Changing jobs this year may get you not only a better position, but also a bigger paycheck. The 2008 Salary Guide from Robert Half International predicts a 4.3% increase in starting salaries for accounting and finance professionals this year, with public accountants, financial analysts and internal auditors seeing the largest
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Professional development
Expanding the Ranks of African-American CPAs
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) and the Howard University School of Business Center for Accounting Education (CAE) in June 2007 convened the CPA Examination Summit, a gathering designed to identify ways to fill the pipeline of future CPAs with African-American accountants who are ready
Effective Interviewers Snatch Candidates and Competitive Edge
Employers are reporting the lowest interview-to-hire ratio in 17 years, with 3.9 new college graduates interviewed for every hire they make. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, increased efficiency in the screening process allows employers to concentrate on a select few candidates at the interview stage. In
Notice to Interviewers: Turn On the Charm
CAREERS AND RECRUITINGWith two-thirds of job seekers reporting that interviewers influence their decision to accept or decline job offers, untrained and aloof interviewers may be a company’s own worst enemy. In a Development Dimensions International and Monster survey of 3,725 job seekers, respondents identified several annoying interviewer behaviors, including: Acting
Practical Training Tips for Smaller Firms
Implementing a training program in a smaller firm does not require a significant financial investment and can be done without hiring a trainer. A standardized training process can help ensure that all new employees coming into the firm are on the same page and improve retention. Consider these tips for
Internships Let You Try Before You Hire
It’s impossible to learn everything you want to know from a potential employee’s resume and an interview. That’s why internship programs can be a valuable way for students and employers to get to know each other before making a big commitment. But just how effective are internships as a test
CPAs as Corporate Directors
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Section 407 of SOX requires public company disclosure of “financial expert” participation on an audit committee but stops short of requiring one. Reasons for not including one must be disclosed. CPAs have become prime candidates to serve in this capacity because they generally meet the
Successful Students Tap Career Centers
The most effective job-search resources are not the most popular among students, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. NACE’s Graduating Student Survey found that students who tended to use college career center resources—including career fairs and affiliated Web sites—were more likely to secure full-time jobs than those
Eyeing the C-Suite
Controllers take note: You’re eight times more likely to reach CFO status by internal promotion than outside hire. Among Fortune 500 CFOs promoted to their position, 33% were previously controllers, 19% were treasurers and 14% were senior financial generalists. But in companies where the CFO was recruited externally, the position
Sweet Charity
Firms that tout employee volunteer programs could have a leg up when it comes to recruiting young CPAs. According to the 2007 Volunteer IMPACT survey by Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, 62% of Generation Y employees said they would prefer to work for companies that give them opportunities to contribute
The Red Carpet Treatment
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Statistics show strong job prospects for CPAs are likely to continue well into the next decade. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates employment for accountants and auditors to grow by at least 22% between 2004 and 2014. Sarbanes-Oxley compliance,
Self-Taught CPAs
Entry-level professionals are likely to navigate the career ladder on their own, according to a poll of more than 1,400 CFOs. A majority (58%) of executives said it was uncommon for their company to assign mentors, either formally or informally, to new hires in their accounting and finance departments. Only
10 Minutes to Impress
According to a survey of hiring managers, it takes just minutes to form a positive or negative opinion during the initial interview, despite spending on average 55 minutes and 86 minutes meeting with staff and management-level applicants, respectively. “The opening minutes of the conversation often set the tone for the
The Accounting Allure
Temptations such as better pay and job satisfaction are drawing more people to the accounting world. A Salary.com survey ranked public accounting among the best jobs for career-changing professionals, citing a projected 10-year job growth rate of 22% and salary range of $36,800 to $90,700. More than 30% of career-switchers
Place a Bet on Gaming
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Gaming has come of age and become a real discipline and a serious nationwide business. It involves a lot of different industries under one roof: gaming, lodging, entertainment, food and beverage, golf and other recreational activities. CPAs with auditing skills are in high demand
Market Every Day (in Every Way)
Marketing is the process of educating people about the availability and value of your firm’s CPA and advisory services. It lets potential clients know how you can help them solve problems and meet financial goals. Targeted, budgeted marketing plans generally work best, but many simple strategies cost
New Kids on the Block
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In the face of new regulatory demands, more companies are hiring chief accounting officers (CAOs) to handle everything from corporate accounting, financial reporting and internal controls to corporate tax and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. In addition to day-to-day compliance activities, CAOs also sometimes take on the duties of a controller
Managing Change
Robert L. Bunting, chairman and CEO of Moss Adams LLP in Seattle, assumed the AICPA chairmanship at the Institute’s annual meeting. His acceptance speech will appear verbatim in a future issue of the JofA . oss Adams is in the vanguard of midsize firms skilled at serving an international clientele.
Follow the Greenback Road
ith a sixth-grade education, legendary gangster Al Capone thought he was smart enough. By the time he was 26, “Scarface” had 1,000 employees and a weekly payroll of $300,000. In the 1930s, when the average American worker made about $2,400 annually, Capone was raking in more than a hundred million
The Fraud Examiners
ecoming a fraud examiner—a.k.a. a financial detective—is not for everyone. Detectives—either in law enforcement or in the private sector—typically have distinct personality traits (see “ America’s Original Private Eye ”): They’re as good with people as they are with numbers and they are inclined to be aggressive rather than shy
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