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The
American Academy of Financial Management™ Journal
Volume
32 - Spring 2009
International
Assigned ISBN(0-9749946-0-X)
AAFM
Articles
AAFM
Articles is a collection of professional articles
related to finance and relevant industries.Browse
through the articles by category or by searching for
them
Featured
Article
TERMINATED
INVESTMENT BANKERS AND FINANCIAL SERVICES EMPLOYEES
MAY BE ENTITLED TO RECOVER THEIR UNPAID BONUSES, DESPITE
EMPLOYMENT-RELATED DOCUMENTS WHICH RENDER SUCH BONUSES
“DISCRETIONARY” OR WHICH RESTRICT BONUSES TO ACTIVE
EMPLOYEES by David S Rich
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| In
the News - Articles Archives |
| 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. |
| Follow
Ups Are Important - Even When
There's No Reply |
12/27/07 |
| Conventional
wisdom says you should always
follow up with prospective employers
after you've sent them a resume
or met them for an interview.
But many candidates find such
tactics fruitless: Either they
receive no response from their
actual contact, or find no way
to reach a live human being. We
asked Dawn Fay, a New York vice
president for recruiter Robert
Half International, how best to
proceed. |
| 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. |
| | | |