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The
American Academy of Financial Management™ Journal
Volume
7- Spring 2009
International
Assigned ISBN(0-9749946-0-X)
Featured
Articles
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| In
the News |
| Keep
Calm and Carry On |
04/15/09 |
| The
last month or so was marked by a maelstrom
that included a clumsy backing maneuver
that put part of my car in a ditch,
a frozen hot water pipe, and the emergency
purchases of a new natural gas furnace
and a new car thermostat. In the midst
of all this, I received an e-mail
purporting to be from "HM Government."
|
| Network
Even When You Have a Job |
04/13/09 |
| Networking
isn’t just for the unemployed. As
more workers look over their shoulders
in anticipation of the dreaded tap,
they’re increasingly reaching out. |
| A
Twitter Cheat Sheet |
04/10/09 |
| As
ever more businesses and individual
professionals take up microblogging
on Twitter, "tweeting" may become
an indispensable career tool. A recent
post on Susan Weiner's Investment
Writing blog offers tips for coming
up to speed. While aimed at financial
advisors, her advice is useful for
other professionals too. |
| Managing
Your References |
04/09/09 |
| The
care and feeding of references has
taken on greater importance in today's
market. As reported in The Wall Street
Journal, you'll enhance your chances
of getting a job if you go the extra
mile when you’re preparing them. |
| Our
Take: Job-Search Bubble |
04/06/09 |
| Riding
the subway home from a job-search
networking party at which you met
more jobless-services entrepreneurs
than job-seekers, you skim a free
local newspaper. One page is divided
into two distinct advice columns,
each about coping with a layoff. The
next page reviews a career consultant's
latest how-to book about bouncing
back from being laid off. |
| Recruiters
Not Responding? Here's Why |
04/03/09 |
| A
story on our sister site eFinancialCareers
that showcased recruiters' complaints
about "crazy" candidates struck a
nerve among many users there. Several
comments draw a link between overeager
job-seekers - who recruiters may view
as pests - and uncommunicative recruiters
whom sincere and well-behaved job-seekers
may label rude and unprofessional.
|
| New
Grad's Job Strategy Primer |
04/01/09 |
| If
experienced pros can't find jobs today,
what's a new graduate with little
or no professional experience supposed
to do? College students who adopt
the same tactics as their experienced
counterparts have better chances of
success than you might think. |
| Your
Options In Negotiating Severance |
03/30/09 |
| As
the number of layoffs has risen, the
willingness of companies to negotiate
the contents of severance packages
has fallen off due to fears of creating
inequalities among classes of employees
and the necessity to hoard cash. |
| Don't
Be Like These Guys |
03/27/09 |
| Successful
individuals often urge keeping a positive
mind-set, even while between jobs.
As a cautionary flag, here are a couple
of examples of its opposite. The poisonous
attitudes that follow are markers
of what not to let yourself do, or
even think, in the course of your
job search. |
| Larger-Than-Life
Job Search Tactic |
03/25/09 |
| Mark
Heuer turbo-charged his job search
by attracting potential employers
to his online resume through an outdoor
billboard advertisement. But he says
the most important thing job-seekers
should do is communicate directly
with people. |
| An
Accounting Student Meets the Job Market |
03/23/09 |
| Kim
Kaemmer thought for sure she wanted
to earn her CPA and work in public
accounting. But as she readies for
her May 2009 graduation from the University
of St. Thomas, a regional Catholic
school in St. Paul, Minn., she's beginning
to have second thoughts. |
| Our
Take: Be Visible, Not Desperate |
03/20/09 |
| Was
Joshua Persky ahead of his time? Nine
months ago, the laid-off investment
banker made his pitch to passers-by
in midtown Manhattan wearing a poster
that read, "Experienced M.I.T. Grad
For Hire." His out-of-the-box tactic
brought encouraging words, worldwide
media attention and many a contact
- but few concrete job opportunities,
and no offers. Persky found a new
job in October, a full four months
after his week inside the sandwich
board. |
| Changing
Jobs? Leave Bad Habits Behind |
03/18/09 |
| People
with experience in accounting bring
a great amount of knowledge and skills
with them when they move to a new
job. But they also bring their old
habits, including some harmful assumptions
about how work should be done. |
| Your
Facebook 'Friend' May Want a Favor
|
03/16/09 |
| With
175 million members and counting,
Facebook is so firmly entrenched in
so many lives that the time has come
to start asking the tough questions:
What’s Facebook really for? And how
can Facebook help with your career?
|
| Speak
Up and Speak Better: Communication
Skills Primer |
03/13/09 |
| "Hi.
Okay, you guys, hi. How's it goin'?
I'm your presenter today, so just,
like, open your packets and, like,
follow along with the PowerPoint so
we can jargon, jargon, jargon, gobbledygook,
thirty-six million four hundred twenty-nine
thousand eighteen point one percentage
points and more, you know, like, jargon.
Okay?" |
| Anger
in the Workplace Isn't All Bad |
03/11/09 |
| We've
all been taught that anger is harmful
and dangerous – especially at work.
But a long-term study by Harvard researchers
of 824 adults points to a different
conclusion: expressing anger in a
controlled way serves both careers
and personal lives far better than
keeping frustration bottled up all
the time. |
| No
Stimulus For Hotels, Sports Events
|
03/09/09 |
| Congress
last month approved $787 billion in
new spending to stimulate the economy
and preserve jobs. Somebody tell that
to the 13.2 million Americans who
work in the leisure and hospitality
industry – whose customers are standing
aside in droves, partly because of
those very same lawmakers' sermons
against corporate "excess." |
| New
Grads' Entitlement Colliding With
Reality |
03/09/09 |
| Bankers
aren't the only people whose sense
of entitlement is taking a beating
lately. College students feel pretty
entitled too, if a post in the Daily
Beast blog is any indication. |
| Plug
and Play Resume Customization |
03/05/09 |
| Customizing
your resume to match each job opportunity
will result in more interviews and
offers. But is the potential return
worth the time investment? |
| Severance
and Your Rights |
03/02/09 |
| The
firestorm surrounding Microsoft's
severance package gaffe - first overpaying
about 25 laid off workers, and then
asking for the money back - brings
up a question: Are former workers
legally obligated to return money
to a company that's let them go? |
| TU
for the Interview? NVR! |
02/27/09 |
| Thanks
to mobile technology, you can find
new job opportunities, network online
and research prospective employers
on the run. But be warned: When you
call a prospective boss or send him
a post-interview thank you e-mail,
you should sit down and turn off your
Blackberry. Formal communications
standards and traditional etiquette
rules still apply to the job hunting
process. |
| How
to Do Unto Others |
02/25/09 |
| A
recent blog post by corporate consultant
Richard Skaare serves up a fresh slant
on networking: the best ways to help
a friend who is unemployed. |
| How
to Manage an Exit Interview |
02/23/09 |
| For
whatever the reason - maybe you've
been let go, maybe you're leaving
for another firm - you're facing a
human resource officer on your last
day of work. |
| What
NOT to Include in Your Resume |
02/18/09 |
| It’s
a tough job-hunting environment, so
in your zeal to stand out you may
have made a mistake on your resume
that could sink your chances instead
of enhancing them. So, in the interests
of helping you stay safe, we present
highlights of HR World’s list of 25
things you should never include in
your resume. |
| Economy
Pressures Smaller Firms |
02/13/09 |
| If
the economy continues to crash, accounting
firms may find themselves forced to
lay off employees to balance the books
after the busy season. |
| Grow
Professionally Online |
02/09/09 |
| Looking
for career guidance or growth? Want
to share your wisdom with others?
Then consider becoming an online mentor
or protégé and let the coaching begin. |
| Half
of CFOs Plan to Retire On Schedule |
02/06/09 |
| Economic
conditions have led about a quarter
of chief financial officers (CFOs)
to delay their retirement - bad news
for those who were hoping to move
up when the boss stopped working. |
| Good
Background, Strong Skills - And No
Job? |
02/04/09 |
| Despite
a perfect resume, flawless references
and years of experience, some finance
professionals are finding it difficult
to land a job suitable to their skills.
Even people who've put in time at
Big Four accounting firms or well-known
investment banks have sometimes gotten
less-than-receptive reactions from
prospective employers. |
| Firms
Still Hiring, But More Slowly |
02/02/09 |
| If
there's an unwritten rule not to change
public accounting jobs during tax
season, plenty of accountants are
ignoring it. And despite the emergence
of some interesting staffing options,
hiring in accounting and finance has
slowed. |
| A
Career Change Road Map |
01/30/09 |
| Changing
careers requires intensive research,
self-knowledge, and passionate commitment
to a goal. Ultimately, getting hired
may rest on devising a marketable
idea you can present to an employer
in the field you’ve trained your sights
on. |
| Coping
With Difficult People At Work |
01/28/09 |
| Vicky
Oliver's book, Bad Bosses, Crazy
Coworkers & Other Office Idiots,
comes at the right time. Until a year
or so ago, "retention" was a mantra
for HR officers. Now the shoe is on
the other foot: It's employees who
obsess about retaining their own jobs.
So a tool kit for coping with difficult
workplace personalities falls on fertile
soil. |
| How
Managing Up Positions You For Growth |
01/26/09 |
| Even
if no one reports to you, your job
still involves managing people - the
ones occupying slots above yours on
the organization chart. It's called
"managing up," and those who do it
well can become indispensable to their
organizations, resulting in choice
assignments and promotions. |
| Fraud
Threat Creates Opportunities, Too
|
01/23/09 |
| The
financial crisis and recession will
stimulate both fraud and employers'
efforts to combat it. That spells
danger as well as opportunity for
financial professionals, says fraud
expert Ralph M. Fatigate of BDO Seidman's
consulting division. |
| SEC
Could Add Enforcement Jobs |
01/21/09 |
| The
SEC might add as many as 120 new slots
for enforcement lawyers and accountants
later this year. That's how many new
bodies one securities law expert believes
the agency will need to restore its
reputation as a market watchdog. |
| Strategic
Career Change |
01/19/09 |
| Since
Change is the national theme of the
week, we thought we'd look at a recent
article in Psychology Today that,
while it focuses on personality change,
can apply to the idea of career change,
as well. If nothing else, it's a helpful
guide to taking stock of your position
and whether it's really the right
one for you. |
| More
Ways to Hurt Yourself with E-Mail |
01/14/09 |
| The
day before we warned about new ways
to injure yourself online - in particular,
by losing control of important correspondence
- a personal experience hammered home
the message. |
| Analysts,
Accountants Needed At FBI |
01/12/09 |
| If
you're looking for a way to utilize
your analytical skills and the Madoff
story makes you hopping mad, the Federal
Bureau of Investigation has several
openings with your name on them. But
you'd best act fast, because most
of those career doors are set to shut
on Jan. 16. |
| Our
Take: Networking is Hard |
01/09/09 |
| Networking
your way to a job opportunity takes
both ingenuity and a significant time
commitment. That's why so many of
us get it wrong. |
| Wield
New Tools, But Wear Protective Gloves |
01/07/09 |
| Job-seekers
are often urged to ramp up their use
of online tools like personal Web
sites, social networking, live-blogging
and mobile Web-based e-mail. Just
as with physical tools, however, any
relatively new product poses a risk
of self-injury. |
| Finance
Smarts Needed at NCIS |
01/05/09 |
| You
won't get to work with Mark Harmon,
star of the television drama NCIS,
but if you take a job at the real
Naval Criminal Investigative Service,
you could find yourself leading the
real-world version of his on-screen
life. |
| ‘Preparation’
Tops the list of 2009 Resolutions |
12/30/08 |
| The
events of 2008 remind us that job
security can be fleeting. Job market
vigilance has become a modern day
career survival technique, requiring
professionals to keep a constant eye
open for that next opportunity and
be prepared to launch a job search
on a moment’s notice. |
| Dating
for Jobs |
12/29/08 |
| Having
spent the last six months of my life
on a fairly concentrated job search
- I'm looking for a position as a
financial writer or communications
professional - it's become obvious
to me there are parallels between
finding the perfect job and finding
the perfect date or future mate. |
| Success
with Behavioral Interviewing Questions |
12/19/08 |
| Interviewing
for a job can be nerve racking. Even
experienced professionals can have
a hard time demonstrating their capabilities
and expressing themselves effectively,
given the tension of an interview
situation. The best way to reduce
your anxiety and increase your interviewing
proficiency, is to eliminate the element
of surprise by anticipating the questions
you’ll be asked, and preparing some
answers. |
| Charting
a Course to the Controller's Office |
12/12/08 |
| So,
you want to be a corporate controller.
To make yourself a viable candidate,
you'll need a CPA, acumen in auditing,
finance and operations, and a career
focus on a narrow set of industry
sectors. |
| Strategize
Your Job Search |
12/10/08 |
| There's
always room for good, solid people
in the workplace. Industries may be
different, but there's always a need
for good managers. But if you're searching
for a job in today's marketplace,
you need a plan of attack. The fact
is most people are skilled as job
holders - but not as job hunters.
|
| CareerWire:
Clueless on MySpace |
12/08/08 |
| If
you don't want your private life to
ruin your career, then take steps
to keep it private. And stop whining
about free speech. |
| Ex-Bankers
Make Good Accounting Candidates |
12/03/08 |
| If
hordes of unemployed investment bankers
and fund managers are contemplating
a switch to finance-related jobs,
Seiki Murono hasn't seen the evidence.
The managing director of Boyden Global
Executive Search's San Francisco office
says he's received a few extra resumes
from ex-bankers - but hardly an onslaught. |
| CareerWire:
Watch Your Back! |
12/01/08 |
| An
economy in recession encourages the
in-house blame game. Take steps to
avoid being scapegoated by an ill-motivated
colleague or boss. |
| Selecting
Your Ideal Boss |
12/01/08 |
| It's
often said people don't leave companies
- they leave bosses. The expression
suggests that bad chemistry with their
supervisors can cause employees to
quit. But the relationship between
you and your boss is more complicated
than that, and in truth even a boss
you adore may not be a good match
for you professionally. |
| CareerWire:
Zig Where the Market Zags |
11/24/08 |
| Classic
bear-market specialties like litigation
support, risk management and crisis
management are among areas spawning
opportunities for accounting and finance
pros lately. |
| Considering
Coaching? Consider This |
11/24/08 |
| Many
financial professionals view a personal
cheerleader as a necessary investment
on their way to achieving their goals.
But before you embrace the idea that
coaching is indispensable to success,
think carefully about whether it's
the best approach for you. To start,
consider whether any of these descriptions
apply to you. |
| Six
Ways to Not Get the Job |
11/21/08 |
| If
you want to know all the stupid things
people do when job hunting, ask Ed
Navis. He's been reading resumes for
two decades as a human resources consultant
to mid-size companies and non-profits.
Here are the top six mistakes he sees
job hunters make. |
| Valuation
Experience Needed in N.Y. Area |
11/19/08 |
| Despite
concerns over layoffs at Citigroup,
Morgan Stanley and other financial
institutions, CPAs remain positive
about valuation work. With increasing
regulatory oversight and forced consolidation
in the financial services sector,
more accountants are needed to deal
with valuation matters. |
| Correcting
Your Credit Report Before Your Job
Interview |
11/17/08 |
| More
and more companies are checking the
credit and background reports of their
employment candidates. Before sending
in a resume, smart job-seekers should
pull their own documents to make sure
their information is correct. Here's
how you do it. |
| Recruiter
Sees Drop in CPA Searches |
11/14/08 |
| A
leading California-based recruiter
of CPAs and finance executives says
his business has fallen off significantly
since the start of the year. Paul
Herrerias, who heads the San Francisco
office for Stanton Chase, says his
volume of search assignments is down
to a trickle, and he is having to
market himself more vigorously than
he has before. |
| Profiting
From Performance Reviews |
11/12/08 |
| To
many, the annual performance review
is about as welcome as a colonoscopy.
Could any good ever come from a one-on-one
where your boss - no matter how much
he might respect your work - is required
to detail your strengths and (mostly)
weaknesses? Surprising as it may seem,
experts answer in the affirmative.
|
| Interviewing
in Cyberspace |
11/07/08 |
| Virtual
jobs fairs and interviewing by avatar
instead of by phone are moving into
the mainstream, and could be standard
several years from now. Here are some
perspectives and coping tips from
people on the front lines of cyber-recruiting
today. |
| Public
Accounting Still Favors Job Seekers
|
11/05/08 |
| While
it may appear that all jobs in the
financial markets are evaporating
or experiencing severe reductions
in compensation, public accounting
continues to be healthy, with salaries
increasing at high levels for experienced
tax and audit professionals. |
| CareerWire:
Tax Work, N. Calif. Top Pay Gains
|
11/03/08 |
| New
surveys by Robert Half and Ajilon
Finance provide detailed insights
into expected movement in accounting
and finance salaries for various specialties
and metropolitan areas. |
| Options,
Demand in Corporate Accounting |
10/31/08 |
| Despite
layoffs and a tightening job market
in various industries, corporate accounting
remains a strong line of work nationwide.
Not only is there continued need for
corporate accountants in a variety
of positions, salaries are holding
steady - and even increasing in certain
high-demand areas. |
| Guide
to Surviving a Merger |
10/29/08 |
| The
news hits you like a truck: the corporation
or financial institution you work
for has agreed to be acquired. Now
what to you do? |
| SALT
Skills Needed in N.Y., N.J. |
10/24/08 |
| Given
the ever-increasing complexity of
the region's state and local corporate
tax laws, New York and New Jersey
CPAs with SALT experience are in increasing
demand. The jobs offer strong pay
and job security, but require some
grueling hours and tons of reading.
|
| Mass
Customization and Your Job Search |
10/22/08 |
| By
utilizing a direct marketing technique
called "mass customization," a job
seeker can send out volumes of documents
to prospective employers without having
to hand-tailor each one individually.
|
| Building
Your Internal Network |
10/17/08 |
| Building
a network within your company can
be as important to your success as
developing contacts outside. But watch
out: The wrong moves can sink you.
Here’s how to avoid some of the most
common pitfalls. |
| Q&A:
Greg Burke, Chair, CalCPA |
10/15/08 |
| California
Society of CPAs Chair Greg Burke has
an ambitious agenda. At the top of
his list, Burke, wants to overhaul
educational requirements that are
beginning to restrict California CPAs
from practicing out of state and can
limit career opportunities. He also
wants to recruit more veteran accountants
to academia, and revamp committees
to address industry trends more quickly.
|
| Craft
Cover Letters, Resumes that Earn You
a Second Look |
10/10/08 |
| If
you plan to make a job move soon distinguish
yourself from the thundering herd
of job-seekers that's building in
the market. You'll need a dazzling
cover letter and a brilliant resume:
a total package designed to sell your
skills and talents to potential employers.
|
| Financial
Tumult Pressures N.Y. Area CPAs |
10/08/08 |
| Recent
staff cuts at some of the Big Four,
coupled with the woes in financial
services, are beginning to concern
the New York area's accounting community.
Are the Big Four simply performing
their usual annual pruning? Are CPAs
working in the financial services
industry vulnerable? The answers depend
on who you talk to, and what sort
of experience you're talking about.
|
| Economic
Woes Color California Hiring Strategies
|
10/03/08 |
| Although
Ernst & Young doesn't anticipating
making major changes to its business
plans in the region, the firm is adapting
its hiring strategy to address new
demands spawned by the growing financial
turmoil in the U.S. |
| Timing
the Transition to IFRS |
10/01/08 |
| Now
that the Securities and Exchange Commission
has set a 2011-2015 timetable for
moving from U.S. Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles to International
Financial Reporting Standards, how
long will it take the accounting world
to make the change? |
| Networking
Tips for Introverts |
09/30/08 |
| Effectively
building - and leveraging - a network
of professional contacts is essential
to your ultimate success. But if glad-handing
isn't your style, networking can look
like a high hurdle. The good news:
There are several ways to make effective
networking more comfortable. |
| Relocating
Means Negotiating the Best Package |
09/29/08 |
| You
live in Baltimore and you've been
offered two jobs: one in Kansas City
and the other in Columbus. The jobs
pay the same, but the company in Kansas
City will pay your relocation expenses.
How hard will your wallet be hit if
you decide Ohio's the place for you?
|
| The
Initial Interview: Don't Be Screened
Out |
09/26/08 |
| Every
interview I've had began with an initial
phone screen, where the HR person/internal
recruiter wanted to assess basic skills
for the job and asked a few internal
assessment questions. The skills questions
should be a slam-dunk, as they're
almost always just an extension of
the job requirements. The internal
assessment questions, however, can
be potentially dangerous. You need
take care not to be screened out of
the next round of interviews. |
| Succession
Plans Offer Opportunities to Firm
Staff |
09/24/08 |
| As
accountants age and look for exit
strategies from the firms they own,
their succession plans become key
factors to consider for those looking
to move up the ranks and perhaps takeover
the business. |
| Near-Term
Stability for Wall Street Accountants |
09/23/08 |
| The
move by Morgan Stanley and Goldman
Sachs to convert to bank holding companies
will mean more work for accounting
and compliance professionals in the
short run, but may lead to eventual
layoffs, industry observers say. |
| CareerWire:
Good Time to Switch |
09/22/08 |
| If
you've been considering moving to
another sector, the time might be
right. As long as you're switching
into the right industry, of course. |
| What's
Behind Layoffs at the Big Four |
09/19/08 |
| Recent
layoffs at Deloitte weren't the first
cuts made by a Big Four firm this
year, but they were the most highly
publicized. Every year, Big Four and
next-tier firms have layoffs, but
they do them in small pieces, spread
them out geographically, and tend
not to send out press releases about
them. |
| Tech
Skills Become Vital to Accounting
Careers |
09/16/08 |
| It's
a given you have finance and accounting
skills. But what's the next most important
item in your career tool belt? If
you'd asked CFOs that question five
years go, they would have said "operations."
But today, they'll answer "technology." |
| N.Y.
Area CPAs Face the Economy |
09/12/08 |
| Accounting
professionals in New York and New
Jersey are often seen as immune to
changes in the financial markets,
bumps in the economy and even employment
changes on Wall Street. Skilled CPAs,
after all, are always in demand. Aren't
they? |
| Ins
and Outs of Contract Accounting |
09/10/08 |
| Accountants
who want the stimulation of multiple
clients but not the long hours of
public accounting may find they can
have it all by working for a contract
accounting firm. But, as those who
run such companies warn, project-based
work isn't for everyone. |
| California
Aids Prospective Academics |
09/09/08 |
| As
part of an effort to address a shortage
of accounting professors in California,
CalCPA is expanding its program to
help accountants interested in academia
shoulder the costs of their studies.
|
| CareerWire:
Layoff At Deloitte |
09/08/08 |
| It's
now official: The slowing economy
is impacting demand for accounting
work. So says Deloitte & Touche,
the first of the Big Four to announce
a mass layoff this business cycle.
|
| Our
Take: Age Matters |
09/03/08 |
| Recently,
two sports stories caught my eye by
showcasing opposite poles of an issue
many financial services professionals
grapple with every day: the perceived
relationship between job performance
and age. |
| CPAs
Need Communications Skills to Advance |
09/01/08 |
| Communication
skills are more important than ever
when it comes to climbing the corporate
ladder. But what are accountants to
do, when they spend more time number
crunching than dealing directly with
people or learning to write effectively?
The answer: Learn the communication
skills you need to rise to the next
level. |
| Tune
Up Your Grammar |
08/27/08 |
| Is
your resume grammatically correct?
For many job seekers, writing a flawless
resume is difficult enough, yet nothing
is more important. If it contains
grammatical errors, reviewers may
surmise you're uneducated, lack good
communication skills or attention
to detail. |
| Making
the Move to Public Accounting |
08/26/08 |
| Accountants
who move back and forth between the
public and corporate worlds can maintain
- and even boost - their salaries,
but only if they have the right combination
of credentials and experience. |
| Where
You Went Wrong |
08/22/08 |
| It's
been months since you started looking
for a job and you still haven't found
anything. Wondering where you're going
wrong? |
| Tracing
The Career of Wikimedia's CFO |
08/20/08 |
| California's
many non-profit and education organizations
offer some of the best opportunities
for CPAs who want to advance their
careers. Veronique Kessler has spent
most of the past decade - more than
half her career - working for such
organizations. |
| Creating
Your Personal Career Vision |
08/19/08 |
| In
an earlier post, I explained why it's
important to create a "Personal Career
Vision" before you leap into a job
search. Once you've done that, it's
time to stop the daily mad rush, reflect
on where you've been and where you
are now, and assess where it is you
want to end up. |
| How
to Stand Out, Make Friends, and Influence
People |
08/15/08 |
| We
all want to be the whiz kid, the one
whose brilliance makes us stand out.
Ironically, deep down inside, we resent
the very type of person we aspire
to be. In other words, standing out
has its dangers. Here's how to deal
with them. |
| Economy
Pressures Accountants' Optimism. Should
It? |
08/13/08 |
| A
shaky global economy, rising oil prices
and falling home values have cut into
the optimism that accounting and finance
professionals typically report when
asked about their employment prospects.
|
| CareerWire:
Broadening the Mission |
08/11/08 |
| A
growing number of CPA firms are taking
a wider view of their business. Beyond
obvious extensions like tax planning
and business consulting, some are
offering marketing and communications
services. |
| Our
Take: Be Humble |
08/08/08 |
| Humility
helps. Haughtiness hurts. That's a
message I'm hearing with increasing
frequency when career experts discuss
interviewing skills. |
| Fundamentals
of the Functional Resume |
08/06/08 |
| If
you have a background that's not traditional
for an accountant, or you're considering
a career change, the Functional Resume
Format may be your best option. |
| In
California, Hint of a Slowdown - But
Just a Hint |
08/05/08 |
| The
slumping economy may be impacting
hiring at West Coast CPA firms. One
hint: The managing partner at one
of Los Angeles's largest full-service
accounting firms says he won't be
hiring as much as he has in the recent
past. |
| CareerWire:
Who's Watching Whom? |
08/04/08 |
| When
you work at home, do you think you
have more privacy than at the office.
Maybe you do. But, then, maybe you
don't. |
| Tax,
Business Consulting Grows in N.Y. |
08/01/08 |
| Outside
of traditional accounting firms New
York and New Jersey CPAs are finding
growing opportunities at specialized
tax and business consulting practices.
To succeed, accountants must learn
to play up their marketing, communications,
and negotiation skills. |
| Risk
Management Jobs in Chicago |
07/29/08 |
| As
the credit markets continue to deteriorate
and large financial institutions tighten
controls, a number of Chicago firms
are seeking risk management professionals
in many specialties. |
| Podcast:
Earning the CMA Credential |
07/25/08 |
| Listen
in as the Institute of Management
Accountants ' John M. Brausch, CMA,
CFM, CPA, talks with Contributing
Editor Dona DeZube about obtaining
the Certified Management Accountant
credential, including his experience
in preparing for the exams. |
| The
Value of a Personal Career Vision |
07/23/08 |
| If
you think you'll be happier in your
career simply by switching companies,
think again. To be successful and
love your work, you'll need more than
a job. Before you focus on resume
writing, networking, and job hunting,
you'll need what I call a "personal
career vision" - a tangible blueprint
of the direction you want your life
to take. |
| E&Y
Shuffles Executives in the West |
07/22/08 |
| CPAs
seeking Big Four experience in Southern
California and the Southwest will
have to reshuffle their contact files
after a chain reaction of promotions
in three of Ernst & Young's major
Western offices. |
| CareerWire:
Poll Finds Robust Job Market |
07/21/08 |
| The
accounting job market remains as strong
as ever, in the view of most respondents
to a JobsintheMoney poll. However,
32 percent saw some degree of slowing.
|
| Salaries
Up, But Gender Gap Widens |
07/18/08 |
| The
Institute of Management Accountants'
2007 salary survey uncovered both
good news and bad news for accountants.
The good news: Average salary for
IMA members now tops $100,000, having
risen 6.9 percent last year. The bad
news: The gap increased between men's
and women's pay. |
| Credentials
as a Lever into Management |
07/16/08 |
| If
you're interested in moving into management,
credentials can often provide the
boost you need. A designation can
move your resume to the top of the
pile – but you'll still have to win
the job during the interview process.
|
| Northeast
Mergers Impact Staff Loyalty |
07/15/08 |
| Just
when it seemed that merger mania was
over, the New York and New Jersey
metro region saw a crop of announcements
of CPA firm combinations. Accountants
facing the tumult that goes along
with such changes should remember
they have options: Being under demand
means the "loyal to the end" staff
accountant may be a thing of the past.
|
| CareerWire:
Firm Aims to Double Its Staff |
07/14/08 |
| Mitchell
& Titus, the nation's largest
minority-controlled accounting firm,
looks to add about 150 people to its
staff over the next three years under
incoming CEO Anthony Kendall. |
| Globalization
Impacts Diversity Programs |
07/11/08 |
| Globalization
of operations, products and services
means multinational firms must redefine
the nature of their diversity programs.
But morphing inclusion policies present
benefits and challenges to both companies
and local employees. |
| Is
Forensic Accounting for You? |
07/09/08 |
| Bribery
involving a Fortune 500 and a foreign
government. Untangling the next Enron.
For an auditor with a few years of
experience, forensic accounting and
litigation support (F&L) can be
an exciting career option. |
| Calif.
FBI Offices Seek Accountants |
07/08/08 |
| California
CPAs looking for a different career
path might consider - the FBI. Its
offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco
and other cities are seeking accountants
to work in areas such as counter-terrorism,
drug enforcement and corporate crime.
|
| Do
I Need a Resume if I'm Not Looking
For a Job? |
07/07/08 |
| Ask
the Expert: "I'm a manager in the
finance department of a mid-sized,
private firm and haven't had a resume
since college. One of my colleagues
says I should have one. I'm not looking
for a job, so why would this be important?" |
| Moving
onto the Management Track |
07/02/08 |
| If
you're happy where you work, your
near-term goals probably include a
move up into management. In that case,
you need to prepare by picking up
new skills and possibly more credentials. |
| CFOs
See Concern Over Long Hours |
07/01/08 |
| Accounting
and financial professionals have never
enjoyed short hours and light workloads,
but have things gotten even worse
in recent years? According to a new
survey by Accountemps, one in three
chief financial officers (35 percent,
to be precise) cited heavy workloads
as the top workplace concern for their
financial teams. |
| CareerWire:
Another Angle on IFRS |
06/30/08 |
| When
the time arrives to transition to
International Financial Reporting
Standards, accounting program curricula
and the CPA exams could prove a potential
Achilles heel. |
| Little
Compliance Hiring in Chicago |
06/27/08 |
| While
compliance jobs at all levels abound
in New York, San Francisco and other
parts of the U.S., in Chicago the
market remains sluggish. |
| In
Getting Ahead, Your Words Count |
06/25/08 |
| A
career in finance presupposes that
you're good with numbers. To get ahead,
you have to be good with words, too.
That's not to say you have to be F.
Scott Fitzgerald, but you do have
to convey your thoughts, plans and
data clearly, concisely and in a jargon-free
style that any audience can understand.
Plus, you want to write in a way that
makes you look good. |
| Standing
Out from the Competition |
06/24/08 |
| What
are the likely trends in the California
job market for the remainder of 2008?
What should job seekers be doing to
boost their prospects - in the short
and long terms? |
| Our
Take: Watch What You Say |
06/20/08 |
| Our
topic sounds like old hat in the context
of a job interview. But many tried-and-true
rules of interview behavior are just
as valid for other professional situations.
|
| From
Public to Private - Accounting, That
Is |
06/17/08 |
| With
demand so high, today's accountants
have an enormous number of opportunities
to choose from when shifting their
career gears. Once you've got some
experience under your belt, you can
pursue any number of specialties that
match your strengths and interests.
So how do you plot your direction?
In part, the answer depends on where
you started your career and where
you sit now. |
| Female
CFOs Dissected |
06/11/08 |
| What
qualities does a woman need to make
it to CFO of a major corporation?
|
| Tech
Skills Gives CPAs a Leg Up |
06/10/08 |
| While
CPA firms in New York and New Jersey
are beefing up their business advisory
and consulting arms, they need more
than accounting and business talent.
They're looking for business experts
who are tech-savvy, and able to understand
how IT efforts can benefit accounting
and business processes. |
| Accounting
Job Market Holds Steady |
06/06/08 |
| A
new survey shows the accounting job
market appears to be holding steady,
with employers neither increasing
or decreasing their staff. |
| Our
Take: Active Job Search Techniques |
06/04/08 |
| Recently
we explained our philosophy of career
planning and growth, which can be
summed up as "active career management."
Now, here are some techniques to help
you maximize expected returns from
the effort you put into your job search.
|
| New
Designation for Fraud Experts |
06/03/08 |
| Accountants
seeking to bolster their forensic
and litigation-support credentials
have a new option starting this fall,
when the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants launches its Certified
in Financial Forensics designation. |
| Number
of New CPAs Soars in Bay State |
05/30/08 |
| The
number of people that have passed
the Massachusetts CPA exam rose by
more than 66 percent in 2007, according
to the Massachusetts Society of Certified
Public Accountants. The jump comes
in the wake of changes to state regulations. |
| Accountants
Dodge Wall Street Layoffs |
05/28/08 |
| CPAs
in New York and New Jersey often face
the unenviable task of delivering
bad news to a company's management.
The region's financial services firms,
after all, are in the midst of contraction,
hit by the credit crunch, the sub-prime
blowout and a variety of regulatory
pressures. While being the bearer
of bad tidings certainly takes a toll,
accountants in the financial world
are by and large being spared one
thing: layoff notices. |
| Stopping
Bullies at Work |
05/23/08 |
| Studies
find bullying is alive and well in
the workplace. Learn strategies for
coping. |
| San
Francisco Firm Relies on Organic Growth
|
05/20/08 |
| Some
CPA firms succeed by being all things
to all people: Their growth stems
from their ability to serve a varied
clientele. Others focus on narrow
specialties, and develop their staffs
to thrive in the challenges posed
by their target industries. |
| Learning
by Doing Overseas |
05/16/08 |
| When
it comes to cultural awareness, immersion
in a country's daily life beats reading
about it every time. That's the thinking
behind a new KPMG program that puts
interns into short-term international
assignments the year before they graduate. |
| When
Following Up, Persistence Pays |
05/15/08 |
| Would
you call a prospective employer 63
times if your calls weren't picked
up or returned? How about 24 times
over a two-year period? |
| CareerWire:
SOX Workload Under Control |
05/12/08 |
| Although
demand for auditors won't vanish any
time soon, the quantity of work needed
to fulfill the much-feared Sarbanes-Oxley
Section 404 requirements appears to
have peaked. |
| Our
Take: Your Portfolio, Your Career |
05/09/08 |
| "Career
path." That's a phrase often spoken
by HR staffers eager to show young
employees that management is meeting
their need for professional growth.
Does the phrase mean anything - or
is it simply hot air? |
| N.Y./N.J.
Firms Bulk Up Offerings Through Associations |
05/07/08 |
| A
number of CPA firms in the New York/New
Jersey area are joining together in
alliances that allow them to access
expertise they might not ordinarily
have. These non-profit associations
illustrate a new tactic in facing
today's shortage of accountants. |
| Spanish
Ability Aids California CPAs |
05/06/08 |
| California
CPAs may want to consider boning up
on their Spanish as a career-advancement
strategy. With the state's Latino
population growing rapidly, accounting
firms are serving more Hispanic-owned
businesses and Latin American companies
seeking to expand in the U.S. |
| 'Authenticity'
Serves Women Executives Well |
05/02/08 |
| Women
who rise to the upper levels of business
follow the same recipe for success
as men as they combine vision, intellect,
guts and hard work with their ability
to influence others. They also add
another ingredient: authenticity. |
| Chicago
CPAs and Accountants in Demand |
04/29/08 |
| Recruiters
and accounting firm insiders report
a strong demand for accountants and
CPAs in public accounting, the corporate
market, and financial services and
alternative investment firms in Chicago.
|
| Real
Paths to the CFO's Chair |
04/25/08 |
| Forget
everything you've heard. The road
to the CFO's chair doesn't always
pass through public accounting firms
and big company detours that could
leave you stranded, staring at spreadsheets
in your cubicle for decades. Here's
some advice from two CFOs about how
to break into the management game. |
| 'Fairness
Opinion' Expertise Sought in N.Y. |
04/22/08 |
| New
York and New Jersey CPAs with fairness
opinion expertise are in hot demand.
Just what's driving the boom, and
what skill sets are needed to get
into this growing area of accounting? |
| San
Francisco Firm on Fast Track |
04/18/08 |
| CPA
job seekers on the look-out for firms
on the rise take notice. Burr Pilger
and Mayer took top honors as California's
fastest growing accounting firm in
2007. In a state with firms like Armanino
McKenna, Holthouse Carlin & Van
Trigt, and Novogradac & Co. posting
20 to 30 percent gains - or more -
that's no small feat. |
| Call
Me Anything I Want |
04/16/08 |
| Would
you jump to a new firm if it agreed
to give you any title you wanted?
Like, say, Chief of the Known Accounting
Universe? Don't laugh. More companies
are dangling "chief" titles as lures
to keep current leaders onboard as
well as to entice new employees. |
| CareerWire:
Working Abroad |
04/14/08 |
| A
Chicago-area magazine describes some
day-to-day concerns of Big Four accountants
temporarily posted to India, Europe,
Australia and elsewhere. |
| Tech-Risk
Experts Needed in New York |
04/11/08 |
| Considering
the nature of business today and the
growth of legal and financial reporting
requirements, it's not surprising
technology risk professionals are
needed by many corporations. The demand
is especially critical in the New
York and New Jersey area. |
| When
Negotiating, Look Beyond Base and
Bonus |
04/09/08 |
| Even
in a ragged job market, candidates
who get job offers can improve them.
The key is being flexible about what
you ask for - and having the confidence
to ask in the first place. |
| How
Accountants See Jobs in Non-Profits |
04/08/08 |
| Compared
to the rest of the people working
in the non-profit sector, accounting
and finance professionals are more
likely to be male, have an MBA and
work in middle management. |
| California
Firms Leverage Growth |
04/04/08 |
| Fast
growth has been a common theme among
California accounting firms. In Accounting
Today's annual survey of the country's
largest firms, four in the Golden
State were among the 20 fastest growing.
Revenues at Burr, Pilger & Mayer,
Armanino McKenna, Novogradac &
Co. and Holthouse Carlin & Van
Trigt each rose by at least 23 percent. |
| Master's
Program at Western Washington |
04/02/08 |
| Western
Washington University's College of
Business and Economics and Department
of Accounting will unveil a new Master
of Professional Accounting program
tonight. |
| Despite
Crunch, Hedge Funds Hire Accountants |
04/01/08 |
| Discussion
of hedge fund careers usually focuses
on portfolio management, where top
performers enjoy rock-star status
and routinely pull seven- or eight-figure
incomes. But funds' need for additional
bodies actually is strongest in supporting
roles - like accounting. |
| Detroit
Firm's Focus is Over the Horizon |
03/28/08 |
| Clayton
& McKervey serves only middle-market
entrepreneurs who want to expand globally.
Such focus makes it easy to train
employees, but harder to find the
accountants it wants: Those who already
know both IFRS and GAAP. |
| Show
Up, Show Off, Get On The Team |
03/25/08 |
| Globalization
and increased regulation are making
business more complex and causing
multifaceted challenges for large
and mid-sized businesses. To face
them, more companies are creating
cross-functional teams that include
professionals from a variety of disciplines.
This means opportunity for candidates
who can be effective team players
as well as great technicians. |
| CPAs
Eyes Jobs as Recruiters, Consultants |
03/19/08 |
| For
many New York-New Jersey CPAs, saying
goodbye to the 80-hour work week entails
leaving their corporate, Big Four
or regional firm to pursue jobs at
small consulting firms, specialized
recruiters, and others. |
| Seven
Signs You're Getting Good Training |
03/18/08 |
| Virtually
every accounting firm offers training,
but not all firms offer great training.
Take this quiz to find out if you're
getting just training - or really
great training. |
| CareerWire:
The IRS Got There First |
03/17/08 |
| Some
people say working for the IRS isn't
glamorous, but it was the Service's
investigators who first suspected
something was amiss in (former) N.Y.
Gov. Eliot Spitzer's financial records.
It just led them in a direction they
didn't expect to go. |
| Roundup:
Executive Moves in the Northeast |
03/13/08 |
| The
AICPA steps up its campaign for mobility
laws, while Thomas Rollauer joins
Deloitte's regulatory and capital
team and Benjamin Gadon becomes a
tax partner at New York's Mahoney
Cohen & Company. |
| Few
Women See Financial Workplace Gains |
03/12/08 |
| Nearly
all women working in finance believe
they are paid less than men for the
same work, and most don't feel they've
made much progress when it comes to
issues of parity. |
| Corporate
Options Abound in N.Y., N.J. |
03/11/08 |
| Accountants
in the New York-New Jersey area are
fast becoming well-respected experts
in business issues beyond accounting,
and are gearing up for choice spots
in the boardroom. |
| CFOs
See Slowdown in Hiring |
03/05/08 |
| Chief
financial officers expect hiring activity
in accounting and finance to slow
during the second quarter, with the
great majority seeing no change in
their hiring levels at all. |
| The
Ins and Outs of International Assignments |
02/27/08 |
| You're
no longer competing only against the
accountant in the next cubicle, now
you have to beat out the accountant
in the next country, according to
a survey of more the 850 C-suite executives
in the U.S., the European Union and
Asia. |
| Q&A:
Kenn McFarland, CPA, Hospital CFO |
02/26/08 |
| "Young
accountants don't want to make decisions
because they want to do more analysis.
I got some wonderful advice: Don't
be afraid to make the decision. You've
got to have it in your head but you've
got to move with your heart." |
| The
Art of Effective Presentations |
02/22/08 |
| Although
speaking in public frightens many
people, it can help you gain visibility
and exposure, and increase your chances
of getting that new job or promotion. |
| Hedge
Funds Expected to Add CPAs |
02/20/08 |
| Hedge
funds in New York and New Jersey need
CPAs who can handle risk management.
Even in the midst of the credit crunch
- and maybe because of it - funds
will bring on board more accountants
as they mature and receive more scrutiny. |
| CareerWire:
Recruiting Tools and Challenges |
02/19/08 |
| Separate
surveys by BDO Seidman, Robert Half
and a professional association took
different tacks to quantify the challenges
of recruiting and retaining accounting
talent, and the best tools for doing
so. |
| Switch
Jobs During Tax Season? |
02/15/08 |
| With
so many empty seats to fill, public
accounting firms may be willing to
overlook a candidate's willingness
to jump during the busy season. But
that doesn't mean doing so is a good
idea. |
| Roundup:
Mergers and Promotions |
02/14/08 |
| Flexible
scheduling is losing ground as a recruiting
tool. Dixon Hughes absorbs a Memphis
firm, while Archer Daniels Midland,
CNET and Conn's name new CFOs. |
| Merger
Trend Can Impact Careers |
02/12/08 |
| If
you work in a small CPA firm, would
your career suffer if your employer
were to merge with a larger organization?
If you think so, you'd better start
preparing now. |
| CareerWire:
PwC Tops Professor's Survey |
02/11/08 |
| Accounting
professors ranked PricewaterhouseCoopers
first among the Global Seven accounting
firms in an annual poll that covers
various dimensions including client
service, staff training, ethics and
compensation, and ranks employers
separately in each. |
| Shrunken
Bonuses Spark Grumbling In New York
Area |
02/08/08 |
| Accountants
in financial services firms in New
York and New Jersey remain secure
in their positions. But with all of
the flux going on in the sector, they're
beginning to feel a tad discontented.
|
| Roundup:
Mergers, Moves Across U.S. |
02/06/08 |
| The
hiring landscape's still good, CFOs
are sweating about recruitment, and
firms are making business moves from
Texas to California. |
| Pay
Moving Higher in California |
02/05/08 |
| Why
are California employers nervous?
Because a whole lot of accountants
are open to the idea of changing jobs,
and their replacements are nowhere
in sight. |
| Opportunities
in Healthcare Companies |
02/01/08 |
| Whatever's
happening in the economy, healthcare
companies continue to need accountants
to keep business going and handle
a maze of regulation. |
| Roundup:
Firm Mergers, Hires, Promotions |
01/30/08 |
| CPA
firms merge in South Florida, Chicago,
Long Island, N.Y., and Fort Worth.
In Tucson, a local CPA firm adds two
staff accountants, while an industrial
firm names a permanent CFO. |
| What
Mid-Size Firms Seek in California |
01/25/08 |
| Despite
the slump in real estate and worries
about the economy, the market for
accountants in Los Angeles and Orange
County shows few signs of tailing
off. Several small- and mid-sized
firms will be adding employees in
upcoming months, and even beyond.
|
| The
View From Over 50 |
01/24/08 |
| Twenty
one percent of the U.S. workforce
will be 55 or older by 2014, says
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
So if you feel superannuated among
your Gen X and Y colleagues, you've
got age-appropriate company. And the
good news is: Employers will value
your experience. |
| Volunteering:
More than 'Feeling Good' |
01/22/08 |
| Too
busy for volunteer work? There's a
reason you may want to find time to
squeeze some in: It can boost your
career, and even help you be a better
accountant. |
| Demand
Rising from N.Y. Non-Profits |
01/18/08 |
| Large
not-for-profit associations and philanthropic
organizations pick the Big Apple as
a key spot to locate. For area CPAs
with the right credentials, the nonprofit
sector holds good, though specialized,
opportunities. |
| A
New Way to Injure Yourself Online |
01/14/08 |
| Job-seekers
are often urged to ramp up their use
of online tools like personal Web
sites, social networking, live-blogging
and mobile, Web-based email. Just
as with physical tools, however, using
any relatively new product poses a
risk of self-injury. |
| CareerWire:
Sleep Working |
01/14/08 |
| If
your firm can't find the accountants
it needs, guess who's going to keep
things moving? That's right. You are. |
| Midsize
Firms Act to Retain Young Accountants |
01/09/08 |
| To
keep junior staffers from bolting,
midsized accounting firms are moving
to provide more feedback from managers,
formal input into firm decisions,
departmental and individual employee
work schedules calibrated to minimize
the 24/7 syndrome, and mentoring programs.
|
| New
Skills Required for CFOs |
01/08/08 |
| If
you have designs on a chief financial
officer's office in California or
other points west, you'd be wise to
strengthen your communication and
other "softer" skills. The region's
employers are more likely to hire
executives who know how to present
information clearly and work well
with others. In other words, financial
skills aren't enough any more. |
| N.Y.
Area Mergers Driven by Need for Growth |
01/07/08 |
| New
York and New Jersey CPA firms are
still in the midst of a serious reshuffling,
as merger mania continues across the
Empire and Garden States. But even
an attractive merger deal can be fraught
with angst for accountants wary of
change. |
| Balance
at Deloitte |
01/02/08 |
| We
talk with Deloitte Services' Anne
C. Weisberg, a director specializing
in talent diversity, about the firm's
experience in keeping up with the
changing workforce. |
| CareerWire:
Escaping to Interview |
12/26/07 |
| If
you're job-hunting while working,
there are better options than using
your sick days to get away from your
office for job interviews. |
| 'Average'
Monthly Confidence Among Accounting
Workers Gained in 2007 |
12/21/07 |
| Employee
confidence looks to end 2007 at a
record low among both accounting and
finance workers and the overall U.S.
population, according to one widely
followed monthly survey. But connoisseurs
of rear-view-mirror driving can take
comfort from this: averaged throughout
the first 11 months of 2007, the monthly
Hudson Employment Index slightly exceeded
the monthly average for 2006. |
| More
Risk Opportunities for N.Y. Area CPAs |
12/20/07 |
| Management
accountants in the New York metropolitan
area are finding increasing opportunities
in the burgeoning field of enterprise
risk management. But the jobs require
the right combination of technical,
financial, industry, and managerial
savvy. |
| Introverted?
Consider Accounting and Auditing… |
12/19/07 |
| Opportunities
for accountants and auditors are expected
to grow more than 22 percent between
now and 2014, which may be good news
for people who want to strike a balance
between working with others and working
alone. |
| CareerWire:
Tips for Career Changers |
12/17/07 |
| Thinking
of changing careers? When it comes
to making a plan, you've got to sweat
the details. That and more in this
week's CareerWire. |
| Office
Politics and You |
12/12/07 |
| Pam
Hedges has spent nearly thirty years
advising senior executives - including
CFOs, controllers and other financial
executives in a range of industries
- about how to do their jobs better.
Among her themes: being "politically
competent" in the workplace by building
strong ties with people, including
subordinates and peers. |
| Big
Four Diversity Programs: A Wrap-Up
|
12/11/07 |
| The
Big Four initiated diversity programs
before much of the finance world.
But just what do those efforts consist
of today? In recent interviews, the
firms offered up details of their
current programs. |
| Calif.
CPA Focuses Practice on 'Special Needs'
Families |
12/07/07 |
| Some
California accountants believe they
don't have many options when it comes
to what industries or areas they cover.
But a few have broadened the playing
field by creating practices around
their own outside interests or causes.
|
| N.Y.
Area Litigation Experts in Demand |
12/05/07 |
| Area
CPAs acting as litigation experts
are enjoying prosperity as New York
and New Jersey accounting firms and
corporations lean more heavily on
their specialized skills. |
| Matchmaker,
Matchmaker, Get Me a Job |
12/04/07 |
| Fiddler
on the Roof had Yenta, the matchmaker.
The corporate world has recruiters.
Same principle, slightly different
parameters. But if you want to find
a job you love, developing a relationship
with a recruiter, says Heidrick and
Struggles' Michele Heid, "is a phenomenal
idea." |
| CareerWire:
Ethics and the Real World |
12/03/07 |
| Some
recent surveys indicate the push toward
corporate responsibility may not be
as strong as many say - at least as
far as job-hunters are concerned. |
| Is
This Job Offer for Real? |
12/02/07 |
| How
do you protect yourself from fake
job offers you might receive from
spammers? Here are some tips. |
| It's
Not About Balance - It's About Reality |
11/30/07 |
| Notoriously
long hours, detail-oriented work,
and considerable face time are parts
and parcels of the CPA's working life.
For accounting firms, changing this
kind of culture may be even more important
than money in the quest for new hires. |
| 'Responsibility'
Reporting Poised to Widen? |
11/28/07 |
| Corporations
and investors are increasingly adopting
environmental, social and governance
measures of performance, alongside
the usual financial ones. That means
expanded career opportunities for
internal auditors, management consultants
and other professionals who can apply
a new generation of non-financial
reporting tools. The activities of
finance departments and external auditors
will be affected as well. But it's
going to happen slowly. |
| Area
Accountants Feel Wall Street's Pain |
11/27/07 |
| With
record write-downs reported at large
banks and investment firms, many of
which are headquartered in the tri-state
region, it's not surprising that hiring
is slowing down. New York, New Jersey
and Connecticut accountants needn't
rush to these firms looking for a
golden opportunity, at least not in
the short-term. |
| Getting
Credit When Credit is Due |
11/21/07 |
| You're
doing all the work and someone else
is taking all the credit. It's not
only unfair, but it may affect your
career. Handling the situation requires
tact, diplomacy and a plan. |
| How
Clothes Make the Accountant |
11/20/07 |
| In
California, most accounting firms
favor business casual attire. Staples
of twentieth century office life -
like ties and jackets for men or hosiery
for women – are largely passe. So,
what do the well-dressed accountants
wear? Pay attention if you want to
look the part. |
| What
to do With Ethical Questions |
11/16/07 |
| If
you stay in finance and accounting
long enough, someone is going to ask
you to fudge something. What should
you do? First, clarify the situation,
then refuse to act unethically and
seek input from outside sources and
people further up the chain of command. |
| Network
Your Way to the Top |
11/15/07 |
| "I
can find my next job all by myself"
is one myth that needs to be exploded,
say search experts. The old conventional
wisdom, "It's not what you know, it's
who you know," is alive and well.
So get out of your chair, into some
social and professional events, and
nurture your network. |
| How
Long Should Your Resume Be? |
11/14/07 |
| For
any resume, a key to success is length
- or lack of it. It's critical to
understand not only how a resume is
reviewed, but what its length says
about your professionalism. |
| CareerWire:
How You View Networking |
11/12/07 |
| Online
or offline, on LinkedIn or through
e-mail, many accountants and financial
professionals understand the importance
of keeping in touch. |
| Conflict
Resolution Skills Can Boost Careers |
11/09/07 |
| While
accountants are used to helping clients
solve difficult problems, they're
often less adept at resolving issues
within their own firms. Reserved by
nature, they tend to shy away from
conflict and let situations fester.
What they may not realize is the ability
to resolve disagreements can be a
great tool in developing their careers. |
| Success
with Telephone Interviews |
11/08/07 |
| Telephone
interviews can be trying. There are
no visual cues from the interviewer,
no body language to read and, in some
cases, you've got to answer questions
posed by a panel of voices over conference
lines or speaker phones. Here's some
tips on engaging successfully - long-distance
or local. |
| How
to Leapfrog the Pay Scale |
11/07/07 |
| Through
a recruiter, a former co-worker got
an offer for 30 percent more than
he was making. His employer offered
him 50 percent more to stay. How do
you orchestrate a deal like that for
yourself? |
| Ask
the Expert: How to Find Solid References
|
11/02/07 |
| "I've
interviewed for a position with a
company that wants to contact my current
employer for a reference. Obviously,
I don't want anyone in my firm to
know I'm looking for a new job, in
case I decide to stay put. However,
I've worked here for the last 15 years,
and so no other references seem relevant.
What should I do?" |
| Accounting
Workers' Confidence Slides |
11/01/07 |
| Accounting
and finance workers' confidence appears
to be swinging downward more steeply
than among the U.S. adult population
as a whole, new surveys show. |
| Relocating
Means Negotiating the Best Package |
10/31/07 |
| You
live in Baltimore and you've been
offered two jobs: one in Kansas City
and the other in Columbus. The jobs
pay the same, but the company in Kansas
City will pay your relocation expenses.
How hard will your wallet be hit if
you decide Ohio's the place for you? |
| Calif.
CPAs Meld Tech, Accounting Skills
|
10/30/07 |
| The
use of technology for business is
opening up new job opportunities for
California CPAs. Consider the growing
number of consultancies that need
CPAs to help implement and support
business management software. The
work can be stimulating for accountants
who want to try something beyond public
firms or private industry. |
| CareerWire:
Networking Survival |
10/29/07 |
| Networking
is an important - most would say critical
- tool to use in managing your career.
Yes, there are drawbacks to it. But
there are ways to address the downsides. |
| It
Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time…
|
10/26/07 |
| The
new job sounded perfect: a great working
environment, the right amount of travel
and an exciting accounting challenge.
But a month after you started, you
realize the working environment is
toxic, the travel is non-stop and
your biggest challenge is figuring
out what to do about it. |
| Accountants'
Starting Salaries Pushed Higher |
10/25/07 |
| Starting
salaries for accounting and finance
professionals are expected to increase
an average of 4.3 percent in 2008,
according to Robert Half International's
2008 Salary Guide. Public accountants,
financial analysts and internal auditors
are expected to see the largest gains.
|
| Employers
Open to Jobless CPAs |
10/24/07 |
| With
a dearth of talent on the market,
companies in the New York metro area
are considering candidates they might
not have looked at before. That's
good news for CPAs who got pushed
out of large firms for growing too
old, and for mass-layoff victims. |
| Q&A:
Jerrold Pellizzon, CFO, Ceradyne Inc. |
10/23/07 |
| "I
don't think you can be focused on
just being the guy who crunches numbers.
It's the analytics that you need to
put together with those numbers. To
quantify something is great but you
have to look at the quality aspect
of something. I think a lot of times
financial people are stuck on the
quantifying approach too much." |
| Accounting,
Job Security, and You |
10/19/07 |
| Pretend
you're a techie: Someone offers you
a raise or even just an opportunity
to work with a product that's new
and cool. You'll probably happily
leap to the new job. But you're an
accountant. Someone offers you $10,000
more a year, and maybe - maybe - you'll
consider their offer. What's up with
that? |
| Should
You Take Notes in an Interview? |
10/18/07 |
| If
a job interview is an exchange of
information, is it proper for you
to take notes during the conversation?
It depends who you ask. We checked
with a variety of career authorities
and received a diversity of answers.
|
| Firm
Merging? Your Job's Probably Safe
|
10/17/07 |
| The
perpetual search for talent and leadership
is propelling a wave of mergers and
acquisitions among accounting firms.
If your shop is involved, should you
be concerned about your job? |
| Ask
the Expert: Waiting for the Right
Offer |
10/16/07 |
| "I've
been offered a job at one firm, but
also interviewed for a position at
another, a place where I'd prefer
working. How do I hold off replying
to the first firm until I have a sense
of what's happening at my first choice?" |
| N.Y.,
N.J. Companies Recruit Auditors Out-of-State
|
10/12/07 |
| New
York and New Jersey recruiters are
looking high and low for CPA audit
pros as the field continues to churn
and burn staffers. Now, firms are
filling openings with folks from outside
the area - another sign the market
is red-hot. |
| Negotiating
Severance Upfront Can Be Tricky |
10/11/07 |
| If
you're a below-C-level employee, a
golden parachute may be beyond reach.
But you may be able to get a golden
umbrella that protects you if it starts
raining pink slips. |
| The
Job Hunt: Birth of a Salesman |
10/10/07 |
| Regardless
of your professional experience and
title, when you're job hunting you
become a salesman with one product:
you. |
| CareerWire:
Sometimes You Have to Sell |
10/09/07 |
| If
you prefer tooling through spreadsheets
or a QuickBooks problem to chatting
people up at a chamber of commerce
breakfast, you may need to make a
conscious effort get out more. |
| Firms
Venture into New Territories |
10/05/07 |
| Last
month, California-based Armanino McKenna
LLP ventured into new territory, launching
what could be the accounting industry's
first media consulting practice, Armanino
McKenna Foster. The move is just one
illustration of how some firms are
expanding their non-accounting services.
|
| Considering
a Career Change? Plan Ahead |
10/04/07 |
| Many
career experts say modern workers
will have multiple careers over the
course of their lifetimes. Certainly
a number of accountants mull what
life would be like if they were focusing
on something besides tax returns and
accounting rules. But changing careers
is difficult. It requires a great
deal of perseverance, conviction and
quite frequently a temporary downshift
in lifestyle. However, the rewards
can be fruitful. |
| Move
to a Non-Profit With Open Eyes |
10/03/07 |
| If
you day dream about using your skills
to sway the electorate, shelter the
homeless or spread your religion,
a move into the non-profit sector
may brighten your workday. It'll also
lighten your wallet. |
| Calif.
Demand Strong, But Lags Other Areas |
10/02/07 |
| The
market for accountants and finance
professionals in California will remain
strong during the fourth quarter,
according to the latest Robert Half
International Hiring Index. But demand
will lag behind the regional and national
average in the state's four largest
cities. |
| CareerWire:
Listening to Your Critics |
10/01/07 |
| As
painful as it may be to listen to,
honest criticism can help improve
our performance on the job. Here are
some ways to spin negatives into positives. |
| Looking
for a New Job - Discreetly |
09/26/07 |
| Elizabeth
Taylor excepted, most people change
jobs more often than they do mates.
But no matter how many times you do
it, looking for a new position when
you already have one can be tricky. |
| CareerWire:
Thoughts on Diversity |
09/24/07 |
| Can
diversity programs succeed without
real culture change - change that
extends far beyond the offices of
accounting firms? |
| Mature
Workers: A New Challenge for Employers |
09/23/07 |
| By
the end of this decade, some 64 million
baby boomers will stare down the road
to retirement. This fact leaves some
companies facing an about-turn on
their employment practices. |
| Audit
Sector Outlook Remains Bright |
09/21/07 |
| Auditing
client companies' books was the traditional
raison d'etre of public accounting
firms. The growth of newer services
such as consulting, merger advice
and compliance testing has reinforced
the market power of both CPA firms
and the professionals who work in
them. |
| Choosing
a Resume Consultant |
09/20/07 |
| It's
a daunting task for anyone to prepare
a good resume, especially if you're
the kind of person that has difficulty
expressing yourself on paper. If you
are one of those people, or just figure
you'd like some help, does it make
sense to hire one of the countless
writers out there who profess to be
resume professionals? |
| Do
Minority Women Have a Reason to Stay? |
09/19/07 |
| For
many minority women, cultural challenges
and a feeling of exclusion make it
easy to leave their current firms.
They can empower themselves to succeed,
but many are asking if it's worth
it. |
| CFOs
Less Upbeat About Economy and Hiring |
09/14/07 |
| Business
sentiment among CFOs dived this quarter,
according to a survey by Duke University
and CFO magazine. A Duke finance professor
says the results raise the odds of
recession. |
| A
Blog on Certification Woes |
09/13/07 |
| Building
on the popularity of the Internet
as a form of communication for younger
CPAs and accounting students, the
New Jersey Society of CPAs' Web site
now features the “Exam Cram Blog.”
|
| Fewer
Top-Level Shifts in Finance - For
Now |
09/12/07 |
| For
better or worse, if you work at a
giant public company your odds of
having a new CFO this year are the
lowest since 1995. But that's about
to change, a C-suite headhunter predicts.
|
| Will
This Recruiter Get Me a Job? |
09/11/07 |
| Time
is money. So, should you make an investment
by interviewing with agency recruiters
when looking for a new opportunity?
The answer is yes - if the recruiter
has available jobs that match your
skill set and career goals. |
| United
Commercial Bank Adding Financial Staff |
09/10/07 |
| United
Commercial Bank is on the prowl. Over
the next year, the San Francisco-based
commercial bank wants to add to its
treasury and controller departments,
in positions ranging from low-middle
to more senior posts. |
| Ask
the Expert: How Do I Resign 'Professionally?' |
09/06/07 |
| "We've
had a management change at our firm,
and I am very unhappy with my new
supervisor. The one I worked with
for the last five months has just
disappeared. I'm planning to resign
and wonder whether I can do this verbally,
or must I write a resignation letter?" |
| In
Job-Hunting, Subtle is Best |
09/05/07 |
| Of
course, you want to stand out. But
when you're trying to convince a firm
you're the solution to their problems,
there's a fine line between creative
and weird. |
| To
Blog or Not to Blog? |
08/30/07 |
| Visibility
and Web-savvy are useful when job-hunting.
So, should you merge those goals by
starting your own financial Web site
or blog? In most situations, experts
say no. |
| Facing
the Tough Stuff |
08/29/07 |
| What
do Steven Jobs, Howard Stern and Terrell
Owens have in common? They've all
been fired. While at the time it seems
devastating, most people rebound after
termination and move on to new opportunities.
One thing is certain: To get your
next job you'll need to answer questions
about why you left your last one. |
| Compliance,
M&A Drive Hiring in N.Y., N.J. |
08/28/07 |
| Compliance
initiatives and merger and acquisition
work are driving CPA hiring in New
York and New Jersey. Meanwhile, professional
ethics remain in focus for Empire
State accountants, as the state's
industry association appoints the
first public member - a former New
York State comptroller- to its professional
ethics committee. |
| Certifications
Boost Pay for Management Accountants |
08/17/07 |
| Despite
demand, salaries for management accountants
have been rising only modestly. However,
bonuses and profit sharing are picking
up, and the money for those with relevant
certifications - like the CPA and
CFM - remains much higher than for
those without. |
| Calif.
Program Targets Industry CPAs |
08/16/07 |
| An
increasing number of CPAs have been
filling leadership roles in California's
non-accounting firms. Yet traditionally,
most programming from the state's
leading accounting organization has
targeted CPAs at public accounting
firms. Now, the California Society
of Certified Public Accountants thinks
it's fixed that. |
| Recruiters
Hunt in Association Directories |
08/15/07 |
| Joining
a professional association for accounting
or financial professionals may have
an added benefit beyond networking
and keeping up-to-date on industry
trends: Recruiters are increasingly
combing their membership lists of
potential job candidates. |
| Get
Ready: Four Trends to Watch |
08/14/07 |
| Just
as CPAs have caught up with the changes
wrought by Sarbanes-Oxley, a whole
new set of dynamics is coming down
the pike. The time to prepare is now. |
| CareerWire:
The Inside Scoop |
08/13/07 |
| Learning
what life is really like at a potential
employer takes a strategy, discretion
and contacts - and contacts only come
with a long-term networking effort.
This and more were covered on our
blog last week. |
| AICPA
to H.S. Students: Look Over Here! |
08/10/07 |
| As
the pressure for talent continues,
the AICPA is looking for ways to encourage
high school students to pursue the
education they need to become accountants
- and to remember who their friends
were along the way. |
| CalCPA
Chair Focused on Women, Corporate
CPAs |
08/09/07 |
| Three
months into her one-year term, the
chairman of the California Society
for Certified Public Accountants has
two major goals: Encouraging more
firms to promote women into partnership
roles, and providing more resources
for accountants in senior positions
throughout the state. |
| Ace
the Interview at Age 50+ |
08/08/07 |
| Rejecting
a candidate because of their age is
illegal, right? Ask anyone over the
age of 50 and they will probably tell
you that, despite what the law says,
there have been times where they felt
discriminated against because of their
age. |
| N.J.
Sees Need for Forensic Accountants |
08/07/07 |
| A
New Jersey community college is responding
to the demand for forensic accountants,
and an executive recruiter observes
the specific job needs in the area
around Parsippany. Across the river
in New York, the state's CPA society
holds its annual leadership conference. |
| CareerWire:
Stand Up, Get Up, Network |
08/06/07 |
| Networking
is really pretty simple. But you have
to get up out of your chair to do
it - Facebook or not. This and other
highlights from our blog are here. |
| Winning
Strategies for Loser Projects |
08/03/07 |
| It's
unavoidable: Projects appear that
no one wants to tackle. Some of them
are bound to end up in your lap, and
when they do you might as well take
them on cheerfully. If nothing else,
your attitude may get you noticed. |
| In
Networking, Making Introductions Pays
Off |
08/02/07 |
| When
people think about networking, they
usually put it in the context of meeting
other people. But when you're out
there developing a group of contacts
who can help you with advice, job
tips and raw information about potential
employers, it's important to remember
these same people are looking for
you to help them. |
| How
to Ask for a Raise |
08/01/07 |
| You've
done your homework, methodically assessed
your skills and experience, consulted
salary surveys, and determined you're
worth more than you're getting. So,
how do you broach the subject with
your boss, much less negotiate a successful
outcome? |
| CareerWire:
The Big Four Approach to Retention |
07/30/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice
for accountants and finance professionals.
Here are some of our recent highlights.
Among them: Why and how the Big Four
focus on retention. |
| Think
Carefully When Weighing Counter Offers |
07/24/07 |
| Have
an offer on the table? While candidates
are enjoying good times, with employers
dangling more money and higher bonuses
in a bid to get them to jump ship,
local recruiters say you should think
twice before accepting any generous
counteroffers from your present employer. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
07/23/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice
for accountants and finance professionals.
Here are some of our recent highlights.
Are you networking enough? |
| Ask
the Expert: A Coach or Not a Coach? |
07/19/07 |
| "I've
been working at my firm for four years
and I'm having difficulty moving into
management. I'm considering a coach
but wonder if it's worth the expense.
What do you think?" |
| Networking
Doesn't Have to be Hard |
07/18/07 |
| Although
better networking can boost career
opportunities, many accountants don't
spend enough time doing it. Of those
who do, many got about it in the wrong
way, without enthusiasm or strategy.
Here's some tips on networking effectively.
It's not that hard. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
07/16/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice
for accountants and finance professionals.
Here are some of our recent highlights.
Among this week's: Can you NEVER burn
a bridge? |
| Higher
Profile Seen For Internal Auditors |
07/16/07 |
| Internal
auditors believe they are gaining
influence and visibility with senior
corporate managements, a broad-based
international survey suggests. The
sector "is predicted to expand its
role in organizational governance
and risk management," according to
the Institute of Internal Auditors,
which released the survey last week. |
| Howard
Organizes Effort to Add, Retain Black
CPAs |
07/13/07 |
| A
partnership that includes Howard University,
a number of minority-owned accounting
firms and several large firms are
seeking to increase the number of
African-Americans who become accountants,
and increase the proportion of those
who remain in the field. |
| NY/NJ:
Risk, Compliance, Process Firms Seek
Pros |
07/11/07 |
| While
regional risk, tax and audit firms
are enjoying good times with plenty
of work on the horizon, the graying
of their workforce may present problems
in the near future. And, since summer
generally offers a slower pace at
work, this might be a good time to
brush up on critical CPE credits. |
| Sometimes
Smaller is Better |
07/10/07 |
| While
there's no question that larger organization
- whether corporations or public agencies
- offer solid career paths, a number
of California accountants continue
to find success in smaller, family
run businesses. And, because they
play a bigger part in their company's
performance, these CPAs believe their
experience has been more professionally
rewarding. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
07/09/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice
for accountants and finance professionals.
Here are some of our recent highlights.
Among this week's: Negotiating a flexible
schedule. |
| | | |