| 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. |
| To
Manage Your Career, Know Thyself |
07/06/07 |
| When
Socrates said "know thyself," he probably wasn't offering
career management advice. But whether he intended
it or not, it's career advice that works. Just listen
to the experts. |
| Standards
Convergence: Further Spur to Offshoring? |
07/05/07 |
| The
accelerating movement to adopt international accounting
standards within the U.S. could eventually force accountants
into the same sinking boat as Americans in other businesses,
warns accounting educator Bruce Pounder. |
| CFOs
Scramble to Find Qualified Workers |
07/03/07 |
| An
influential quarterly survey of CFOs of primarily
midsize companies found reduced hiring expectations
compared with three months ago, yet more than one
in four respondents said their greatest business challenge
is "finding qualified workers." |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
07/02/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. Among this week's: Don't be afraid to
request relief. |
| N.Y./N.J.:
Wall Street, Hedge Funds Seek Finance Pros |
06/28/07 |
| Investment
firms are driving demand for risk pros and industry-knowledgeable
accountants in the New York area. In New Jersey, the
State Board of Accountancy posted some clarfications
to its continuing education requirements for licensees. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
06/25/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. Among this week's: Beware of job-board
scams. |
| Ask
the Expert: Is My Resume Too Long? |
06/22/07 |
| "I
was unexpectedly laid off and I'm not prepared to
retire. My resume is four pages long and spans a 35-year
career. Do I need to get it down to two pages and
if so, how do I do that?" |
| Growing
Role For CPAs in Risk Management |
06/21/07 |
| Michael
S. Kridel, partner in Daszkal Bolton LLP in Boca Raton,
Fla., talks about the risk management role for today's
CPA: "We look for strong communicators, and those
who are interested in being respected, but not necessarily
in being liked. These are the people who will make
the right decisions regardless of personal relationships." |
| Five
Ways to Become Job-Search Savvy |
06/20/07 |
| Some
people scour jobs boards, others network like there's
no tomorrow. Whatever your job-search strategy, here's
five tips to help you stand out from the pack. |
| N.Y./N.J.:
Generalists Still Needed |
06/19/07 |
| Specialized
CPAs are at work in many area financial firms, but
generalists are still sought. Meanwhile, reform legislation
is on the horizon in the Empire State. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
06/18/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. Among this week's: Raising your visibility
- nicely. |
| The
Rise of the Part-Time CFO |
06/14/07 |
| They
sport names like B2B CFO, CFO Network, and Your CFO
For Rent. Most are one-man shops, vehicles for semi-retired
accountants or full-time freelancers to control their
own work lives. But the ranks of part-time CFO vendors
also include some team practices with support staffs
and a regional, or even nationwide, client base. |
| 'Fiduciary
Accounting' a Growing Niche |
06/12/07 |
| With
the responsibilities - and liabilities - of those
who oversee direct investments growing, opportunities
are increasing for CPAs in the area of fiduciary services.
As accountants branch out beyond traditional tax services,
their roles here can fit easily with many of their
pre-existing skills. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
06/11/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. Among this week's: Auditing on Broadway
(and we don't mean at the Tonys). |
| Ten
Ways to Show You Don't Want That Job |
06/08/07 |
| During
the dance that goes on between a candidate and employer,
you've got many chances to shoot yourself in the foot.
In no particular order, here are 10 ways to pull the
trigger. |
| Firms
Showcase Concern for Staff Success |
06/07/07 |
| How
do you handle problem employees? Growing accounting
firms in California are learning the answer: with
great care. These firms have come to understand that
how they treat workers who've gone astray speaks volumes.
Demonstrating they are genuinely concerned with their
staff's success can be a boon to their recruiting
efforts. |
| CPA
Shortages Impact Work at Senior Levels |
06/06/07 |
| CPAs
with a few years of experience are benefiting from
a supply-demand imbalance that's pushing up salaries
at a double-digit clip. That's good news for younger
accountants still working their way toward certification. |
| Shape
an Offer Through Shadow Negotiating |
06/05/07 |
| You've
made it through five interviews, a personality test,
a sample assignment, and weeks of nail-biting. At
last, you get an offer. But it's 25 percent less than
you'd hoped for. Now what? |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
06/04/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. Among this week's: Why are audit costs
exploding? |
| UK
Seeks Accountants for Risk Jobs |
06/01/07 |
| British
banks have exhausted the their supply of senior risk
specialists and are seeking accountants from overseas
to fill open risk positions. |
| Women
Gain at Illinois Firms - Slowly |
05/31/07 |
| A
survey by the Illinois CPA Society found only slight
shifts in hiring and retention patterns among women
from last year, and says women are still underrepresented
in key leadership positions at firms throughout the
state. |
| Five
Steps to a Standout Resume |
05/30/07 |
| Before
you land an interview, you'll need to make sure you've
got one of your job-hunting tools honed to a razor's
edge: your resume. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
05/29/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. Among this week's: Your resume should
be focused. |
| Are
Employers Too Picky? |
05/25/07 |
| It
takes months to fill an opening, hiring managers lament.
It takes months to land a job, applicants complain.
If both sides want speed, what's taking so long? |
| Stepping
Off the Fast Track |
05/24/07 |
| So,
you're six or eight years into your career and you've
decided the partnership track isn't for you. What
happens now? |
| Standing
Out in the First Five Minutes |
05/23/07 |
| Although
most job interviews take at least an hour, hiring
managers often decide how they feel about a candidate
within a few minutes of shaking hands. So, it's critical
that you separate yourself from the pack right away.
Here's how to do it. |
| California
Conference Focuses on Careers |
05/22/07 |
| The
success of the recent Young Professionals Conference
in California underscores rising interest in the accounting
profession nationwide. More than 300 professionals
from around the state gathered to hear, among other
things, tips for developing a successful career. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
05/21/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. Among this week: How happy are you? |
| CPAs
Weigh Outsourcing Certification |
05/18/07 |
| As
more corporations consider business-process outsourcing,
professionals involved in related decision-making
- including management accountants - are seeking to
establish ways to recognize their expertise and build
on their skills sets. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
05/14/07 |
| Our
blog offers daily news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. Among this week: How confidant are accountants? |
| Fine-Tune
Your Recruiter Connections |
05/10/07 |
| For
many job-seekers, working with search firms is an
emotionally laden topic. We asked recruiters and career
counselors for some do's and dont's to help you make
the most of opportunities these agencies can offer. |
| MBAs
See Lowest Pay Within Accounting Sector |
05/08/07 |
| MBA
candidates ranked accounting as the lowest-paying
among 47 industries included in Fortune Magazine’s
2007 survey of attitudes toward various employers
and professional roles. |
| Your
Boss is Going - Do You Follow? |
05/08/07 |
| Imagine
you're working for a high-flying boss who asks you
to join her at a new company. Or a former supervisor
rings you up to say there's an opportunity at his
firm that's too good to pass up. Should you stay or
should you go? |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
05/07/07 |
| We
update our Blog daily with news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. |
| N.Y./N.J.:
Revised 'Qualifying Experience' |
05/03/07 |
| The
New York State Board for Public Accountancy expands
the definition of experience for first-time CPAs and
increase mandatory education hours; New Jersey accountants
stay ahead of the market with certifications, and
Garden State's CPA association hosts a conference
for controllers looking to become CFOs. |
| Calif.
Financial Firms Embrace Telecommuting |
05/02/07 |
| In
California, some small and mid-sized financial services
firms are making increased use of telecommuting. They're
allowing more employees to work part- or full-time
at home, sometimes at great distances from any office
hub. |
| Getting
the Lowdown on Potential Employers |
05/01/07 |
| Of
course, you want to know what it's like to work for
a firm before you relocate your coffee mug and family
pictures to your new desk. Save for having a friend
on the inside, how do you get the dirt on a company's
culture? |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
04/30/07 |
| We
update our Blog daily with news and advice for accountants
and finance professionals. Here are some of our recent
highlights. |
| Return-to-Work
Roundtables Planned in Four Cities |
04/27/07 |
| Tuck
Executive Education at Dartmouth is convening roundtable
discussions in four cities to explore how professionals
can make "the cultural and logistical leap" back to
the workforce after they've been away from office
for a long period of time. |
| Calif.
Wrap-Up: Non-Profits Can Be Intense, Too |
04/26/07 |
| Opportunities
in non-profits can be as challenging as in business...
Educational institutions seeks financial professionals...
Education Foundation plans conference for young professionals. |
| XBRL
Know-How Means Extra Pay for CPAs |
04/25/07 |
| If
you're an analyst who's on a first-name basis with
EDGAR, you might want to meet its new cousin, XBRL.
A beautiful, and profitable, relationship could result. |
| IRS
Seeks IT, Appeals Specialists |
04/24/07 |
| The
IRS is stepping up recruitment to fill anticipated
gaps in a number of specialized fields, including
information technology and appeals officers. |
| CareerWire:
Best of the Blog |
04/23/07 |
| Several
times a day, we update our JobsintheMoney Blog with
news and advice for accountants and finance professionals.
Here are some of last week's best items. |
| To
Open Doors, Woo the Gatekeeper |
04/20/07 |
| Even
before they get to the job interview, applicants must
be articulate, polite and compelling. It's not the
hiring manager you're trying to impress - it's the
corporate gatekeepers. Make friends with them, and
whole new worlds can open up. |
| A
Tip on Managing Your Career |
04/19/07 |
| Richard
Franchella, senior managing director at RBC Dain Rauscher
in New York, has a simple suggestion for approaching
career management. |
| Banking
Firms Prepare for Slowdown |
04/17/07 |
| Citigroup
isn't the only bank taking a knife to its expenses.
Wachovia, First Horizon and SunTrust are also girding
for a slowdown. |
| CareerWire:
The Best of the Blog |
04/16/07 |
| Several
times a day, we update our JobsintheMoney Blog with
news and advice for accountants and finance professionals.
Here are some of last week's best items. |
| Q&A:
Mitchell & Titus CEO Bert N. Mitchell |
04/13/07 |
| A
conversation with Bert N. Mitchell, chairman and chief
executive of Mitchell & Titus, the largest African-American
controlled accounting firm in the U.S.: "As you advance
in accounting, you start managing more than just the
numbers. You have to manage people." |
| Solution
to CPA Crunch is On-Campus |
04/12/07 |
| The
salad days are continuing at California's accounting
programs. At a number of schools, inquiries and enrollment
have continued rising over the past year, continuing
an upward trend that's half a decade long. |
| Managing
Up: True Life Tales |
04/11/07 |
| The
guidelines for managing up sound simple and straightforward.
Among other things, you must communicate clearly and
openly, anticipate your boss's needs, avoid surprises,
be sensitive to his work and management styles and,
in general, make him look good to both superiors and
subordinates. Tales from the trenches tell a similar
story. |
| Managing
Up: True Life Tales |
04/11/07 |
| The
guidelines for managing up sound simple and straightforward.
Among other things, you must communicate clearly and
openly, anticipate your boss's needs, avoid surprises,
be sensitive to his work and management styles and,
in general, make him look good to both superiors and
subordinates. Tales from the trenches tell a similar
story. |
| California
CPAs Urged to Be Aggressive |
04/10/07 |
| Financial
professionals need to be more aggressive job seekers,
says one executive recruiter. "The war for talent
is still on and getting larger," Paul Herrias told
two groups in California recently. "This is your chance
to get ahead." |
| CareerWire:
The Best of the Blog |
04/09/07 |
| Several
times each day, we update our JobsintheMoney Blog
with news and advice for accountants and finance professionals.
Here are some of last week's best items. |
| N.Y.
Focus Shifts to Regional Banks |
04/06/07 |
| The
job market for New York area retail bankers appears
to be improving. However, the better opportunities
are with regional players, with many offers coming
from outside Manhattan. |
| Retailers
Need Accounting Managers |
04/05/07 |
| Retail
stores are pressed to find managerial accountants,
controllers and chief financial officers who possess
retail and consumer-business experience. |
| Dropping
CPA Supply Pressures Balance Debate |
04/04/07 |
| As
the number of seasoned CPAs dwindles, will those seeking
balance be able to address the quality of life concerns
discussed with such fervor throughout the profession? |
| CareerWire:
The Best of the Blog |
04/02/07 |
| Several
times each day, we update our JobsintheMoney Blog
with news and advice for accountants and finance professionals.
Here are some of last week's best items. |
| Surviving
the Subprime Slowdown |
03/29/07 |
| Bank
regulators' pronouncements on alternative loan products,
the closing of subprime lenders and rising foreclosure
rates are churning the mortgage employment market. |
| Safe
From Outsourcing? Maybe Think Again |
03/28/07 |
| Economist
Alan Blinder thinks the impact of free trade is about
a lot more than moving customer service jobs to India
or manufacturing to China. It could very well be all
about you. |
| Letters:
Your Comments on Outsourcing |
03/23/07 |
| When
we asked for your thoughts on outsourcing, we got
a lot of e-mail. We learned both outsourcing and age
discrimination are on a lot of people's minds. |
| Career
Advice from the Top |
03/22/07 |
| Terri
Dial, executive director of retail banking for Lloyds
TSB in London and formerly of Wells Fargo, offers
her advice on managing your career. |
| Building
Careers for Hispanic Professionals |
03/21/07 |
| Ann
Marquez, executive director of the Association of
Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting's New
York chapter: "Once you get past seven years, or the
partnership level, that's where we need to do more." |
| The
'American Idol Factor' in Job Interviews |
03/20/07 |
| With
so many accounting and auditing positions up for grabs,
it should be easy for qualified candidates to land
a new job. So why do some feel like off-key singers
on American Idol - the ones whose voices sound good
to them, but make everyone else in the room wince? |
| What
Wealth Managers Seek in New Hires |
03/15/07 |
| What
are the traits upper-tier wealth managers look for
in new hires? Richard Franchella, senior managing
director at RBC Dain Rauscher in New York, has some
definite ideas. |
| Restaurant
Firms Seek Tech-Savvy, Creative Thinkers |
03/14/07 |
| The
food industry, which generates one in seven new U.S.
jobs, has an especially strong need right now for
professionals in accounting and finance. Those in
highest demand have sophisticated analytical skills,
an understanding of the latest business technology
and compliance issues, and a keen ability to think
outside the proverbial box. |
| New
York Real Estate Drives Financial Positions |
03/13/07 |
| Despite
the downturn in other sectors of the country, the
outlook for real estate in the New York City and New
Jersey area, particularly for office and retail space,
remains strong, as does the prospect for finance jobs
related to the field. |
| New
York Real Estate Drives Financial Positions |
03/13/07 |
| Despite
the downturn in other sectors of the country, the
outlook for real estate in the New York City and New
Jersey area, particularly for office and retail space,
remains strong, as does the prospect for finance jobs
related to the field. |
| CareerWire:
CFOs Under Pressure |
03/12/07 |
| CFOs
heading for the door under as compliance, board pressures
mount... HSBC won't make new U.S. acquisitions...
Reasons for continued CPA demand... and more |
| In
Getting Ahead, Your Words Count |
03/02/07 |
| 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. |
| Opportunities,
Challenges In Supermarket Banks |
03/01/07 |
| The
number of bank branches opening in supermarkets is
again on the rise, presenting job opportunities for
banking professionals with the right combination of
banking and sales skills. |
| California
Compliance Salaries Reflect Demand |
02/28/07 |
| The
job outlook for internal and outside auditors, financial
analysts and staff accountants in California looks
good for the balance of 2007. Compliance specialists
with SEC experience are especially coveted. Growth
in demand, coupled with a shrinking pool of top talent,
dovetails with national trends and has forced companies
to bid harder for skilled employees, bolstering salaries
in the process. |
| Looking
Good |
02/27/07 |
| If
the U.S. job market is strong, the accounting and
finance market is Paul Bunyan. But how long will this
last? Do you update your resume every time reports
indicate a drop in housing starts, or a hike in interest
rates? Will the Iraq situation send us packing our
Far Side desk calendars and family photo mouse pads? |
| CareerWire:
Price Opens Office in Toronto |
02/26/07 |
| T.
Rowe Price begins push in Canada... Accounting professionals
are optimistic... Federal court dismisses most claims
in wrongful dismissal suit against Morgan Stanley...
and more. |
| Ask
the Expert: How Do Plan for My Own Business? |
02/23/07 |
| So
you're thinking it's time to your for yourself? Running
your own financial business can be rewarding emotionally
as well as financially - if you're realistic and prepared
in your approach to starting it up. Robbie Miller
Kaplan explains the basics. |
| Ask
the Expert: How Do I Plan for My Own Business? |
02/23/07 |
| So
you're thinking it's time to go into business for
yourself? Running your own financial business can
be rewarding emotionally as well as financially -
if you're realistic and prepared in your approach
to starting it up. Robbie Miller Kaplan explains the
basics. |
| Is
Faster Better for Executive MBAs? |
02/22/07 |
| A
number of executive MBA programs are changing their
schedules so that students can earn their degrees
in less time, and with more flexibility. But some
of the top-tier schools are keeping their more traditional
schedules, for fear of diminishing the value of their
credentials. |
| Researchers
Find Uncomfortable Realities in 'Balance' |
02/21/07 |
| Talk
to recruiters in the financial world - and in accounting
in particular - and they'll tell you how options for
work-life balance are key components of their hiring
and retention strategies. Now comes research indicating
that perhaps accounting firms aren't so whole-heartedly
behind the concept, after all. |
| CareerWire:
MetLife Seeking Summer Interns |
02/20/07 |
| MetLife
is seeking applicants for its summer fellowship program...
The California CPA Education Foundation's third annual
business and industry conferences will have a career
and hiring flavor... Marsh & McLennan contributed
an additional $23 million to its 401(k) program...
and more. |
| Morgan
Stanley Hires for Latin Wealth Management |
02/16/07 |
| Morgan
Stanley's Private Wealth Management group appointed
Jon Mallon as Regional Sales Manager for Latin America
and hired a team of five from Lehman Brothers to serve
high-net-worth Brazilian clients and institutions
in Latin America. |
| Career
Focus at California CPA Conferences |
02/15/07 |
| The
California CPA Education Foundation's third annual
business and industry conferences will have a career
and hiring flavor when they take place in Long Beach
and San Francisco late in March. Each one-day event
will feature sessions on career management, recruiting
and employee retention. An additional session will
offer advice on compensation, a timely subject in
the present job market. |
| Retail
Bankers Expect Modest Raises in '07 |
02/14/07 |
| From
branch managers to sales reps, retail banking professionals
can count on modest pay increases during 2007, with
their raises tracking slightly ahead of inflation.
They can thank rising profits and increased operating
efficiencies. |
| UBS
Seeking Wealth Managers |
02/13/07 |
| UBS
plans to nearly triple the number of financial advisors
working in its wealth management group for super-rich
clients in the U.S. It's part of the Swiss bank's
strategy to gain a top position here. |
| CareerWire:
Insurers Develop Overseas Markets |
02/12/07 |
| International
insurance companies are developing new channels in
emerging markets... The number of Americans who work
remotely continues to rise... Retail bankers shouldn't
expect their employers to be comfortable with their
tattoos and body piercings... and more. |
| Growing
Demand in Micro-Enterprise Sector |
02/08/07 |
| The
Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO), a Washington
D.C. non-profit trade group, has roughly 500 member,
micro-enterprise organizations that provide access
to capital and support for aspiring and active entrepreneurs
from low-income communities. Most of these organizations
are small with only a few employees. But in all, they
provide about 4,000 jobs, many of them for financial
professionals who want to switch to the non-profit
sector. |
| Skilled
Brokers Can Weather The Rates Downturn |
02/07/07 |
| Commercial
insurance brokers are balking as rates soften to levels
not seen since the 1990s. And, with contingency fees
becoming a thing of the past at many of the large
firms, money worries are dominating the industry.
However, cost-cutting measures needn’t impact the
IT-savvy and seasoned professional on the brokerage
side. |
| E-Banking's
Scope Spurs Need for Product Managers |
02/01/07 |
| In
just a few years, electronic banking has evolved from
a simple way to check balances to a nearly essential
tool for paying bills. It's also become ubiquitous
- meaning banks are searching for ways to make their
online channel even more important to their customers.
As a result, say industry observers, people who can
understand how online banking tools can be packaged
to attract and retain customers will be in demand. |
| A
Recruiter's View of Accounting and Finance |
01/31/07 |
| A
Q&A with Shane Hill of Hudson Highland Group:
"The higher you go on the organizational chart, the
more paramount are communication skills. I know when
I've got a good candidate, even if their technical
skills aren't exactly what the client's after, if
the candidate articulates well, you can teach them
a lot of other things." |
| Flexibility
Can Aid Laid-Off Bankers |
01/30/07 |
| Amidst
continued news of bank mergers and projected layoffs,
bankers in New York and New Jersey should be prepared
for uncertain times ahead. However, regional financial
institutions could offer opportunities to the right
banking professionals. |
| CareerWire:
HR Faces Torrents of Resumes |
01/29/07 |
| Be
prepared: HR managers face a crush of resumes... Deloitte
launches blog on work-life balance... Bryant University
adds "master of professional accountancy" program...
and more. |
| Hotel
Industry Needs Accounting Staff |
01/25/07 |
| A
healthy economy, thriving business travel and a general
demand for financial professionals have tightened
the market for back-office accounting and finance
staff at hotels. It's a sharp reversal of the post
9/11 landscape, when many hospitality firms were forced
to freeze employee salaries. |
| Change
Afoot in the CFO's Role, Approach |
01/24/07 |
| Pity
the CFOs. They've got Sarbanes-Oxley requirements
to meet, Securities and Exchange Commission and Internal
Revenue Service officials to contend with, and answer
to increasingly energized boards. How do they deal
with it? Increasingly, the answer seems to be "move
on." |
| Some
Firms Eye Real Estate Agents as FAs |
01/23/07 |
| Always
on the hunt for financial advisors with potential,
many wealth management firms are looking beyond their
traditional, industry-centric pipelines. Successful
real estate agents - especially those who've worked
with high-income clients - are often attractive candidates. |
| CareerWire:
Credit Suisse Hires Wealth Management Head |
01/22/07 |
| Credit
Suisse appoints new head of U.S. family wealth management...
KPMG's Forensic Practice hires former IRS special
agents… LoanCity appointed Jeff Minch as senior
vice president and national sales manager… |
| Is
40 the New 50? Do the Discrimination Math |
01/20/07 |
| When,
like diffident dowagers, two well-known corporate-finance
recruiters say, "We don't talk about age," there's
probably something to hide. Is age discrimination
the workplace's dirty little secret? |
| Independence
Isn't for All Financial Advisors |
01/19/07 |
| Anyone
mulling a career change into the ranks of financial
advisors should realize the field's intricacies can
be difficult to grasp. For starters, it's important
to understand that managing assets and offering investment
advice is only part of the job. |
| Franklin
Templeton Expands Training Program |
01/18/07 |
| Franklin
Templeton Investments is expanding its training program
for financial advisors from Europe and Asia into the
U.S. and Latin America. The program, called the Franklin
Templeton Academy, is designed to help financial advisors
develop financial planning and business development
skills, and ultimately provide better service to their
clients. |
| Franklin
Templeton Expands Training Program |
01/18/07 |
| Franklin
Templeton Investments is expanding its training program
for financial advisors from Europe and Asia into the
U.S. and Latin America. The program, called the Franklin
Templeton Academy, is designed to help financial advisors
develop financial planning and business development
skills, and ultimately provide better service to their
clients. |
| CareerWire:
Schwab Incents Independent FAs |
01/16/07 |
| Schwab
Institutional introduces incentives for independent-minded
financial advisors... Transamerica Occidental Life
Insurance moving to Iowa... Commerce Bancorp plans
65 new branches in 2007... and more. |
| Licensure
a Key to Accounting Success |
01/12/07 |
| A
number of accounting and finance professionals wonder
why they can't find good jobs despite their years
of experience. The solution lies in becoming a CPA. |
| In
N.J.: CPA Clients Seek Wealth Management Advice |
01/11/07 |
| Some
accounting firms in New Jersey are leveraging their
knowledge of the state's complex tax structure to
offer wealth-management services to their clients.
We interview Vincent Pallitto, president of Summit
Asset Management and a partner in Kirsch, Pallitto
& Abbate, who believes, "Tax preparation is a
reactive approach. Tax consulting is a different story,
as it's more proactive. Honestly, tax practices are
dwindling." |
| Plotting
Your Path to the CFO's Office |
01/10/07 |
| If
you want to be a CFO, recruiter Scott W. Simmons has
some thoughts you can use now - observations about
the market and advice on how you can prepare. For
one thing, he says: "Clients tell us, 'Don’t get
me a bean counter. Get me somebody who I can talk
with from a strategic perspective…'" |
| Lawyers
Fit As Wealth Managers |
01/09/07 |
| When
Jamie Smith graduated from law school, he knew he
didn't want to be a lawyer. A chance encounter with
a recruiter led to a career in financial planning.
Now, nearly four years later, he's the hiring manager
of AXA Advisors' San Diego office, and he's trying
to convince other JDs to follow a similar path. |
| CareerWire:
FAs' Pay Lagged in 2005 |
01/08/07 |
| Financial
advisors' compensation lagged revenue increases in
2005... HSBC chief sees opportunities... Banks must
focus on retail experience... and more. |
| Calif.
CPA Firm Seeks Experience, Communication Skills |
01/05/07 |
| A
conversation with Zandy Ryder, recruiting manager
for Armanino McKenna LLP: "Softer skills are just
as important as having the experience and hard skills.
Our employees, particularly on the consulting side,
are representative of our firm and out in front of
clients all the time. Being able to communicate effectively
is very important." |
| Morgan
Stanley Sued for Age Discrimination |
01/04/07 |
| A
56-year-old former managing director is suing Morgan
Stanley, charging the firm fired him because of his
age. Edward Sullivan, who earned as much as $1 million
annually for his work at the firm's retail division,
claims two human resources executives created a "poison-pen
critique" of his performance as a way to justify discharging
him after a 24-year career. |
| A
CEO's View of Financial IT |
01/03/07 |
| Yacov
Wrocherinsky, CEO of Infinity Info Systems: "The people
we are looking at have an entrepreneurial spirit.
They are willing to take initiative, and they have
to be able to work in teams. We look at how people
view their career journey, and we also look at the
choices they make. We want good listeners so they
will work well with our in-house team and our customers." |
| CareerWire:
Salary Guide Available |
01/02/07 |
| Robert
half publishes 2007 salary guide… Deloitte has greatest
percentage of women partners… Virginia banks divest
mortgage businesses… and more |
| ABN
AMRO To Cut 900 U.S. Jobs |
12/29/06 |
| ABNÂ AMRO
will eliminate some 900 jobs from its North American
workforce during 2007, a five percent reduction. The
cuts will be in the Dutch bank's LaSalle Bank Corporation
and its subsidiaries, and also in ABNÂ AMRO's
global businesses operating in the U.S. Most of the
reductions will take place by the middle of 2007. |
| Broad
View Helps Tax Executives |
12/27/06 |
| While
tax professionals believe they can play a more strategic
role in their companies, often the financial executives
who oversee corporate tax functions don't fully understand
their priorities. The dynamic is making tax executives
with a broad perspective on business issues ever more
attractive. |
| How
to Catch a Rising Star - and Not Get Burned |
12/22/06 |
| You
know the type: They're your firm's rising stars. They're
the people named as team leaders. They're picked for
plumb projects and seen chatting in the vice president's
office. As for you, you're good at your job, but you're
not standing out. Does that mean you can't rise along
with a star? Not necessarily. |
| More
Online Options for California CPA Credits |
12/21/06 |
| The
California Certified Public Accountants Education
Foundation will nearly triple the number of webcasts
it stages for CPAs seeking to renew their state credentials
in 2007. Less than a year after introducing webcasts
as part of its Continuing Professional Education services,
the foundation will hold 60 such events, up from 24
in 2005. |
| Finding
the Manager Behind the Ad |
12/20/06 |
| The
advertised position might be a solicitation for a
seasoned controller or a skilled SOX specialist. Nowadays,
the ad likely offers few details on the company hiring
or the person handling the screening process. You
might fit the bill for the job, but applying to such
ads seems like a shot in the dark. How can you get
in touch with the hiring manager directly? |
| Ask
the Expert: Researching New Possibilities |
12/19/06 |
| You're
interested in exploring options beyond your current
role - but finance is so big, you're not sure where
to begin. Career expert Robbie Miller Kaplan offers
some help. |
| Sovereign
Bancorp Cuts 800 Jobs |
12/15/06 |
| Sovereign
Bancorp is cutting 800 jobs, or about 7 percent of
its workforce, in order to cut costs. The company's
announcement confirms reports that surfaced earlier
this week that it would cut positions. |
| A
'Micro' Alternative to Traditional Banking |
12/14/06 |
| Micro-lending
has gotten a lot of press since Muhammad Yunus won
the Nobel Peace prize for his work providing seed
capital to micro-borrowers throughout the developing
world. In the U.S., the number of organization involved
in such loans - they call themselves micro-enterprise
organizations - has skyrocketed over the past 15 years,
creating opportunities for financial professionals
seeking alternatives to traditional accounting and
banking positions. |
| How
N.Y., N.J. Advisors Keep Business When Clients Move |
12/13/06 |
| New
York and New Jersey are expensive places to live and
work, spurring a number of well-to-do families to
retire or relocate elsewhere. So what's a financial
planner to do when their clients are considering moving
to greener - and cheaper - pastures? |
| Employers
Cautious About 2007 |
12/12/06 |
| Employers
in finance, insurance and real estate are planning
a cautious approach to hiring early next year. According
to the recruiting and consulting firm Manpower, employers
in the financial sector expect to do less hiring during
2007's first quarter than they'll do in the last three
months of 2006. |
| Accounting,
Finance Professionals Sought in California |
12/08/06 |
| The
news continues to be upbeat for accountants and financial
professionals seeking jobs in California. According
to the Robert Half International Financial Hiring
Index, more chief financial officers in the state's
four largest cities expect to increase staff than
to cut jobs. |
| The
Need for GAAP Knowledge Overseas |
12/07/06 |
| Globalization
brings a new set of headaches to finance executive
in charge of hiring. Do they opt for local talent
who understand local accounting practices, corporate
culture and U.S. GAAP? Or, do they try to find U.S.-trained
accountants who can learn to navigate local laws and
customs? |
| Communicating
is Vital - Even in Finance |
12/06/06 |
| We
hear it again and again: Finance isn't all about numbers.
It's about communications, too, whether you're reporting
results, working with colleagues in other departments,
or developing client relationships. Here, Petter Wendel,
chief financial officer of Greystone & Co., shares
lessons he's learned about communicating and relationship-building. |
| The
Gang's All Here: Surviving a Group Interview |
12/06/06 |
| It’s
rare for multiple candidates for the same job to be
interviewed at the same time, experts say. What's
not uncommon is for one applicant to be interviewed
simultaneously by several people at a hiring company.
Stressful, yes, but there are ways to turn a group
interview to your advantage. |
| John
Hancock Helps Producers Move to Management |
12/05/06 |
| John
Hancock Financial Network has introduced a program
to help producers prepare to become sales managers.
Dubbed "the Protege Program," it integrates coursework
with development goals and closely involves local
managers. |
| Banks
Seek Help Selling Mortgages to Minorities |
12/01/06 |
| Since
the refinancing wave has washed out of the mortgage
industry, companies have sought to build volume by
hiring employees who can tap diverse, emerging markets.
Consequently, mortgage bankers who know how to build
business in the African-American, Latino, Asian and
other immigrant communities are in demand. |
| Challenges
for Corporate Accountants in N.Y. |
11/30/06 |
| If
you're a CPA seeking a license in New York State,
and most of your experience is in corporate accounting
or investigations, you should be aware: Documenting
your qualifying experience may be a bit more difficult
than you expect. Here's an overview of the requirements. |
| Skeptical?
A CPA? FCPA Work Might Be For You |
11/28/06 |
| If
you're a certified public accountant with an innate
skepticism, and you enjoy foreign travel, problem-solving
and out-of-the box thinking, you're a perfect fit
for a rapidly growing accounting niche: the Foreign
Corrupt Practices Act. |
| CareerWire:
The IRS On Campus |
11/27/06 |
| IRS
brings "Adrian Project" to campus... Atlanta attracts
young professionals... Deloitte chair talks of mentoring...
jobsinthemoney.com is blogging for accountants. |
| Strategies
to Help You Move Up |
11/21/06 |
| Even
if you're just beginning your career, it's never too
early to start planning your rise through the ranks.
At a panel discussion sponsored by the Urban Financial
Services Coalition's New York chapter, banking executives
discussed strategies to help you develop a plan. |
| Foreign
Firms Seek U.S. Talent for Expansions |
11/20/06 |
| Though
the rise of London as an investment banking center
has gotten much media play in recent months, financial
professionals with international expertise can benefit
from the expansion of European firms right here in
the U.S. |
| CareerWire:
Private Bank for Physicians |
11/20/06 |
| Illinois
bank launches private banking service for physicians...
Montana, New Jersey seek CPAs... Schwab, Fidelity
plan to enhance technology for FAs... and more. |
| Wachovia
Turns Its Eyes West |
11/17/06 |
| Wachovia
will close about 200 of its 3,400 branches across
the country by the end of 2008. At the same time,
it will open between 100 to 130 branches in the western
U.S. during 2007 as part of its efforts to expand
in what one executive calls "high-growth markets." |
| Ask
the Expert: Job Searching After Age 55 |
11/16/06 |
| Healthy,
able and over 55. No matter how good the job market
might be, older workers face their own unique challenges.
How can you organize your job search? Robbie Miller
Kaplan offers some tips. |
| Banks
Increase Focus on Women |
11/14/06 |
| Banks
are grappling with understanding the differences between
their male and female customers, and searching for
ways to better serve women business people. |
| CFOs
Value Employee Loyalty |
11/13/06 |
| Chief
financial officers like candidates who've spent time
in their previous positions. Nearly 90 percent of
them say the length of a candidate's tenure with earlier
employers is an important part of the equation they
consider when deciding whom to hire. |
| CPA
Firms Still Need SALT Expertise |
11/09/06 |
| It's
been a boom time for state and local tax (SALT) professionals
as accounting firms have worked to address a rising
demand for their highly specialized and increasingly
valuable services. However, experts believe recruiting
will grow at a slower pace over the next 12 months. |
| Career
Changers Attract Financial Recruiters |
11/08/06 |
| When
recruiters consider candidates who are transitioning
into a financial advisor's job from previous careers,
they often look for one common trait: success. It
doesn't always matter what skills you may bring from
another profession. Investment firms first want to
know how well you put those skills to work. |
| Experience
in Demand for Boston CPAs |
11/03/06 |
| Like
other cities around the country, Boston is suffering
a talent shortage in public accounting. Those with
some experience and time spent managing others are
the hottest commodities. |
| Asian
Advisers Leverage Community |
11/01/06 |
| When
building their businesses, Asian financial advisers
have a unique opportunity to leverage their insight
into their own communities. |
| Edward
Jones Has 10-Year Plan |
10/31/06 |
| Edward
Jones plans to continue its expansion efforts by hiring
investment advisers and support staff, strengthening
market share in the U.S. and Canada, and investing
up to $260 million to expand its headquarters near
St. Louis. |
| Offshoring
Comes to the Back Office |
10/27/06 |
| An
evolution in offshoring could eventually move a number
of back office jobs outside of the U.S., saving large
corporations as much as $58 billion a year and impacting
some 1.5 million positions between now and 2016. |
| Demand
Seen Pushing Financial Salaries in 2007 |
10/25/06 |
| Continued
demand for accounting and finance professionals will
push starting salaries higher in 2007, as businesses
mull expansions and continue to wrestle with compliance
requirements. In particular, professionals in compliance,
internal audit, financial analysis and public accounting
should benefit. |
| Bonuses
Boost Risk-Technology Compensation |
10/24/06 |
| Risk
professionals in software and technology earned a
7 percent average increase in total compensation in
2005 as an 11 percent rise in bonuses bulked up a
3 percent bump in salaries. |
| Ask
the Expert: Reaching Beyond Company Networks |
10/23/06 |
| "I
take advantage of my company's networking and mentoring
programs, but sometimes feel like I see the same people
at each event. How can I extend my network beyond
this regular circle?" |
| Atlanta's
HomeBanc Cuts Workforce |
10/20/06 |
| As
it announced its expectation for a wider-than-anticipated
third-quarter loss, Atlanta-based HomeBanc Corp. said
it's reducing the workforce of its HomeBanc Mortgage
unit by 4 percent. The move will save the firm about
$19 million. |
| For
Brokers, Training Issues Come into the Open |
10/19/06 |
| Are
financial services firms on the edge of a new model
in broker training? As Morgan Stanley's James Gorman
urges firms to be "brutal" in sending their least
effective advisers packing, and executives of smaller
firms remark on the inability of wirehouses to expand
the ranks of successful FAs, some wonder if the time
is right to adapt new approaches to developing novices. |
| Corporations
Use Project Professionals to Fill Gaps |
10/18/06 |
| Sarbanes-Oxley,
increased regulatory scrutiny, globalization and downsizing
has left Fortune 100 companies lacking well-credentialed,
senior-level personnel to meet ever-increasing professional
demands. But the corporations' challenge can be the
outside professional's opportunity. |
| Mid-Size
CPA Firms Form National Network |
10/17/06 |
| Twenty
two mid-size accounting firms have formed a national
network, designed to act as a single firm and better
compete with the Big Four. The network, Baker Tilly
USA, offers tax, audit and consulting services under
one brand name. |
| Treasury
Departments Staff Up to Field Wider Roles |
10/16/06 |
| The
responsibilities of corporate treasurers are growing
as they play a greater role within their companies.
While these executives have long been responsible
for managing cash flows, they're now being drawn further
into the strategic framework of their organizations,
creating new opportunities and responsibilities for
themselves and those in the treasurer's department. |
| How
Managing Up Positions You for Growth |
10/13/06 |
| 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. |
| One
Author's Tactics for Women, Minorities |
10/12/06 |
| In
Minority Rules: Turn Your Ethnicity Into a Competitive
Edge, Kenneth Arroyo Roldan and Gary Stern identify
what they say are key strategies women and minority
executives can use to rise through the ranks of corporate
America. In an exclusive interview Roldan, chief executive
of search firm Wesley, Brown and Bartle, says: "You
can't change a company that doesn't embrace the principles
of diversity. So, you have to control your own destiny." |
| Firms
Seek Advisers From Range of Backgrounds |
10/11/06 |
| A
financial background may not be the most important
part of an erstwhile financial planner's resume, which
is good news for newcomers trying to break into a
field that's feeling pinched for qualified talent. |
| Tips
for Finding That Overseas Job |
10/06/06 |
| If
you're interested in finding a finance position abroad,
there are a few things to consider before you start
packing. First on the list: the economic health of
the country you're interested in, as well as the jobs
considered "hot" there. |
| First
American Launches Subordinate Lien Group |
10/05/06 |
| First
American Corp. launched First American Subordinate
Lien Outsourcing group, a unit that will develop information
solutions for the subordinate lien market. The group
will serve as "a storefront" for many of First American's
second lien products, leveraging the company's property
and credit databases. |
| Top
Interview Mistakes - And How to Avoid Them |
10/03/06 |
| Few
people really like job interviews: You have to be
"on," the stakes are high, and you have to show off
your expertise and intelligence every step of the
way. "Successful interviewing reflects your ability
to sell yourself," says Steve McMahan, president of
Kforce Professional Staffing. "That becomes easier
when you recognize the potential pitfalls and learn
to avoid them." |
| Compensation
Stable for Energy Risk Professionals |
09/29/06 |
| Risk
professionals in the energy sector received modest
compensation increases during 2005, but should benefit
if investment banks and hedge funds increase their
activity in the area and the markets' instability
continues. |
| Recruiters
Can Make You More Likeable |
09/27/06 |
| It's
an age-old conundrum: How do you promote yourself
to managers or prospective employers without sounding
too impressed with yourself? The answer, says Jeffrey
Pfeffer of the Stanford Graduate School of Business,
is to get a recruiter to do the promotion for you. |
| Countrywide
Warns of Layoffs |
09/27/06 |
| Countrywide
Financial Corp. has warned its staff to expect layoffs
as falling home sales take their toll on the firm's
mortgage business. |
| CFOs
See Steady Hiring in Fourth Quarter |
09/25/06 |
| Hiring
within accounting and finance departments will remain
steady during the last quarter of 2006, with six percent
of chief financial officers planning to add full-time
personnel and two percent anticipating a cut in staff
levels. That net four percent increase is unchanged
from the third-quarter forecast of the quarterly Robert
Half International Financial Hiring Index. |
| CareerWire:
Morgan Stanley Pauses in Layoffs |
09/25/06 |
| Morgan
Stanley is taking a break from layoffs in its wealth
management division... Financial firms fuel job changes
with hefty compensation to advisers... U.S. workers
value health benefits over pay. |
| From
Independent CPA to Corporate Finance |
09/22/06 |
| Big
companies expect their CPAs to have experience with
accounting issues unique to public firms, especially
compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley and other regulations.
The need for that kind of track record makes jumping
from an independent firm to a corporate finance department
challenging. The key is to understand the CFO's needs,
and set about building a resume that demonstrates
you can meet them. |
| Mellon
Names Wealth Management Head in S. Calif. |
09/20/06 |
| Mellon
Financial Corporation has appointed David Emmes managing
director of Private Wealth Management in southern
California. Russell Kartub has been promoted to managing
director of portfolio management. |
| 50?
You're Not Old, You're Seasoned |
09/14/06 |
| Whether
you're pushing or pulling the big five-oh, it can
be tough to find a job. So it's not unethical to give
your resume - and your waistline - a few nips and
tucks. |
| CareerWire:
UBS Strengthens U.S. Presence |
09/12/06 |
| UBS
to acquire McDonald Investments of Cleveland to strengthen
U.S. presence… A record 462 of FORTUNE 500 companies
provide sexual orientation protection… Securian
named “Great Place to Work in the Twin Citiesâ€â€¦
and more |
| CareerWire:
UBS Strengthens U.S. Presence |
09/12/06 |
| UBS
to acquire McDonald Investments of Cleveland to strengthen
U.S. presence… a record 462 of FORTUNE 500 companies
provide sexual orientation protection… Securian
named “Great Place to Work in the Twin Citiesâ€â€¦
and more |
| CareerWire:
UBS Strengthens U.S. Presence |
09/12/06 |
| UBS
to acquire McDonald Investments of Cleveland to strengthen
U.S. presence… a record 462 of FORTUNE 500 companies
provide sexual orientation protection… Securian
named “Great Place to Work in the Twin Citiesâ€â€¦
and more |
| Some
Hiring Managers May Up the Ante |
09/06/06 |
| Most
hiring managers say its more difficult to find qualified
candidates than it was a year ago, a dynamic that
may play into candidates' hands as they negotiate
the terms of a new position. However, indications
are few candidates are taking advantage of the pressure. |
| Is
Your Boss a Bully? |
09/06/06 |
| Thought
you left that playground bully for good back around
the third grade? Guess again. He - or she - can come
back to haunt you in the form of your boss. |
| Position
Yourself for a New Job - Discreetly |
09/01/06 |
| Recruiters
say financial professionals can gain an inside track
for plum jobs through a proactive approach that includes
regular networking, researching potential employers,
working selectively with recruiters and undertaking
projects that will broaden your skills. All of these
activities, they point out, can be pursued without
signaling an interest in leaving one firm for another. |
| Do
Your Homework on Prospective Employers |
08/31/06 |
| Doing
your homework on prospective employers is critical
to your chances of landing a new position. Nearly
half of the executives recently polled said that not
knowing about their company was the most common mistake
they saw job-seekers make during interviews. |
| Diversity
at Deloitte _ampersand Touche USA |
08/30/06 |
| Kaplan
Mobray, U.S. diversity recruiting leader for Deloitte
& Touche USA, discusses his firm’s efforts to
diversify its workforce: "We know that diverse and
satisfied team members foster innovation." |
| Public
Company Executives Lured by Private Equity |
08/30/06 |
| Private
equity groups are working hard to recruit senior executives
away from public companies, offering more money and
a chance to leave behind the short-term pressures
that are part of dealing with the capital markets. |
| Torn
Between Two Job Offers |
08/30/06 |
| Your
technical skills, interpersonal communication and
references are top-notch. Your shoes are shined, your
suit is pressed, every hair's in place and there's
a smile on your face. And so you find yourself in
the enviable position of having multiple job offers
to consider. You can only accept one, so now what? |
| CareerWire:
Return of the Perk |
08/28/06 |
| Companies
are bringing back low-cost perks… Merrill Lynch
asks panel to end its obligation to broker who won
discrimination suit… Residential mortgage brokers
eye commercial loans… and more. |
| Women
Make Inroads to CFO's Office |
08/23/06 |
| Although
women have long been underrepresented among corporate
executives, they’re making modest inroads to the
CFO's office. In the S&P 500, women presently
hold about seven percent of CFO positions, according
to an informal analysis of data from Hoover's, a service
which maintains a database on 16 million companies. |
| Demand
for CPAs Rising Globally |
08/22/06 |
| As
if financial executives didn't have enough trouble
finding CPAs in the U.S., word is spreading that companies
overseas are seeking the very same talent. |
| CareerWire:
From CFO to CEO |
08/21/06 |
| From
CFO to CEO… Insurance Training Benefits Financial
Advisers… Citigroup Expanding in Key Markets. |
| MBA
Applications Rise |
08/21/06 |
| Applications
to full-time MBA programs have risen for the first
time in three years, according to the Graduate Management
Admission Council. Much of the increase comes from
international students, the GMAC said, although more
women are applying as well. |
| What
Tax Directors Look for When Hiring |
08/16/06 |
| Whether
you aspire to be a tax manager or a tax accountant,
you need certain skills to get ahead working in a
corporate tax department. Here are five things tax
directors consider before hiring new staff. |
| How
to Move Around The Baby Boomers |
08/15/06 |
| Efforts
by companies to retain baby boomers are frustrating
younger professionals by delaying promotions and infringing
on their independence at work. If you're in Generation
X or Generation Y, you've got to be creative to attain
the position you want. |
| CareerWire:
Private Firms Buy Into SOX |
08/14/06 |
| More
private companies comply with at least some parts
of Sarbanes-Oxley... Court won't dismiss overtime
suit against A.G. Edwards... Federal agencies face
mass retirement of procurement officers... and more |
| Five
Things CFOs Look For in Job Candidates |
08/11/06 |
| "What
are they looking for?" Everyone who has responded
to a job ad has asked themselves that question. To
shed some light, we called several CFOs to find out
what those elusive honchos seek in new hires. |
| Piper
Advisors Depart Ahead of Takeover |
08/10/06 |
| Around
81 - or nearly 10 percent - of Piper Jaffray's financial
advisers resigned from the firm's retail brokerage
unit during the second quarter, followed by 31 more
during two weeks in July. The departures come as Piper's
takeover by UBS Wealth Management USA approaches. |
| Leadership
Skills As Career Tools |
08/09/06 |
| The
quality of your leadership skills can impact your
career path. In fact, industry sources say, strong
managerial skills are almost as important as the ability
to sell a product. But the key word there may be "almost." |
| Tips
for Responding to Online Ads |
08/02/06 |
| Job-seekers
often complain their responses to online ads disappear
without any reply from employers. In reply, HR departments
and hiring managers say their work is made harder
by e-mails that are too long, inappropriate or simply
miss the mark. To help you break through, here are
some tips on making your message as effective as it
can be. |
| Salary
Increases Slowing for Accountants |
07/28/06 |
| While
demand for professionals in audit, tax and management
services at public accounting firms is expected to
continue for many years, salary increases will be
less dramatic in 2006. |
| IT
Hiring Ramping Up |
07/26/06 |
| Demand
continues strong for technology professionals across
a range of industries. In fact, nearly half of all
companies plan to use summer interns to help out their
IT departments. |
| Certifications
Showcase 'Real-World' Expertise of CPAs |
07/26/06 |
| The
sheer number of advanced certifications available
beyond the CPA designation can be daunting. But what's
the best one to earn to advance on your career path?
It seems specialization is key to figuring out the
best certification for you. |
| CareerWire:
Changing the Gender Equations |
07/24/06 |
| Women
are still making slow progress into executive suites...
Merrill Lynch says attracting FAs a cornerstone of
growth strategy... DaimlerChrysler mulls outsourcing
accounting jobs. |
| Hispanic
FAs Find More Opportunities |
07/21/06 |
| The
growth in the Hispanic market means financial companies
must develop a workforce representative of the customers
they want to reach. While many Hispanic FAs prefer
to work for themselves, opportunities are increasing
for those interested in joining a larger organization. |
| Top
3 Banks Focus On Internal Growth |
07/20/06 |
| Bank
of America, Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase are focusing
on growing from within, a strategy that could help
position them to face a cooling economy. |
| Goldman
Sachs Leaders Emphasize 'Doing' |
07/19/06 |
| Financial
companies like people who get things done. Students
looking for ways to position themselves might want
to consider the backgrounds of the Goldman Sachs Global
Leaders, a group of 100 high achieving college students
from 20 countries. Their common thread: real accomplishments,
some made even before they've entered college. |
| UBS
Opens Office For 'Ultra-High-Net-Worth' Clients |
07/19/06 |
| UBS
has opened an office in New York dedicated to serving
ultra-high-net-worth clients. The Park Avenue office
will be staffed by 13 wealth advisors and three private
bankers, and will offer a suite of brokerage, trust
and private banking services, the company said. |
| Merrill
Official Says Firm Can 'Do Better' In Diversity |
07/18/06 |
| Even
as they contend with a class-action lawsuit alleging
racial discrimination in its brokerage operation,
officials at Merrill Lynch say they have to do better
when it comes to hiring and promoting black financial
advisors. |
| DWS
Scudder Expands Distribution |
07/07/06 |
| The
ranks of DWS Scudder, the U.S. mutual fund business
of Deutsche Asset Management, have swelled to include
19 new staff. |
| Internal
Audit Still Faces Talent Shortage |
07/06/06 |
| Although
a number of companies have tried to expand their internal
audit departments to cope with the demands of Sarbanes-Oxley,
a lack of talent has kept many positions unfilled. |
| Ace
that Interview - Top Ten Tips |
07/05/06 |
| Last
week Alcoa, Ameritrade, Ford, Interstate Bakeries
and Winn-Dixie all announced reductions in their respective
workforces. |
| Dramatic
Pay Increases For Risk Executives |
06/30/06 |
| Pay
for risk professionals has risen dramatically over
the last five years as companies have become more
pro-active, and less reactive, in their approach to
risk. |
| SOX
Leads To IT Opportunities |
06/22/06 |
| Sarbanes-Oxley
has opened up a growing range of opportunities for
accountants and other financial professionals with
solid IT skills. |
| Certified
Fraud Examiners In Demand |
06/21/06 |
| Whether
they're ferreting out tax improprieties, securities
fraud or money laundering, financial professionals
certified as fraud examiners are hot properties on
the job market. |
| Static
Networks Can Be Dangerous To Your Career |
06/07/06 |
| They
say it's good to have friends in high places. Yet
many in the accounting and retail banking sector -
particularly women and minorities - spend most of
their time with people just like themselves. |
| CareerWire:
Tax Departments Need More Resources |
06/05/06 |
| Corporate
tax departments need additional resources... Turnover
among Fortune 500 chief financial officers increased
last year... More than 84,000 people were expected
to take the CFA exam... and more |
| Demand
For Socially Responsible Investing Jobs Outpaces Need |
06/02/06 |
| While
socially responsible investing has been a buzz word
for nearly 20 years, interest in the practice of encouraging
corporate sustainability through sound social and
environmental practices has gained momentum in recent
years. But while the financial industry is paying
more attention to SRI, the number of professionals
trying to enter the field still outstrips the demand
of investors. |
| Women
Reach Beyond Internal Networks |
05/31/06 |
| Tell
a woman CPA in Connecticut she’s being transferred
to California and within a day she’ll have a list
of the best pediatricians in Los Angeles and a list
of local women’s soccer teams looking for players. |
| Diversity
At Citigroup's Corporate and Investment Banking Division |
05/26/06 |
| jobsinthemoney.com
recently spoke with Patricia David, managing director
and global head of diversity/talent and employee programs
for the corporate and investment banking division
of Citigroup. David is responsible for overseeing,
developing and implementing the diversity strategy
for nearly 49,000 employees around the world. |
| Starting
Salaries Climb For New MBAs |
05/24/06 |
| Starting
salaries of newly graduated MBAs have risen 4.2 percent
since 2005, spurred by hiring among employers confident
about the overall economic outlook. |
| CareerWire:
HSBC The Leading Firm For Women Executives |
05/22/06 |
| Financial
firms dominate Diversity Inc.'s list of best
companies for women executives... NewStar Financial
hiring for West Coast office... Royal Bank of Scotland
to offer corporate banking services... and more. |
| CFOs
Gain Higher Profiles At Hedge Funds |
05/19/06 |
| As
hedge funds continue to grow in both numbers and assets,
the role of the chief financial officer is becoming
more challenging and high profile, according to industry
experts. |
| IT
Auditors Salaries At Premium |
05/16/06 |
| Information
technology auditors, professionals who determine whether
corporate IT systems are effectively maintaining Sarbanes-Oxley
controls, are in demand from a wide range of companies.
|
| CareerWire:
Jobs Outlook Strong - For Now |
05/15/06 |
| The
overall U.S. job outlook is strong for the next 6-12
months, but predictions for financial services might
be described as ''steady, but slow''... The number
of women in leadership roles in Illinois CPA firms
has remained largely unchanged over the last four
years... A Massachusetts stockbroker has sued Citigroup
Smith Barney for allegedly failing to pay him overtime...
and more. |
| Feeling
Burned Out? Accountants Have Options |
05/12/06 |
| In
college, you majored in accounting. You sweated through
the CPA exam and put in countless billable hours as
a young practitioner. Now you're well into a successful
career. But what happens if you discover making numbers
talk no longer carries the thrill it once did? |
| Women,
Minorities Lag In Executive Ranks |
04/28/06 |
| Women
and minorities continue to lag in gaining management
positions in large financial firms, according to a
report by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
''This report shows that we still have some ways to
go,'' EEOC Chair Cari Dominguez said. ''The report
found that women of all races and backgrounds advance
more slowly as they climb up the career ladder.'' |
| Mortgage
Banking Jobs Hold Steady |
04/28/06 |
| Some
economists believe the market for new homes isn’t
as strong as the surge in March sales figures would
suggest. Media reports note that builders have been
cutting prices to address rising mortgage rates, and
the number of available homes is increasing. What’s
it all mean for mortgage bankers? Despite some fallout
on the consumer side, observers see their job security
as being pretty solid. |
| Pay
Rises In Corporate Tax Departments |
04/26/06 |
| It’s
no secret the job of corporate tax departments has
become tougher. The challenges they face, and the
ongoing scramble to find talent to meet them, is translating
into higher compensation for tax professionals at
the top of their game. |
| IRS
Recruiting Revenue Agents |
04/21/06 |
| The
Internal Revenue Service is seeking hundreds of revenue
agents, many for its small-business/ self-employed
division, and is offering signing bonuses to those
willing to work in ''hard-to-fill'' locations. |
| Corporate
Finance Compensation Jumps |
04/19/06 |
| Macro
trends are creating macro pay increases for those
in the corporate finance world. Double-digit compensation
increases stem from stiffer federal regulation and
a push for corporate growth – two movements that
have companies scrambling for top-notch finance staff
in a time of short supply. |
| Executives
Look For Resume Follow-Ups |
04/17/06 |
| You've
submitted your resume to a prospective employer. Now
what? Most executives think you should follow up within
two weeks: It shows you to be self-motivated and pro-active
- traits managers value. |
| CFOs
Predict Increased Hiring For Finance Staffs |
04/14/06 |
| When
business is good, chief financial officers hire. According
to the latest quarterly survey by Financial Executives
International, business is good. Over the next 12
months, 77 percent of the 200 CFOs surveyed by the
organization expect to hire more staff for their companies’
financial areas. |
| BET
Founder’s Bank Expects To Offer 'Opportunities'
- Eventually |
04/10/06 |
| Robert
L. Johnson, founder of the cable network Black Entertainment
Television, is positioning himself to become owner
of the largest African-American controlled financial
services business in the U.S. Although the company
has no specific hiring plans to reveal just yet, a
representative said experienced financial professionals
can look for “rich opportunities in the future.†|
| Private
Banking Opportunities On The Rise |
03/29/06 |
| As
more banks and other financial companies work to develop
a wealthier client base, opportunities are rising
for bankers and others considering a move to private
banking. |
| Are
Companies Serious About Diversity? |
03/27/06 |
| Nearly
80 percent of the jobsinthemoney.com users who responded
to a snap poll asking whether their company is serious
about diversity said "no." |
| For
SOX Staffers, Workload May Be Key Challenge |
03/24/06 |
| Many
accounting managers have said the intricacies and
tedium of Sarbanes-Oxley compliance has discouraged
accountants and auditors from getting into the field
– or made them itchy to get back into what they
regard as “core†financial functions. But could
the challenge be simply that SOX specialists are overworked? |
| Unintended
Consequences Of Work/Life Programs |
03/22/06 |
| A
decade ago, professional service firms began offering
women more flexibility as they replaced their “up-or-outâ€
attitude with flextime, maternity leave and part-time
options. But as more women take advantage of programs
that allow them to pursue the "mommy track" or "family
track," the pool of women remaining in leadership
roles has been shrinking. |
| Thrivent
Financial To Hire 675 Representatives |
03/13/06 |
| Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans, the not-for-profit financial
services firm focused on the Lutheran markerplace,
said it plans to hire 675 financial representatives
by the end of this year. |
| Five
Signs It's Time To Move On |
03/08/06 |
| Knowing
when to quit your job usually boils down to instinct.
Yet in banking and finance, where takeovers and lackluster
bonuses are regular occurrences, there can be telltale
signs it's time to move on. Here are a few. |
| Rising
Above Your Past Employer |
03/03/06 |
| If
you worked at one of the accounting firms or corporations
implicated in the creative accounting scandals of
the last few years, will prospective employers hold
it against you? |
| Commercial
Real Estate Firms Seek Financial Professionals |
02/17/06 |
| As
commercial real estate has become more sophisticated
and Wall Street-friendly, professionals with backgrounds
in accounting or experience in controller or chief
financial officer functions are seeing their value
rise. |
| Pension
Expertise In Growing Demand |
02/15/06 |
| As
reform and funding pressures increase the challenges
involved in running a plan, financial professionals
who’ve stayed on top of pension issues may find
themselves in increasing demand. |
| Price
Expects Hiring To Stay Flat, Despite Strong Business |
02/10/06 |
| T.
Rowe Price expects to keep its hiring essentially
flat this year, despite record results in 2005’s
fourth quarter and a growing institutional business
that’s gotten the attention of the likes of Institutional
Investor. |
| Merrill
Lynch Cuts Brokers' Cash Compensation |
02/08/06 |
| Merrill
Lynch has quietly reduced the cash compensation of
its brokers by 1 percentage point while crediting
an extra 1.5 points to the company’s deferred stock
plan, according to the trade newspaper Investment
News. |
| IRS
Needs Agents, Auditors as Retirements Loom |
01/31/06 |
| The
IRS’s Large and Medium Size Business Division (LMSB)
is staffing up as many of the career staffers who
conduct or manage corporate audits approach their
retirements. Pay packages could prove taxing to some,
however. |
| Your
Own Best Cheerleader: Find a Coach |
01/31/06 |
| Lauren*,
a long-time employee of Big Four accounting firm Deloitte,
had worked her way up to manager of Northeast operations
in a New York-metropolitan area division that then
underwent an organizational transition. That set a
career change into motion. |
| Know
Your File Before a Background Check |
01/25/06 |
| Got
something in your background that you'd rather not
discuss during your next job interview - like a conviction
for disorderly conduct or a really low credit score?
Do your homework before you start mailing out your
resume, because most companies are going to look your
background right after they look at your resume. |
| Certifications
Aplenty in Financial Planning for Seniors |
01/19/06 |
| Years
ago, one big baby boomer question was, “Dad, can
I have the car tonight?†Now the boomers have their
own cars. Dad, now retired, might be sitting on a
comfortable-to-substantial nest egg. But he’s still
being pestered. |
| H-1B
Visas Put U.S. Financial IT Jobs at Risk |
01/19/06 |
| The
foreign job threat for American technology workers
isn’t limited to work that can be sent abroad. Companies
are using skilled workers brought in under the H-1B
visa program to replace American staff with foreign
workers who are paid substantially less – nearly
$13,000 a year less on average according to a recent
study. |
| Accountants'
Pay Jumps on Lack of Supply |
01/10/06 |
| If
you’re an accountant who can both crunch numbers
and talk management through them with the same panache,
you are in high demand and low supply in many U.S.
markets. And you may be worth more than you think. |
| Balance
of Power Shifting to Employees |
01/10/06 |
| If
one of your resolutions for 2006 is to find a new
job, you’ll be happy to know that the hiring picture
for accounting and finance is robust, particularly
if your skills are strong. |
| Industry
and Big 4 Want Audit Managers |
01/03/06 |
| One
thing’s for sure if you aspire to become an audit
manager at either a Big 4 firm or in private industry:
You’ll need to be a CPA. But the demand is high
and salaries are up over last year. |
| Sarbox
Costs Down but Hiring Still Strong |
12/20/05 |
A
recent study commissioned by the Big 4 shows that
total Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 implementation costs,
not surprisingly, are projected to decline substantially
for both larger and smaller companies in the second
year of implementation. What does this mean on the
hiring and pay fronts?
|
| Bank
Branch Managers See Huge Churn |
12/19/05 |
| As
the talent pool for branch managers continues to shrink,
commercial banks have responded with stock options,
increased compensation, business casual dress codes
and recognition events like paid resort vacations. |
| CFOs
say Pay, Hiring to Freeze |
12/13/05 |
| Chief
financial officers are holding the line on 2005 bonuses
and raises. And good luck if you decide to seek a
fatter paycheck elsewhere, because those same CFOs
aren’t planning to do much hiring in the first quarter
of 2006, according to two recent surveys. |
| CPAs
Back in the Black |
12/09/05 |
| Financial
firms are pushing recruiters to find Certified Public
Accountants (CPAs) or candidates with Bachelor’s
or Master’s degrees in Accounting. They’re also
offering all the right incentives for the right candidates. |
| Surviving
Sarbanes-Oxley |
11/29/05 |
| As
the Sarbanes-Oxley Act enters its second year of implementation,
organizations and individuals are looking back to
assess the costs of compliance and the sustainability
of the consequent infrastructure, and forward toward
streamlining those elements. |
| Unhappy
at work? You're not alone |
11/15/05 |
| Are
you dissatisfied with where you work? If so, join
the 80% of finance professionals who are unhappy with
their employers. It could be time for a rebalancing
act. |
| Workplace
Diversity Is a Bottom-Line Issue |
11/01/05 |
| Female
entrepreneurship has grown rapidly over the last decade,
and the numbers of women at corporations, including
those in corporate finance and those in leadership
positions, continue to increase. But the numbers also
show that women – both as employees and as board
members – aren’t just taking up space. They’re
also enhancing the bottom line. |
| Wal-Mart
Goes A-Banking |
10/31/05 |
| Retail
giant Wal-Mart filed an application in July with the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to establish
an industrial bank in Utah to process its monthly
volume of 140 million credit and debit transactions.
The FDIC received over 1,000 letters – many times
the norm – commenting on the proposal and had to
extend the public comment period to two months from
one. |
| Annual
Bonuses: Carrots Dangle Higher, Sticks Get Longer |
10/24/05 |
Annual
bonuses are being scrutinized in an effort to design
equitable pay packages in the wake of corporate accounting
scandals and criminally excessive compensation paid
to top executives at many firms. And everyone’s
feeling the fallout.
|
| Market
Is Strong for Temporary Accounting Pros |
10/18/05 |
| The
recent announcement by H&R Block that it plans
to increase its tax network’s peak temporary work
force by 39,000 professionals – nearly 40% – in
the coming filing season prompts the question, “What
besides tax season drives the market for temporary
accounting pros?†|
| Where
are the Good Actuarial Candidates? Guest Comment |
10/17/05 |
Scott
Rollins is President of the Chicago area executive
search consultancy S. C. International, which has
specialized in the recruitment of actuaries and employee
benefits talent since 1984.
With more than thirty years in recruiting, the last
twenty of which have focused on the actuarial and
employee benefits marketplaces, I have seen both strong
and weak job markets. And in order to adapt to a changing
job market, savvy employers and job seekers alike
have had to improve their processes and procedures
for working with executive search firms. But unfortunately,
a good number are still approaching the job market
blindly and not reaching their maximum potential.
|
| Retail
Banking: Sell, Sell, Sell or Else |
10/11/05 |
| The
banking trend that has tellers selling home loans
is making its way into the back-office, as more and
more institutions are requiring everyone from the
CFO on down to bring in new business. |
| Bye-bye
Stock Options, Hello Incentive Pay Mix |
10/03/05 |
Reaction
to the excessive compensation paid to top WorldCom,
Tyco, Enron and other executives is driving more than
media attention. It’s also responsible for a spate
of new government regulations designed to curb future
abuses and concomitant trends in overall compensation.
|
| Compliance
Demands Controllers |
09/16/05 |
| The
recent emphasis on enhanced corporate governance reporting
and controls has focused mainly on the growing demand
for accountants well versed in them. But the demand
for controllers, and what controllers can command
in pay, is rising, too, recruiters say. |
| Treasurers
Usually Promoted, Not Hired |
09/12/05 |
| In
the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as with 9/11, many
companies are turning to their treasurers - and paying
them a bundle - to reevaluate their insurance coverage
and reassess their risk-management scenarios. But
don’t expect to see tons of treasurer jobs being
advertised. |
| Summer
Reading: Manners Matter |
08/25/05 |
| Sure,
your parents always taught you to say “pleaseâ€
and “thank you†and not put your elbows on the
table. They coached you to write prompt thank-you
notes because they knew that having good manners would
help to smooth out your life. But could they have
known to instruct you not to give a clock as a gift
in Japan because it’s a symbol of death? Business
etiquette – whether around the dining table or the
conference table – is a whole different ball game. |
| Sarbox
Makes Salaries Snowball |
08/12/05 |
Remember
those Saturday morning cartoons? The ones where a
little snowball kept jouncing downhill, growing and
growing until it was as big as Mars? The recent rapid
increase in compensation for any corporate accountant
involved with Sarbanes-Oxley reporting, SEC reporting
or auditing is giving similar momentum to accountants’
salaries.
|
| Staff
Accountants Show Slight Uptick in Salary |
08/08/05 |
There’s
good salary news for staff accountants at all levels
in most industry sectors – including those who work
in South Carolina – according to pay experts. South
Carolina?
|
| Market
for Actuaries on the Rise |
08/04/05 |
The
market for actuaries in all disciplines has been quite
strong this summer, says recruiter David Simpson,
managing principal of D.W. Simpson & Co. http://www.actuaryjobs.com/ “We’re
getting 20 to 30 new positions an all disciplines
and at all levels each week. That’s just our firm,
although we are the biggest,†he adds.
|
| Fraud
Examiners Do Good |
07/26/05 |
| It
sounds like the lineup on the six o’clock news:
Identity theft. Money laundering. Gaming control and
surveillance. Health care, insurance, bank, mail and
Internet fraud. And this is by no means a complete
list of fraud examiners’ remits. |
| Forensic
Accountants Follow Trail of More Jobs, Pay |
07/19/05 |
| If
you’re a CPA who’s technically proficient, intellectually
curious, persistent, creative and discrete – and
who always secretly yearned to be Sherlock Holmes
– grab your deerstalker hat and your magnifying
glass and find a position in forensic accounting.
The field, while niche, is booming. |
| Financial
Analysts Ascend in Pay, Hiring |
07/12/05 |
| After
playing second fiddle to accountants recently as the
rush to compliance dominated corporate finance, financial
analysts are back in demand, recruiting experts say. |
| SOX
Moves Management Accountants' Pay Up |
06/21/05 |
| Love
it or hate it, Sarbanes-Oxley is proving a boon for
management accountants. A new salary survey claims
their pay has leapfrogged pay for public accountants
even amid one industry association's calls for cutbacks
to SOX. |
| Open
the Door to the Big 4 |
06/07/05 |
| 'No
one wants to work for me, although I could use the
help. They all want to work for the Big 4,' laments
one New Jersey CPA with a small private practice.
But how does a Big 4 aspirant become a Big 4 employee? |
| Where
You Went Wrong |
06/01/05 |
| It's
been months since you started looking for a job and
you still haven't found anything. Wondering where
you're going wrong? JobsintheMoney.com has created
a 10-step checklist you can use to figure out just
where your search is derailing. Starting with Step
#1, have you accomplished each task? |
| Career
Shift: Housing Counsellors Earn High Karma And Low
Pay |
05/31/05 |
| If
you love the counseling aspects of financial planning
or loan origination, but can't stomach sales, there
may be another option for you – a move into the
non-profit sector where about 3,500 organizations
provide homeownership and financial fitness counseling
to consumers. |
| Auditing
Auditors' Salaries |
05/27/05 |
| Stringent
regulations, corporate scandals, and a spate of prosecutions
have created a need for competent auditors. But while
some experts in the field describe a hiring and compensation
frenzy, others have a more dispassionate view. |
| Your
Career: Build a Vision, Make It Real |
05/20/05 |
| Tired
of the same old grind? Want more money? A better title?
More responsibility? A corner office with an ocean
view? Well hey – do something about it. |
| Interim
Managers See International Growth |
05/16/05 |
| Cliché
has it that variety is the spice of life, and after
several years in the same job it may well be easy
to see why. In search of renewed vigour, some Chief
Financial Officers are reinventing themselves as interim
managers. |
| Insurance
Jobs Are Spring's Hot Spot |
05/16/05 |
| Despite
ongoing investigations of fraud, allegations of bid-rigging
and even interest on the part of the FBI, the hiring
picture in the insurance industry is strong, employment
experts say. |
| Mortgage
Banking Designations: Nice-To-Haves or Must-Haves? |
04/18/05 |
| Looking
for a way to separate yourself from the herds of people
who went into mortgage banking during the refinance
boom? Earning a designation from the Mortgage Bankers
Association of America (MBA) may give you the edge
over the competition when you’re job hunting, but
it may not raise your salary in your current job. |
| Career
Path: PwC US Tax Services Principal |
04/13/05 |
| Carl
Dubert is a principal in the Washington National Tax
Services practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
in Washington, DC. Here he explains his route to PwC
(for the second time) via Deutsche Bank and the U.S.
Treasury. |
| Just
How Good IS That Offer? |
04/07/05 |
| You’ve
been offered your first job in banking, accounting,
finance or insurance. It seems like your new employer
is offering you a good compensation package, but wouldn’t
you like to know what everybody else is getting before
you decide how good their offer is? |
| More
Jobs, Pay for June Grads |
04/04/05 |
| The
outlook on pay for this June’s graduates is warming
up, with offers in the high 30s to low 40s, thanks
to growing demand for entry-level finance, accounting
and banking professionals. |
| Take
the Offer and Run |
03/29/05 |
| A
recruiter has brought you an offer of a better salary
from a competing firm. You go into your manager’s
office to resign and receive a counteroffer. Should
you take it? |
| DoD
to Feed Army of Auditors |
02/18/05 |
| If
you've got a CPA and secret security clearance, Washington,
D.C. is about to become a very lucrative place for
you. The Department of Defense (DoD) has just let
an almost $1 billion contract to 20 accounting and
IT companies who will help the agency’s Office of
Inspector General earn clean audits from each of the
military services and dozens of defense agencies. |
| Get
Up to Speed on Sarbox |
02/18/05 |
| Many
readers have been writing in to ask about training
venues for Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, both in general
and in terms of Sarbox’s IT component. If you feel
you’re not up to snuff on the various Sarbanes-Oxley
Act requirements (can you say SOX 404?), or the technology
to help get the job done, there are conferences and
websites that can help. |
| CFOs
Take Sweet Time to Fill Jobs |
02/15/05 |
| The
typical chief financial officer takes four weeks to
fill a staff-level accounting position and six weeks
to bring a new manager on board, according to a recent
survey from Robert Half International, Inc. |
| Ante
Up for Chief Risk Officers |
02/11/05 |
| Corporate
entities are beginning to realize that Kenny Rogers
was right all those years ago. You gotta know when
to hold ’em. Know when to fold ‘em. That’s why
they’re now hiring chief risk officers (CROs). |
| Financial
Planners Get Top Pay in Growing Sectors |
02/04/05 |
| Among
the alphabet soup of certifications for financial
planners - CPA, CLU, ChFC, CFP and more - there is
one constant: Those who earned the right to put those
initials after their names make more money than those
who didn't. |
| Ask
the Expert: How Can I Make My Sarbox Skills Convincing? |
02/01/05 |
| After
reading an article here on Sarbanes-Oxley auditors,
a job seeker wrote in for help on landing a job without
Big 4 experience. Read below for what our panel of
industry experts had to say. If you need some job
advice, your questions are put to our experts by Carol
Lippert Gray. |
| So
you want to be a CFO? |
01/27/05 |
| Be
prepared. Be versatile. Be articulate. And multitask.
In one day, you might be talking to anyone from your
CEO to a disgruntled shareholder, from the staff at
the SEC to your local plumber. |
| No
End to Internal Audit Hiring Spree in Sight |
01/11/05 |
| Looking
to increase your salary (and who isn't)? Geography,
education and experience levels, company size and
a CPA or graduate degree obviously enter the salary
equation. But two areas — Sarbanes-Oxley compliance
and fraud examination — are where the bigger bucks
are right now. |
| Mortgage
Banking Operations Staff Prepare for Layoffs |
01/11/05 |
| When
mortgage volume is off, as it was in 2004, mortgage
bankers are known for layoffs of operational staff.
Which back office employees are going to get the axe
first, where can they go, and what are the pay prospects? |
| Multiple
Offers for Internal Auditors Come With Pay Raises
|
01/11/05 |
| In
real estate, the mantra is location, location, location.
Today in corporate finance, the mantra is internal
audit, internal audit, internal audit – a direct
result of the new Sarbanes-Oxley legislation governing
corporate reporting and compliance. |
| Time
for Mortgage Producers to Jump Ship? |
01/11/05 |
| Rising
interest rates, declining conventional mortgage origination
volumes and the explosion of the subprime lending
market have mortgage banks hiring sales staff. |
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