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In
the News
Article Search
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
isnt just for the unemployed. As
more workers look over their shoulders
in anticipation of the dreaded tap,
theyre 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 youre 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:
Whats 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
Its
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 Worlds 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 protg 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 youve 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 moments 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
youll 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.
Heres how to avoid some of the most
common pitfalls.
Q&A:
Greg Burke, Chair, CalCPA 10/15/08
California
Society of CPAs Chair Greg Burke has
an ambitious agenda. At the top of
his list, Burke, wants to overhaul
educational requirements that are
beginning to restrict California CPAs
from practicing out of state and can
limit career opportunities. He also
wants to recruit more veteran accountants
to academia, and revamp committees
to address industry trends more quickly.
Craft
Cover Letters, Resumes that Earn You
a Second Look 10/10/08
If
you plan to make a job move soon distinguish
yourself from the thundering herd
of job-seekers that's building in
the market. You'll need a dazzling
cover letter and a brilliant resume:
a total package designed to sell your
skills and talents to potential employers.
Financial
Tumult Pressures N.Y. Area CPAs 10/08/08
Recent
staff cuts at some of the Big Four,
coupled with the woes in financial
services, are beginning to concern
the New York area's accounting community.
Are the Big Four simply performing
their usual annual pruning? Are CPAs
working in the financial services
industry vulnerable? The answers depend
on who you talk to, and what sort
of experience you're talking about.
Economic
Woes Color California Hiring Strategies
10/03/08
Although
Ernst & Young doesn't anticipating
making major changes to its business
plans in the region, the firm is adapting
its hiring strategy to address new
demands spawned by the growing financial
turmoil in the U.S.
Timing
the Transition to IFRS 10/01/08
Now
that the Securities and Exchange Commission
has set a 2011-2015 timetable for
moving from U.S. Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles to International
Financial Reporting Standards, how
long will it take the accounting world
to make the change?
Networking
Tips for Introverts 09/30/08
Effectively
building - and leveraging - a network
of professional contacts is essential
to your ultimate success. But if glad-handing
isn't your style, networking can look
like a high hurdle. The good news:
There are several ways to make effective
networking more comfortable.
Relocating
Means Negotiating the Best Package 09/29/08
You
live in Baltimore and you've been
offered two jobs: one in Kansas City
and the other in Columbus. The jobs
pay the same, but the company in Kansas
City will pay your relocation expenses.
How hard will your wallet be hit if
you decide Ohio's the place for you?
The
Initial Interview: Don't Be Screened
Out 09/26/08
Every
interview I've had began with an initial
phone screen, where the HR person/internal
recruiter wanted to assess basic skills
for the job and asked a few internal
assessment questions. The skills questions
should be a slam-dunk, as they're
almost always just an extension of
the job requirements. The internal
assessment questions, however, can
be potentially dangerous. You need
take care not to be screened out of
the next round of interviews.
Succession
Plans Offer Opportunities to Firm
Staff 09/24/08
As
accountants age and look for exit
strategies from the firms they own,
their succession plans become key
factors to consider for those looking
to move up the ranks and perhaps takeover
the business.
Near-Term
Stability for Wall Street Accountants 09/23/08
The
move by Morgan Stanley and Goldman
Sachs to convert to bank holding companies
will mean more work for accounting
and compliance professionals in the
short run, but may lead to eventual
layoffs, industry observers say.
CareerWire:
Good Time to Switch 09/22/08
If
you've been considering moving to
another sector, the time might be
right. As long as you're switching
into the right industry, of course.
What's
Behind Layoffs at the Big Four 09/19/08
Recent
layoffs at Deloitte weren't the first
cuts made by a Big Four firm this
year, but they were the most highly
publicized. Every year, Big Four and
next-tier firms have layoffs, but
they do them in small pieces, spread
them out geographically, and tend
not to send out press releases about
them.
Tech
Skills Become Vital to Accounting
Careers 09/16/08
It's
a given you have finance and accounting
skills. But what's the next most important
item in your career tool belt? If
you'd asked CFOs that question five
years go, they would have said "operations."
But today, they'll answer "technology."
N.Y.
Area CPAs Face the Economy 09/12/08
Accounting
professionals in New York and New
Jersey are often seen as immune to
changes in the financial markets,
bumps in the economy and even employment
changes on Wall Street. Skilled CPAs,
after all, are always in demand. Aren't
they?
Ins
and Outs of Contract Accounting 09/10/08
Accountants
who want the stimulation of multiple
clients but not the long hours of
public accounting may find they can
have it all by working for a contract
accounting firm. But, as those who
run such companies warn, project-based
work isn't for everyone.
California
Aids Prospective Academics 09/09/08
As
part of an effort to address a shortage
of accounting professors in California,
CalCPA is expanding its program to
help accountants interested in academia
shoulder the costs of their studies.
CareerWire:
Layoff At Deloitte 09/08/08
It's
now official: The slowing economy
is impacting demand for accounting
work. So says Deloitte & Touche,
the first of the Big Four to announce
a mass layoff this business cycle.
Our
Take: Age Matters 09/03/08
Recently,
two sports stories caught my eye by
showcasing opposite poles of an issue
many financial services professionals
grapple with every day: the perceived
relationship between job performance
and age.
CPAs
Need Communications Skills to Advance 09/01/08
Communication
skills are more important than ever
when it comes to climbing the corporate
ladder. But what are accountants to
do, when they spend more time number
crunching than dealing directly with
people or learning to write effectively?
The answer: Learn the communication
skills you need to rise to the next
level.
Tune
Up Your Grammar 08/27/08
Is
your resume grammatically correct?
For many job seekers, writing a flawless
resume is difficult enough, yet nothing
is more important. If it contains
grammatical errors, reviewers may
surmise you're uneducated, lack good
communication skills or attention
to detail.
Making
the Move to Public Accounting 08/26/08
Accountants
who move back and forth between the
public and corporate worlds can maintain
- and even boost - their salaries,
but only if they have the right combination
of credentials and experience.
Where
You Went Wrong 08/22/08
It's
been months since you started looking
for a job and you still haven't found
anything. Wondering where you're going
wrong?
Tracing
The Career of Wikimedia's CFO 08/20/08
California's
many non-profit and education organizations
offer some of the best opportunities
for CPAs who want to advance their
careers. Veronique Kessler has spent
most of the past decade - more than
half her career - working for such
organizations.
Creating
Your Personal Career Vision 08/19/08
In
an earlier post, I explained why it's
important to create a "Personal Career
Vision" before you leap into a job
search. Once you've done that, it's
time to stop the daily mad rush, reflect
on where you've been and where you
are now, and assess where it is you
want to end up.
How
to Stand Out, Make Friends, and Influence
People 08/15/08
We
all want to be the whiz kid, the one
whose brilliance makes us stand out.
Ironically, deep down inside, we resent
the very type of person we aspire
to be. In other words, standing out
has its dangers. Here's how to deal
with them.
Economy
Pressures Accountants' Optimism. Should
It? 08/13/08
A
shaky global economy, rising oil prices
and falling home values have cut into
the optimism that accounting and finance
professionals typically report when
asked about their employment prospects.
CareerWire:
Broadening the Mission 08/11/08
A
growing number of CPA firms are taking
a wider view of their business. Beyond
obvious extensions like tax planning
and business consulting, some are
offering marketing and communications
services.
Our
Take: Be Humble 08/08/08
Humility
helps. Haughtiness hurts. That's a
message I'm hearing with increasing
frequency when career experts discuss
interviewing skills.
Fundamentals
of the Functional Resume 08/06/08
If
you have a background that's not traditional
for an accountant, or you're considering
a career change, the Functional Resume
Format may be your best option.
In
California, Hint of a Slowdown - But
Just a Hint 08/05/08
The
slumping economy may be impacting
hiring at West Coast CPA firms. One
hint: The managing partner at one
of Los Angeles's largest full-service
accounting firms says he won't be
hiring as much as he has in the recent
past.
CareerWire:
Who's Watching Whom? 08/04/08
When
you work at home, do you think you
have more privacy than at the office.
Maybe you do. But, then, maybe you
don't.
Tax,
Business Consulting Grows in N.Y. 08/01/08
Outside
of traditional accounting firms New
York and New Jersey CPAs are finding
growing opportunities at specialized
tax and business consulting practices.
To succeed, accountants must learn
to play up their marketing, communications,
and negotiation skills.
Risk
Management Jobs in Chicago 07/29/08
As
the credit markets continue to deteriorate
and large financial institutions tighten
controls, a number of Chicago firms
are seeking risk management professionals
in many specialties.
Podcast:
Earning the CMA Credential 07/25/08
Listen
in as the Institute of Management
Accountants ' John M. Brausch, CMA,
CFM, CPA, talks with Contributing
Editor Dona DeZube about obtaining
the Certified Management Accountant
credential, including his experience
in preparing for the exams.
The
Value of a Personal Career Vision 07/23/08
If
you think you'll be happier in your
career simply by switching companies,
think again. To be successful and
love your work, you'll need more than
a job. Before you focus on resume
writing, networking, and job hunting,
you'll need what I call a "personal
career vision" - a tangible blueprint
of the direction you want your life
to take.
E&Y
Shuffles Executives in the West 07/22/08
CPAs
seeking Big Four experience in Southern
California and the Southwest will
have to reshuffle their contact files
after a chain reaction of promotions
in three of Ernst & Young's major
Western offices.
CareerWire:
Poll Finds Robust Job Market 07/21/08
The
accounting job market remains as strong
as ever, in the view of most respondents
to a JobsintheMoney poll. However,
32 percent saw some degree of slowing.
Salaries
Up, But Gender Gap Widens 07/18/08
The
Institute of Management Accountants'
2007 salary survey uncovered both
good news and bad news for accountants.
The good news: Average salary for
IMA members now tops $100,000, having
risen 6.9 percent last year. The bad
news: The gap increased between men's
and women's pay.
Credentials
as a Lever into Management 07/16/08
If
you're interested in moving into management,
credentials can often provide the
boost you need. A designation can
move your resume to the top of the
pile but you'll still have to win
the job during the interview process.
Northeast
Mergers Impact Staff Loyalty 07/15/08
Just
when it seemed that merger mania was
over, the New York and New Jersey
metro region saw a crop of announcements
of CPA firm combinations. Accountants
facing the tumult that goes along
with such changes should remember
they have options: Being under demand
means the "loyal to the end" staff
accountant may be a thing of the past.
CareerWire:
Firm Aims to Double Its Staff 07/14/08
Mitchell
& Titus, the nation's largest
minority-controlled accounting firm,
looks to add about 150 people to its
staff over the next three years under
incoming CEO Anthony Kendall.
Globalization
Impacts Diversity Programs 07/11/08
Globalization
of operations, products and services
means multinational firms must redefine
the nature of their diversity programs.
But morphing inclusion policies present
benefits and challenges to both companies
and local employees.
Is
Forensic Accounting for You? 07/09/08
Bribery
involving a Fortune 500 and a foreign
government. Untangling the next Enron.
For an auditor with a few years of
experience, forensic accounting and
litigation support (F&L) can be
an exciting career option.
Calif.
FBI Offices Seek Accountants 07/08/08
California
CPAs looking for a different career
path might consider - the FBI. Its
offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco
and other cities are seeking accountants
to work in areas such as counter-terrorism,
drug enforcement and corporate crime.
Do
I Need a Resume if I'm Not Looking
For a Job? 07/07/08
Ask
the Expert: "I'm a manager in the
finance department of a mid-sized,
private firm and haven't had a resume
since college. One of my colleagues
says I should have one. I'm not looking
for a job, so why would this be important?"
Moving
onto the Management Track 07/02/08
If
you're happy where you work, your
near-term goals probably include a
move up into management. In that case,
you need to prepare by picking up
new skills and possibly more credentials.
CFOs
See Concern Over Long Hours 07/01/08
Accounting
and financial professionals have never
enjoyed short hours and light workloads,
but have things gotten even worse
in recent years? According to a new
survey by Accountemps, one in three
chief financial officers (35 percent,
to be precise) cited heavy workloads
as the top workplace concern for their
financial teams.
CareerWire:
Another Angle on IFRS 06/30/08
When
the time arrives to transition to
International Financial Reporting
Standards, accounting program curricula
and the CPA exams could prove a potential
Achilles heel.
Little
Compliance Hiring in Chicago 06/27/08
While
compliance jobs at all levels abound
in New York, San Francisco and other
parts of the U.S., in Chicago the
market remains sluggish.
In
Getting Ahead, Your Words Count 06/25/08
A
career in finance presupposes that
you're good with numbers. To get ahead,
you have to be good with words, too.
That's not to say you have to be F.
Scott Fitzgerald, but you do have
to convey your thoughts, plans and
data clearly, concisely and in a jargon-free
style that any audience can understand.
Plus, you want to write in a way that
makes you look good.
Standing
Out from the Competition 06/24/08
What
are the likely trends in the California
job market for the remainder of 2008?
What should job seekers be doing to
boost their prospects - in the short
and long terms?
Our
Take: Watch What You Say 06/20/08
Our
topic sounds like old hat in the context
of a job interview. But many tried-and-true
rules of interview behavior are just
as valid for other professional situations.
From
Public to Private - Accounting, That
Is 06/17/08
With
demand so high, today's accountants
have an enormous number of opportunities
to choose from when shifting their
career gears. Once you've got some
experience under your belt, you can
pursue any number of specialties that
match your strengths and interests.
So how do you plot your direction?
In part, the answer depends on where
you started your career and where
you sit now.
Female
CFOs Dissected 06/11/08
What
qualities does a woman need to make
it to CFO of a major corporation?
Tech
Skills Gives CPAs a Leg Up 06/10/08
While
CPA firms in New York and New Jersey
are beefing up their business advisory
and consulting arms, they need more
than accounting and business talent.
They're looking for business experts
who are tech-savvy, and able to understand
how IT efforts can benefit accounting
and business processes.
Accounting
Job Market Holds Steady 06/06/08
A
new survey shows the accounting job
market appears to be holding steady,
with employers neither increasing
or decreasing their staff.
Our
Take: Active Job Search Techniques 06/04/08
Recently
we explained our philosophy of career
planning and growth, which can be
summed up as "active career management."
Now, here are some techniques to help
you maximize expected returns from
the effort you put into your job search.
New
Designation for Fraud Experts 06/03/08
Accountants
seeking to bolster their forensic
and litigation-support credentials
have a new option starting this fall,
when the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants launches its Certified
in Financial Forensics designation.
Number
of New CPAs Soars in Bay State 05/30/08
The
number of people that have passed
the Massachusetts CPA exam rose by
more than 66 percent in 2007, according
to the Massachusetts Society of Certified
Public Accountants. The jump comes
in the wake of changes to state regulations.
Accountants
Dodge Wall Street Layoffs 05/28/08
CPAs
in New York and New Jersey often face
the unenviable task of delivering
bad news to a company's management.
The region's financial services firms,
after all, are in the midst of contraction,
hit by the credit crunch, the sub-prime
blowout and a variety of regulatory
pressures. While being the bearer
of bad tidings certainly takes a toll,
accountants in the financial world
are by and large being spared one
thing: layoff notices.
Stopping
Bullies at Work 05/23/08
Studies
find bullying is alive and well in
the workplace. Learn strategies for
coping.
San
Francisco Firm Relies on Organic Growth
05/20/08
Some
CPA firms succeed by being all things
to all people: Their growth stems
from their ability to serve a varied
clientele. Others focus on narrow
specialties, and develop their staffs
to thrive in the challenges posed
by their target industries.
Learning
by Doing Overseas 05/16/08
When
it comes to cultural awareness, immersion
in a country's daily life beats reading
about it every time. That's the thinking
behind a new KPMG program that puts
interns into short-term international
assignments the year before they graduate.
When
Following Up, Persistence Pays 05/15/08
Would
you call a prospective employer 63
times if your calls weren't picked
up or returned? How about 24 times
over a two-year period?
CareerWire:
SOX Workload Under Control 05/12/08
Although
demand for auditors won't vanish any
time soon, the quantity of work needed
to fulfill the much-feared Sarbanes-Oxley
Section 404 requirements appears to
have peaked.
Our
Take: Your Portfolio, Your Career 05/09/08
"Career
path." That's a phrase often spoken
by HR staffers eager to show young
employees that management is meeting
their need for professional growth.
Does the phrase mean anything - or
is it simply hot air?
N.Y./N.J.
Firms Bulk Up Offerings Through Associations 05/07/08
A
number of CPA firms in the New York/New
Jersey area are joining together in
alliances that allow them to access
expertise they might not ordinarily
have. These non-profit associations
illustrate a new tactic in facing
today's shortage of accountants.
Spanish
Ability Aids California CPAs 05/06/08
California
CPAs may want to consider boning up
on their Spanish as a career-advancement
strategy. With the state's Latino
population growing rapidly, accounting
firms are serving more Hispanic-owned
businesses and Latin American companies
seeking to expand in the U.S.
'Authenticity'
Serves Women Executives Well 05/02/08
Women
who rise to the upper levels of business
follow the same recipe for success
as men as they combine vision, intellect,
guts and hard work with their ability
to influence others. They also add
another ingredient: authenticity.
Chicago
CPAs and Accountants in Demand 04/29/08
Recruiters
and accounting firm insiders report
a strong demand for accountants and
CPAs in public accounting, the corporate
market, and financial services and
alternative investment firms in Chicago.
Real
Paths to the CFO's Chair 04/25/08
Forget
everything you've heard. The road
to the CFO's chair doesn't always
pass through public accounting firms
and big company detours that could
leave you stranded, staring at spreadsheets
in your cubicle for decades. Here's
some advice from two CFOs about how
to break into the management game.
'Fairness
Opinion' Expertise Sought in N.Y. 04/22/08
New
York and New Jersey CPAs with fairness
opinion expertise are in hot demand.
Just what's driving the boom, and
what skill sets are needed to get
into this growing area of accounting?
San
Francisco Firm on Fast Track 04/18/08
CPA
job seekers on the look-out for firms
on the rise take notice. Burr Pilger
and Mayer took top honors as California's
fastest growing accounting firm in
2007. In a state with firms like Armanino
McKenna, Holthouse Carlin & Van
Trigt, and Novogradac & Co. posting
20 to 30 percent gains - or more -
that's no small feat.
Call
Me Anything I Want 04/16/08
Would
you jump to a new firm if it agreed
to give you any title you wanted?
Like, say, Chief of the Known Accounting
Universe? Don't laugh. More companies
are dangling "chief" titles as lures
to keep current leaders onboard as
well as to entice new employees.
CareerWire:
Working Abroad 04/14/08
A
Chicago-area magazine describes some
day-to-day concerns of Big Four accountants
temporarily posted to India, Europe,
Australia and elsewhere.
Tech-Risk
Experts Needed in New York 04/11/08
Considering
the nature of business today and the
growth of legal and financial reporting
requirements, it's not surprising
technology risk professionals are
needed by many corporations. The demand
is especially critical in the New
York and New Jersey area.
When
Negotiating, Look Beyond Base and
Bonus 04/09/08
Even
in a ragged job market, candidates
who get job offers can improve them.
The key is being flexible about what
you ask for - and having the confidence
to ask in the first place.
How
Accountants See Jobs in Non-Profits 04/08/08
Compared
to the rest of the people working
in the non-profit sector, accounting
and finance professionals are more
likely to be male, have an MBA and
work in middle management.
California
Firms Leverage Growth 04/04/08
Fast
growth has been a common theme among
California accounting firms. In Accounting
Today's annual survey of the country's
largest firms, four in the Golden
State were among the 20 fastest growing.
Revenues at Burr, Pilger & Mayer,
Armanino McKenna, Novogradac &
Co. and Holthouse Carlin & Van
Trigt each rose by at least 23 percent.
Master's
Program at Western Washington 04/02/08
Western
Washington University's College of
Business and Economics and Department
of Accounting will unveil a new Master
of Professional Accounting program
tonight.
Despite
Crunch, Hedge Funds Hire Accountants 04/01/08
Discussion
of hedge fund careers usually focuses
on portfolio management, where top
performers enjoy rock-star status
and routinely pull seven- or eight-figure
incomes. But funds' need for additional
bodies actually is strongest in supporting
roles - like accounting.
Detroit
Firm's Focus is Over the Horizon 03/28/08
Clayton
& McKervey serves only middle-market
entrepreneurs who want to expand globally.
Such focus makes it easy to train
employees, but harder to find the
accountants it wants: Those who already
know both IFRS and GAAP.
Show
Up, Show Off, Get On The Team 03/25/08
Globalization
and increased regulation are making
business more complex and causing
multifaceted challenges for large
and mid-sized businesses. To face
them, more companies are creating
cross-functional teams that include
professionals from a variety of disciplines.
This means opportunity for candidates
who can be effective team players
as well as great technicians.
CPAs
Eyes Jobs as Recruiters, Consultants 03/19/08
For
many New York-New Jersey CPAs, saying
goodbye to the 80-hour work week entails
leaving their corporate, Big Four
or regional firm to pursue jobs at
small consulting firms, specialized
recruiters, and others.
Seven
Signs You're Getting Good Training 03/18/08
Virtually
every accounting firm offers training,
but not all firms offer great training.
Take this quiz to find out if you're
getting just training - or really
great training.
CareerWire:
The IRS Got There First 03/17/08
Some
people say working for the IRS isn't
glamorous, but it was the Service's
investigators who first suspected
something was amiss in (former) N.Y.
Gov. Eliot Spitzer's financial records.
It just led them in a direction they
didn't expect to go.
Roundup:
Executive Moves in the Northeast 03/13/08
The
AICPA steps up its campaign for mobility
laws, while Thomas Rollauer joins
Deloitte's regulatory and capital
team and Benjamin Gadon becomes a
tax partner at New York's Mahoney
Cohen & Company.
Few
Women See Financial Workplace Gains 03/12/08
Nearly
all women working in finance believe
they are paid less than men for the
same work, and most don't feel they've
made much progress when it comes to
issues of parity.
Corporate
Options Abound in N.Y., N.J. 03/11/08
Accountants
in the New York-New Jersey area are
fast becoming well-respected experts
in business issues beyond accounting,
and are gearing up for choice spots
in the boardroom.
CFOs
See Slowdown in Hiring 03/05/08
Chief
financial officers expect hiring activity
in accounting and finance to slow
during the second quarter, with the
great majority seeing no change in
their hiring levels at all.
The
Ins and Outs of International Assignments 02/27/08
You're
no longer competing only against the
accountant in the next cubicle, now
you have to beat out the accountant
in the next country, according to
a survey of more the 850 C-suite executives
in the U.S., the European Union and
Asia.
Q&A:
Kenn McFarland, CPA, Hospital CFO 02/26/08
"Young
accountants don't want to make decisions
because they want to do more analysis.
I got some wonderful advice: Don't
be afraid to make the decision. You've
got to have it in your head but you've
got to move with your heart."
The
Art of Effective Presentations 02/22/08
Although
speaking in public frightens many
people, it can help you gain visibility
and exposure, and increase your chances
of getting that new job or promotion.
Hedge
Funds Expected to Add CPAs 02/20/08
Hedge
funds in New York and New Jersey need
CPAs who can handle risk management.
Even in the midst of the credit crunch
- and maybe because of it - funds
will bring on board more accountants
as they mature and receive more scrutiny.
CareerWire:
Recruiting Tools and Challenges 02/19/08
Separate
surveys by BDO Seidman, Robert Half
and a professional association took
different tacks to quantify the challenges
of recruiting and retaining accounting
talent, and the best tools for doing
so.
Switch
Jobs During Tax Season? 02/15/08
With
so many empty seats to fill, public
accounting firms may be willing to
overlook a candidate's willingness
to jump during the busy season. But
that doesn't mean doing so is a good
idea.
Roundup:
Mergers and Promotions 02/14/08
Flexible
scheduling is losing ground as a recruiting
tool. Dixon Hughes absorbs a Memphis
firm, while Archer Daniels Midland,
CNET and Conn's name new CFOs.
Merger
Trend Can Impact Careers 02/12/08
If
you work in a small CPA firm, would
your career suffer if your employer
were to merge with a larger organization?
If you think so, you'd better start
preparing now.
CareerWire:
PwC Tops Professor's Survey 02/11/08
Accounting
professors ranked PricewaterhouseCoopers
first among the Global Seven accounting
firms in an annual poll that covers
various dimensions including client
service, staff training, ethics and
compensation, and ranks employers
separately in each.
Shrunken
Bonuses Spark Grumbling In New York
Area 02/08/08
Accountants
in financial services firms in New
York and New Jersey remain secure
in their positions. But with all of
the flux going on in the sector, they're
beginning to feel a tad discontented.
Roundup:
Mergers, Moves Across U.S. 02/06/08
The
hiring landscape's still good, CFOs
are sweating about recruitment, and
firms are making business moves from
Texas to California.
Pay
Moving Higher in California 02/05/08
Why
are California employers nervous?
Because a whole lot of accountants
are open to the idea of changing jobs,
and their replacements are nowhere
in sight.
Opportunities
in Healthcare Companies 02/01/08
Whatever's
happening in the economy, healthcare
companies continue to need accountants
to keep business going and handle
a maze of regulation.
Roundup:
Firm Mergers, Hires, Promotions 01/30/08
CPA
firms merge in South Florida, Chicago,
Long Island, N.Y., and Fort Worth.
In Tucson, a local CPA firm adds two
staff accountants, while an industrial
firm names a permanent CFO.
What
Mid-Size Firms Seek in California 01/25/08
Despite
the slump in real estate and worries
about the economy, the market for
accountants in Los Angeles and Orange
County shows few signs of tailing
off. Several small- and mid-sized
firms will be adding employees in
upcoming months, and even beyond.
The
View From Over 50 01/24/08
Twenty
one percent of the U.S. workforce
will be 55 or older by 2014, says
the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
So if you feel superannuated among
your Gen X and Y colleagues, you've
got age-appropriate company. And the
good news is: Employers will value
your experience.
Volunteering:
More than 'Feeling Good' 01/22/08
Too
busy for volunteer work? There's a
reason you may want to find time to
squeeze some in: It can boost your
career, and even help you be a better
accountant.
Demand
Rising from N.Y. Non-Profits 01/18/08
Large
not-for-profit associations and philanthropic
organizations pick the Big Apple as
a key spot to locate. For area CPAs
with the right credentials, the nonprofit
sector holds good, though specialized,
opportunities.
A
New Way to Injure Yourself Online 01/14/08
Job-seekers
are often urged to ramp up their use
of online tools like personal Web
sites, social networking, live-blogging
and mobile, Web-based email. Just
as with physical tools, however, using
any relatively new product poses a
risk of self-injury.
CareerWire:
Sleep Working 01/14/08
If
your firm can't find the accountants
it needs, guess who's going to keep
things moving? That's right. You are.
Midsize
Firms Act to Retain Young Accountants 01/09/08
To
keep junior staffers from bolting,
midsized accounting firms are moving
to provide more feedback from managers,
formal input into firm decisions,
departmental and individual employee
work schedules calibrated to minimize
the 24/7 syndrome, and mentoring programs.
New
Skills Required for CFOs 01/08/08
If
you have designs on a chief financial
officer's office in California or
other points west, you'd be wise to
strengthen your communication and
other "softer" skills. The region's
employers are more likely to hire
executives who know how to present
information clearly and work well
with others. In other words, financial
skills aren't enough any more.
N.Y.
Area Mergers Driven by Need for Growth 01/07/08
New
York and New Jersey CPA firms are
still in the midst of a serious reshuffling,
as merger mania continues across the
Empire and Garden States. But even
an attractive merger deal can be fraught
with angst for accountants wary of
change.
Balance
at Deloitte 01/02/08
We
talk with Deloitte Services' Anne
C. Weisberg, a director specializing
in talent diversity, about the firm's
experience in keeping up with the
changing workforce.
Follow
Ups Are Important - Even When There's
No Reply 12/27/07
Conventional
wisdom says you should always follow
up with prospective employers after
you've sent them a resume or met them
for an interview. But many candidates
find such tactics fruitless: Either
they receive no response from their
actual contact, or find no way to
reach a live human being. We asked
Dawn Fay, a New York vice president
for recruiter Robert Half International,
how best to proceed.
CareerWire:
Escaping to Interview 12/26/07
If
you're job-hunting while working,
there are better options than using
your sick days to get away from your
office for job interviews.
'Average'
Monthly Confidence Among Accounting
Workers Gained in 2007 12/21/07
Employee
confidence looks to end 2007 at a
record low among both accounting and
finance workers and the overall U.S.
population, according to one widely
followed monthly survey. But connoisseurs
of rear-view-mirror driving can take
comfort from this: averaged throughout
the first 11 months of 2007, the monthly
Hudson Employment Index slightly exceeded
the monthly average for 2006.
More
Risk Opportunities for N.Y. Area CPAs 12/20/07
Management
accountants in the New York metropolitan
area are finding increasing opportunities
in the burgeoning field of enterprise
risk management. But the jobs require
the right combination of technical,
financial, industry, and managerial
savvy.
Introverted?
Consider Accounting and Auditing 12/19/07
Opportunities
for accountants and auditors are expected
to grow more than 22 percent between
now and 2014, which may be good news
for people who want to strike a balance
between working with others and working
alone.
CareerWire:
Tips for Career Changers 12/17/07
Thinking
of changing careers? When it comes
to making a plan, you've got to sweat
the details. That and more in this
week's CareerWire.
Office
Politics and You 12/12/07
Pam
Hedges has spent nearly thirty years
advising senior executives - including
CFOs, controllers and other financial
executives in a range of industries
- about how to do their jobs better.
Among her themes: being "politically
competent" in the workplace by building
strong ties with people, including
subordinates and peers.
Big
Four Diversity Programs: A Wrap-Up
12/11/07
The
Big Four initiated diversity programs
before much of the finance world.
But just what do those efforts consist
of today? In recent interviews, the
firms offered up details of their
current programs.
Calif.
CPA Focuses Practice on 'Special Needs'
Families 12/07/07
Some
California accountants believe they
don't have many options when it comes
to what industries or areas they cover.
But a few have broadened the playing
field by creating practices around
their own outside interests or causes.
N.Y.
Area Litigation Experts in Demand 12/05/07
Area
CPAs acting as litigation experts
are enjoying prosperity as New York
and New Jersey accounting firms and
corporations lean more heavily on
their specialized skills.
Matchmaker,
Matchmaker, Get Me a Job 12/04/07
Fiddler
on the Roof had Yenta, the matchmaker.
The corporate world has recruiters.
Same principle, slightly different
parameters. But if you want to find
a job you love, developing a relationship
with a recruiter, says Heidrick and
Struggles' Michele Heid, "is a phenomenal
idea."
CareerWire:
Ethics and the Real World 12/03/07
Some
recent surveys indicate the push toward
corporate responsibility may not be
as strong as many say - at least as
far as job-hunters are concerned.
Is
This Job Offer for Real? 12/02/07
How
do you protect yourself from fake
job offers you might receive from
spammers? Here are some tips.
It's
Not About Balance - It's About Reality 11/30/07
Notoriously
long hours, detail-oriented work,
and considerable face time are parts
and parcels of the CPA's working life.
For accounting firms, changing this
kind of culture may be even more important
than money in the quest for new hires.
'Responsibility'
Reporting Poised to Widen? 11/28/07
Corporations
and investors are increasingly adopting
environmental, social and governance
measures of performance, alongside
the usual financial ones. That means
expanded career opportunities for
internal auditors, management consultants
and other professionals who can apply
a new generation of non-financial
reporting tools. The activities of
finance departments and external auditors
will be affected as well. But it's
going to happen slowly.
Area
Accountants Feel Wall Street's Pain 11/27/07
With
record write-downs reported at large
banks and investment firms, many of
which are headquartered in the tri-state
region, it's not surprising that hiring
is slowing down. New York, New Jersey
and Connecticut accountants needn't
rush to these firms looking for a
golden opportunity, at least not in
the short-term.
Getting
Credit When Credit is Due 11/21/07
You're
doing all the work and someone else
is taking all the credit. It's not
only unfair, but it may affect your
career. Handling the situation requires
tact, diplomacy and a plan.
How
Clothes Make the Accountant 11/20/07
In
California, most accounting firms
favor business casual attire. Staples
of twentieth century office life -
like ties and jackets for men or hosiery
for women are largely passe. So,
what do the well-dressed accountants
wear? Pay attention if you want to
look the part.
What
to do With Ethical Questions 11/16/07
If
you stay in finance and accounting
long enough, someone is going to ask
you to fudge something. What should
you do? First, clarify the situation,
then refuse to act unethically and
seek input from outside sources and
people further up the chain of command.
Network
Your Way to the Top 11/15/07
"I
can find my next job all by myself"
is one myth that needs to be exploded,
say search experts. The old conventional
wisdom, "It's not what you know, it's
who you know," is alive and well.
So get out of your chair, into some
social and professional events, and
nurture your network.
How
Long Should Your Resume Be? 11/14/07
For
any resume, a key to success is length
- or lack of it. It's critical to
understand not only how a resume is
reviewed, but what its length says
about your professionalism.
CareerWire:
How You View Networking 11/12/07
Online
or offline, on LinkedIn or through
e-mail, many accountants and financial
professionals understand the importance
of keeping in touch.
Conflict
Resolution Skills Can Boost Careers 11/09/07
While
accountants are used to helping clients
solve difficult problems, they're
often less adept at resolving issues
within their own firms. Reserved by
nature, they tend to shy away from
conflict and let situations fester.
What they may not realize is the ability
to resolve disagreements can be a
great tool in developing their careers.
Success
with Telephone Interviews 11/08/07
Telephone
interviews can be trying. There are
no visual cues from the interviewer,
no body language to read and, in some
cases, you've got to answer questions
posed by a panel of voices over conference
lines or speaker phones. Here's some
tips on engaging successfully - long-distance
or local.
How
to Leapfrog the Pay Scale 11/07/07
Through
a recruiter, a former co-worker got
an offer for 30 percent more than
he was making. His employer offered
him 50 percent more to stay. How do
you orchestrate a deal like that for
yourself?
Ask
the Expert: How to Find Solid References
11/02/07
"I've
interviewed for a position with a
company that wants to contact my current
employer for a reference. Obviously,
I don't want anyone in my firm to
know I'm looking for a new job, in
case I decide to stay put. However,
I've worked here for the last 15 years,
and so no other references seem relevant.
What should I do?"
Accounting
Workers' Confidence Slides 11/01/07
Accounting
and finance workers' confidence appears
to be swinging downward more steeply
than among the U.S. adult population
as a whole, new surveys show.
Relocating
Means Negotiating the Best Package 10/31/07
You
live in Baltimore and you've been
offered two jobs: one in Kansas City
and the other in Columbus. The jobs
pay the same, but the company in Kansas
City will pay your relocation expenses.
How hard will your wallet be hit if
you decide Ohio's the place for you?
Calif.
CPAs Meld Tech, Accounting Skills
10/30/07
The
use of technology for business is
opening up new job opportunities for
California CPAs. Consider the growing
number of consultancies that need
CPAs to help implement and support
business management software. The
work can be stimulating for accountants
who want to try something beyond public
firms or private industry.
CareerWire:
Networking Survival 10/29/07
Networking
is an important - most would say critical
- tool to use in managing your career.
Yes, there are drawbacks to it. But
there are ways to address the downsides.
It
Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
10/26/07
The
new job sounded perfect: a great working
environment, the right amount of travel
and an exciting accounting challenge.
But a month after you started, you
realize the working environment is
toxic, the travel is non-stop and
your biggest challenge is figuring
out what to do about it.
Accountants'
Starting Salaries Pushed Higher 10/25/07
Starting
salaries for accounting and finance
professionals are expected to increase
an average of 4.3 percent in 2008,
according to Robert Half International's
2008 Salary Guide. Public accountants,
financial analysts and internal auditors
are expected to see the largest gains.
Employers
Open to Jobless CPAs 10/24/07
With
a dearth of talent on the market,
companies in the New York metro area
are considering candidates they might
not have looked at before. That's
good news for CPAs who got pushed
out of large firms for growing too
old, and for mass-layoff victims.
Q&A:
Jerrold Pellizzon, CFO, Ceradyne Inc. 10/23/07
"I
don't think you can be focused on
just being the guy who crunches numbers.
It's the analytics that you need to
put together with those numbers. To
quantify something is great but you
have to look at the quality aspect
of something. I think a lot of times
financial people are stuck on the
quantifying approach too much."
Accounting,
Job Security, and You 10/19/07
Pretend
you're a techie: Someone offers you
a raise or even just an opportunity
to work with a product that's new
and cool. You'll probably happily
leap to the new job. But you're an
accountant. Someone offers you $10,000
more a year, and maybe - maybe - you'll
consider their offer. What's up with
that?
Should
You Take Notes in an Interview? 10/18/07
If
a job interview is an exchange of
information, is it proper for you
to take notes during the conversation?
It depends who you ask. We checked
with a variety of career authorities
and received a diversity of answers.
Firm
Merging? Your Job's Probably Safe
10/17/07
The
perpetual search for talent and leadership
is propelling a wave of mergers and
acquisitions among accounting firms.
If your shop is involved, should you
be concerned about your job?
Ask
the Expert: Waiting for the Right
Offer 10/16/07
"I've
been offered a job at one firm, but
also interviewed for a position at
another, a place where I'd prefer
working. How do I hold off replying
to the first firm until I have a sense
of what's happening at my first choice?"
N.Y.,
N.J. Companies Recruit Auditors Out-of-State
10/12/07
New
York and New Jersey recruiters are
looking high and low for CPA audit
pros as the field continues to churn
and burn staffers. Now, firms are
filling openings with folks from outside
the area - another sign the market
is red-hot.
Negotiating
Severance Upfront Can Be Tricky 10/11/07
If
you're a below-C-level employee, a
golden parachute may be beyond reach.
But you may be able to get a golden
umbrella that protects you if it starts
raining pink slips.
The
Job Hunt: Birth of a Salesman 10/10/07
Regardless
of your professional experience and
title, when you're job hunting you
become a salesman with one product:
you.
CareerWire:
Sometimes You Have to Sell 10/09/07
If
you prefer tooling through spreadsheets
or a QuickBooks problem to chatting
people up at a chamber of commerce
breakfast, you may need to make a
conscious effort get out more.
Firms
Venture into New Territories 10/05/07
Last
month, California-based Armanino McKenna
LLP ventured into new territory, launching
what could be the accounting industry's
first media consulting practice, Armanino
McKenna Foster. The move is just one
illustration of how some firms are
expanding their non-accounting services.
Considering
a Career Change? Plan Ahead 10/04/07
Many
career experts say modern workers
will have multiple careers over the
course of their lifetimes. Certainly
a number of accountants mull what
life would be like if they were focusing
on something besides tax returns and
accounting rules. But changing careers
is difficult. It requires a great
deal of perseverance, conviction and
quite frequently a temporary downshift
in lifestyle. However, the rewards
can be fruitful.
Move
to a Non-Profit With Open Eyes 10/03/07
If
you day dream about using your skills
to sway the electorate, shelter the
homeless or spread your religion,
a move into the non-profit sector
may brighten your workday. It'll also
lighten your wallet.
Calif.
Demand Strong, But Lags Other Areas 10/02/07
The
market for accountants and finance
professionals in California will remain
strong during the fourth quarter,
according to the latest Robert Half
International Hiring Index. But demand
will lag behind the regional and national
average in the state's four largest
cities.
CareerWire:
Listening to Your Critics 10/01/07
As
painful as it may be to listen to,
honest criticism can help improve
our performance on the job. Here are
some ways to spin negatives into positives.
Looking
for a New Job - Discreetly 09/26/07
Elizabeth
Taylor excepted, most people change
jobs more often than they do mates.
But no matter how many times you do
it, looking for a new position when
you already have one can be tricky.
CareerWire:
Thoughts on Diversity 09/24/07
Can
diversity programs succeed without
real culture change - change that
extends far beyond the offices of
accounting firms?
Mature
Workers: A New Challenge for Employers 09/23/07
By
the end of this decade, some 64 million
baby boomers will stare down the road
to retirement. This fact leaves some
companies facing an about-turn on
their employment practices.
Audit
Sector Outlook Remains Bright 09/21/07
Auditing
client companies' books was the traditional
raison d'etre of public accounting
firms. The growth of newer services
such as consulting, merger advice
and compliance testing has reinforced
the market power of both CPA firms
and the professionals who work in
them.
Choosing
a Resume Consultant 09/20/07
It's
a daunting task for anyone to prepare
a good resume, especially if you're
the kind of person that has difficulty
expressing yourself on paper. If you
are one of those people, or just figure
you'd like some help, does it make
sense to hire one of the countless
writers out there who profess to be
resume professionals?
Do
Minority Women Have a Reason to Stay? 09/19/07
For
many minority women, cultural challenges
and a feeling of exclusion make it
easy to leave their current firms.
They can empower themselves to succeed,
but many are asking if it's worth
it.
CFOs
Less Upbeat About Economy and Hiring 09/14/07
Business
sentiment among CFOs dived this quarter,
according to a survey by Duke University
and CFO magazine. A Duke finance professor
says the results raise the odds of
recession.
A
Blog on Certification Woes 09/13/07
Building
on the popularity of the Internet
as a form of communication for younger
CPAs and accounting students, the
New Jersey Society of CPAs' Web site
now features the Exam Cram Blog.
Fewer
Top-Level Shifts in Finance - For
Now 09/12/07
For
better or worse, if you work at a
giant public company your odds of
having a new CFO this year are the
lowest since 1995. But that's about
to change, a C-suite headhunter predicts.
Will
This Recruiter Get Me a Job? 09/11/07
Time
is money. So, should you make an investment
by interviewing with agency recruiters
when looking for a new opportunity?
The answer is yes - if the recruiter
has available jobs that match your
skill set and career goals.
United
Commercial Bank Adding Financial Staff 09/10/07
United
Commercial Bank is on the prowl. Over
the next year, the San Francisco-based
commercial bank wants to add to its
treasury and controller departments,
in positions ranging from low-middle
to more senior posts.
Ask
the Expert: How Do I Resign 'Professionally?' 09/06/07
"We've
had a management change at our firm,
and I am very unhappy with my new
supervisor. The one I worked with
for the last five months has just
disappeared. I'm planning to resign
and wonder whether I can do this verbally,
or must I write a resignation letter?"
In
Job-Hunting, Subtle is Best 09/05/07
Of
course, you want to stand out. But
when you're trying to convince a firm
you're the solution to their problems,
there's a fine line between creative
and weird.
To
Blog or Not to Blog? 08/30/07
Visibility
and Web-savvy are useful when job-hunting.
So, should you merge those goals by
starting your own financial Web site
or blog? In most situations, experts
say no.
Facing
the Tough Stuff 08/29/07
What
do Steven Jobs, Howard Stern and Terrell
Owens have in common? They've all
been fired. While at the time it seems
devastating, most people rebound after
termination and move on to new opportunities.
One thing is certain: To get your
next job you'll need to answer questions
about why you left your last one.
Compliance,
M&A Drive Hiring in N.Y., N.J. 08/28/07
Compliance
initiatives and merger and acquisition
work are driving CPA hiring in New
York and New Jersey. Meanwhile, professional
ethics remain in focus for Empire
State accountants, as the state's
industry association appoints the
first public member - a former New
York State comptroller- to its professional
ethics committee.
Certifications
Boost Pay for Management Accountants 08/17/07
Despite
demand, salaries for management accountants
have been rising only modestly. However,
bonuses and profit sharing are picking
up, and the money for those with relevant
certifications - like the CPA and
CFM - remains much higher than for
those without.
Calif.
Program Targets Industry CPAs 08/16/07
An
increasing number of CPAs have been
filling leadership roles in California's
non-accounting firms. Yet traditionally,
most programming from the state's
leading accounting organization has
targeted CPAs at public accounting
firms. Now, the California Society
of Certified Public Accountants thinks
it's fixed that.
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
ABN 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 ABN 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 Cities”… 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 Cities”… 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 Cities”… 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-out”
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.
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 “please” 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.
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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