After 13 years at Ernst & Young (EY), senior manager Tim Reynolds has gained valuable insights that extend far beyond balance sheets and audit procedures. His career journey offers a fascinating window into the evolving landscape of professional services at one of the world’s leading accounting firms.
“When I started at EY back in 2011, I couldn’t have imagined how dramatically the profession would transform,” Reynolds told me during our conversation at a Financial District coffee shop last week. “The technical skills that got me hired have become just one piece of a much larger professional puzzle.”
According to a recent survey by the American Institute of CPAs, nearly 68% of accounting professionals cite adaptability as the most critical skill for career advancement in today’s rapidly changing business environment. Reynolds’ experience mirrors this finding.
His first key lesson focuses on relationship building. “Technical excellence is the price of entry, but relationships determine how far you’ll go,” he explained. Reynolds credits his advancement to cultivating genuine connections with colleagues and clients, not just delivering accurate numbers.
This approach aligns with research from Harvard Business School showing that professionals with strong internal networks receive promotions 7 months faster than their equally qualified peers. In the Big Four environment, where technical skills are ubiquitous, relationship capital often becomes the differentiating factor.
The second insight Reynolds shared involves embracing technological change rather than resisting it. “I’ve watched countless colleagues fight against automation and AI tools, fearing they’d be replaced. The ones who thrived were those who became experts at leveraging these technologies to deliver deeper insights.”
McKinsey & Company’s recent analysis of the accounting profession suggests that up to 40% of traditional accounting tasks could be automated within five years. However, this has created more demand for accountants who can interpret and communicate the story behind the numbers.
“The software handles the calculations faster and more accurately than we ever could,” Reynolds noted. “That frees us to focus on what really matters—helping clients understand the implications of their financial data and make better business decisions.”
Perhaps his most counterintuitive advice concerns specialization. While conventional wisdom often suggests developing a narrow expertise, Reynolds found that strategic versatility proved more valuable in his career progression.
“Early specialization can create a ceiling,” he observed. “I deliberately rotated through tax, audit, and advisory services before settling into my current focus area. That cross-functional perspective has been invaluable for solving complex client problems that don’t fit neatly into one service line.”
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics supports this approach, with financial professionals who demonstrate cross-functional capabilities earning 23% more on average than their specialized counterparts.
Reynolds’ fourth lesson addresses work-life integration in demanding professional services environments. “The old model of grinding yourself into dust for years to ‘pay your dues’ is thankfully fading,” he said. “The most effective teams I’ve led maintained sustainable workloads and respected boundaries.”
The Financial Times recently reported that Big Four firms are increasingly adopting flexible work arrangements to retain top talent, with internal surveys showing a 31% increase in job satisfaction among employees with flexible schedules.
“I’m not saying it’s easy,” Reynolds clarified. “Tax season still means long hours. But we’re getting smarter about when and how we deploy our energy.”
His final insight relates to career navigation in large organizations. “The path isn’t linear anymore,” Reynolds explained. “I’ve had lateral moves that seemed questionable at the time but exposed me to new skills and relationships that ultimately accelerated my progression.”
This observation echoes findings from the Deloitte Global Human Capital Trends report, which indicates that 81% of high-performing professionals now experience non-linear career trajectories involving both vertical and horizontal movements.
For those considering careers in professional services, Reynolds offers pragmatic advice: “Focus on developing your communication skills as much as your technical abilities. In the end, your capacity to translate complex financial concepts into actionable business insights will determine your value.”
The accounting profession continues to evolve rapidly, with the World Economic Forum predicting that demand for strategic finance business partners will grow by 24% over the next five years, even as traditional accounting roles face disruption.
As our conversation concluded, Reynolds reflected on his journey with characteristic perspective. “The greatest asset I’ve developed isn’t on my resume or performance reviews. It’s learning how to navigate complexity and ambiguity while helping others do the same. That’s the real currency in today’s business environment.”
For professionals at any career stage, Reynolds’ experience offers valuable guidance on thriving in rapidly changing industries where technical expertise alone is no longer enough to distinguish top performers.
