of these may include, but are not limited to, physical or mental health issues, arguments with loved ones, major life changes (such as moving or starting a new job), or financial stress. There are numerous ways to reduce the impact of stressors, including eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, practicing yoga or other meditation practices, and getting enough sleep. A mental health professional can also be a great resource to learn which techniques may work best for you.²

Resilience and the CPA Exam

How will you react if you fail one of the CPA Exam components? How will you juggle the competing priorities among your personal life, work responsibilities, and preparing for the CPA Exam? How will you respond if something derails your planned study schedule? These are all important questions to think about early on to mentally prepare. Sitting for the exam is often an aspiring CPA’s first major test of their resiliency post-graduation.³

It is critical to understand that failure is possible, but there is also a pot of gold at the end of the metaphorical CPA rainbow. Individuals who remain resilient through the process are often rewarded with CPA bonuses, higher salaries, and more promotion opportunities. There are several strategies to assist in building a resilient mindset, such as using relaxation techniques, seeking assistance from a mentor, or incorporating positive affirmations into your daily routine.⁴

Resilience when Giving and Receiving Feedback

Emerging CPAs who are still early in their careers likely have not had ample experience in giving or receiving sincere and specific feedback. These conversations can be challenging if an emotional response is invoked, requiring flexibility and professionalism for both the giver and receiver.

Kim Scott, an author and former Google and Apple executive, developed an approach for communicating sincere praise and direct, but compassionate, criticism. Her Radical Candor⁵ framework guides individuals in how to have candid and clear feedback discussions. Learning how to care personally while challenging directly may initially prove to be demanding, but it is critical to professional growth and building resiliency.

Benefits of Building Resilience

Harvard Business Review expresses that a career-resilient workforce includes “employees who not only are dedicated to the idea of continuous learning but also stand ready to reinvent themselves to keep pace with change; who take responsibility for their own career management; and … who are committed to the company’s success.” Harvard Business Review also states that employees who benchmark their skills on a regular basis better understand themselves and often find their ways into the right jobs because they are actively conscious of the skills they possess.⁶

While there are many benefits to building resilience, Forbes Health summarized the traits of highly resilient individuals into its 7 Cs: competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. Resilient people are often better able to teach others and cope with difficulties. Resilient workers demonstrate higher levels of productivity, attendance at work, and emotional stability.⁷ 

¹ www.apa.org/topics/resilience

² “Causes of Stress: Recognizing and Managing Your Stressors,” Healthline (March 29, 2020). 

³ “CPA Exam Pass Rates,” UWorld Efficient Learning. 

⁴ “Mastering Stress: A Comprehensive Guide to Excelling in the CPA Exam,” Vishal CPA Prep. 

⁵ Kim Scott, Radical Candor | Feedback Training, Coaching & Consulting, Radical Candor. 

⁶ Robert H. Waterman Jr., Judith A. Waterman, and Betsy A. Collard, “Toward a Career-Resilient Workforce,” Harvard Business Review. 

⁷ Lizzie Duszynski-Goodman, “What Is Resilience? How to Build It, Benefits and More,” Forbes Health (April 17, 2024). 

Resilience is defined as “the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional, and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.”¹ Resilience is well-known in the world of accounting, but building resilience can be easier to preach than it is to practice. Individuals who wish to become resilient must be capable of practicing self-reflection, perseverance, and optimism in the face of adversity. Resilience is a critical characteristic for emerging CPAs because there is a host of early career challenges. The keys to building resilience are identifying and understanding situations in which you might face difficulties, acknowledging the stressors that may be involved, and creating a plan for how to move forward when those challenges present themselves.

Identifying Stressors

Building resilience involves identifying and understanding the difficult situations that may arise in your career. Personal and professional issues are triggers of a stress response within the body. Some of these may include, but are not limited to, physical or mental health issues, arguments with loved ones, major life changes (such as moving or starting a new job), or financial stress. There are numerous ways to reduce the impact of stressors, including eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, practicing yoga or other meditation practices, and getting enough sleep. A mental health professional can also be a great resource to learn which techniques may work best for you.²

Resilience and the CPA Exam

How will you react if you fail one of the CPA Exam components? How will you juggle the competing priorities among your personal life, work responsibilities, and preparing for the CPA Exam? How will you respond if something derails your planned study schedule? These are all important questions to think about early on to mentally prepare. Sitting for the exam is often an aspiring CPA’s first major test of their resiliency post-graduation.³

It is critical to understand that failure is possible, but there is also a pot of gold at the end of the metaphorical CPA rainbow. Individuals who remain resilient through the process are often rewarded with CPA bonuses, higher salaries, and more promotion opportunities. There are several strategies to assist in building a resilient mindset, such as using relaxation techniques, seeking assistance from a mentor, or incorporating positive affirmations into your daily routine.⁴

Resilience when Giving and Receiving Feedback

Emerging CPAs who are still early in their careers likely have not had ample experience in giving or receiving sincere and specific feedback. These conversations can be challenging if an emotional response is invoked, requiring flexibility and professionalism for both the giver and receiver.

Kim Scott, an author and former Google and Apple executive, developed an approach for communicating sincere praise and direct, but compassionate, criticism. Her Radical Candor⁵ framework guides individuals in how to have candid and clear feedback discussions. Learning how to care personally while challenging directly may initially prove to be demanding, but it is critical to professional growth and building resiliency.

Benefits of Building Resilience

Harvard Business Review expresses that a career-resilient workforce includes “employees who not only are dedicated to the idea of continuous learning but also stand ready to reinvent themselves to keep pace with change; who take responsibility for their own career management; and … who are committed to the company’s success.” Harvard Business Review also states that employees who benchmark their skills on a regular basis better understand themselves and often find their ways into the right jobs because they are actively conscious of the skills they possess.⁶

While there are many benefits to building resilience, Forbes Health summarized the traits of highly resilient individuals into its 7 Cs: competence, confidence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. Resilient people are often better able to teach others and cope with difficulties. Resilient workers demonstrate higher levels of productivity, attendance at work, and emotional stability.⁷ 

¹ www.apa.org/topics/resilience

² “Causes of Stress: Recognizing and Managing Your Stressors,” Healthline (March 29, 2020). 

³ “CPA Exam Pass Rates,” UWorld Efficient Learning. 

⁴ “Mastering Stress: A Comprehensive Guide to Excelling in the CPA Exam,” Vishal CPA Prep. 

⁵ Kim Scott, Radical Candor | Feedback Training, Coaching & Consulting, Radical Candor. 

⁶ Robert H. Waterman Jr., Judith A. Waterman, and Betsy A. Collard, “Toward a Career-Resilient Workforce,” Harvard Business Review. 

⁷ Lizzie Duszynski-Goodman, “What Is Resilience? How to Build It, Benefits and More,” Forbes Health (April 17, 2024).