Featured Online Content for October 2010
FEATURED VIDEO
Clarke Price, president and CEO of the Ohio Society of CPAs, is something of a techie. He has made it a habit to reach out to CPAs and other professionals for feedback on their favorite apps for everything from smartphones to the iPad. Hear why Price thinks it’s helpful to get in on the conversation about apps, even for devices you’re not using. He also discusses the growing importance of mobile technologies and cloud computing and the downside of waiting too long to upgrade systems or try new tools.
Also on journalofaccountancy.com, read “Tech Talk” columns on client portals and mobile technology options for CPAs. For an introduction to cloud computing, see “Cloud Computing: What Accountants Need to Know.”
ONLINE EXTRAS
VIDEO
The Importance of Knowing Your Worth
James Metzler, CPA, AICPA vice president–Small Firm Interests, discusses tips to help CPAs convey their value to clients and common mistakes to avoid during the value conversation.
FAQs
Proposed Revenue Recognition Standard
The AICPA published a set of frequently asked questions and answers on FASB and the IASB’s published exposure draft, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which is open for public comment until Oct. 22. Questions in the FAQ document address the time frame, major differences and in what scope the project will affect CPAs.
VIDEO
Hiring and Employment Outlook in Business and Industry
Carol Scott, AICPA vice president–Business, Industry and Government, analyzes results of the AICPA/UNC Kenan-Flagler Business & Industry Economic Outlook Survey, 3Q 2010. Nearly a quarter of the more than 1,500 CPA financial executives surveyed indicated their organizations had too few employees but are hesitating to hire until uncertainty regarding the economy is resolved. For more about the survey, click here.
SOCIAL MEDIA TIPS
Join a LinkedIn Group
LinkedIn is a popular website used by professionals to find past and present colleagues or search for networking or job opportunities. But it’s also a great place to connect with peers who have similar interests. The “Groups” feature on LinkedIn received an overhaul this year, making it easier to join discussions and share ideas on the topics you’re interested in.
To search for groups of interest, sign in to your LinkedIn account at LinkedIn.com. If you are not currently a LinkedIn member, there’s an option to create an account on the home page. Once you’re logged in, you can find groups in the Groups Directory, located at LinkedIn.com/groupsDirectory. There are options to search for groups by keyword, category (such as corporate, alumni or networking) or language in the left column. For example, a search for “AICPA” will give you the option of joining the official AICPA LinkedIn group, which is open to all AICPA members. Just click “Join this group” to the right of the group name.
Upon joining a group, take some time to observe the group and its members. What sorts of topics are discussed? How do group members interact with one another? Under the “Discussions” tab, you can look at the most popular discussions to get a sense of the group’s dynamics. Some groups also offer a job board (under the “Jobs” tab), plus there’s the option of searching for specific group members by name or keyword (under the “Members” tab).
For more social media tips, visit facebook.com/JournalofAccountancy and click the “Tips” tab.
More from the JofA:
