Perceived Attractiveness of Tax Consultancy and Auditing Professions: Insights From a German-Speaking Area

Abstract

Recruiting professionals in tax consultancy and auditing is becoming increasingly difficult in Germany and Austria. This study analyzes the attractive factors of a profession, specifically the tax consultancy and auditing profession, based on a survey of students ( n = 225) and practitioners ( n = 148) in a German-speaking setting. We find that the most attractive factors for tax consultancy and auditing are different company insights and consulting activities. Career opportunities and auditing activities are perceived as incentives to enter the auditing profession. Knowledge obtained during studies is perceived as less satisfactory for students compared to practitioners who assess it as good in retrospect. Students from different regions valued the tasks differently, which implies that strategies must be adapted to attract students. The number of accounting courses and internships significantly influenced career entry for both professions. Thus, higher education institutions are responsible for making professions more appealing to students.