How CPAs can master the essence of excellence. by Rick Telberg/On Finance Why do some accounting shops excel while others stagnate? Good question. And it’s probably best answered not by looking fearfully at the dismal swamp of stagnation, but by optimistically assessing what makes some outfits burgeon from solo players to massive giants. Business guru John Spence did just that and he detected a pattern. Spence is the author of “Excellence by Design: Leadership.” And his message is deceptively simple. He provides a few bullet points that speak volumes about the essence of excelling:
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New finance execs must move swiftly to learn the ropes, set the pace. by Rick Telberg/For the Finance Executive Finance executives are increasingly finding themselves in the middle of corporate decision making and responsibility. For newly appointed CFOs and finance managers, success is no small feat-the first 100 days are critical. With the pressure on, new finance managers want to make their mark early, and, according to the McKinsey Quarterly survey by global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, there are some activities that should make nearly every finance executive’s short list of priorities. One of the most critical activities during an executive’s first 100 days is the gaining of and understanding of what drives his or her company’s business, [...]
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Mobile CPAs clamor for upgrades to stay competitive. Join the conversation. Take the survey. Get the answers. By Rick Telberg For the Finance Executive Mark Hodell, director of audit and management services at a manufacturer of furniture and electronic assemblies in Jasper, Ind., spends up to 10 hours a week working from outside his company’s offices. And he’s quite pleased that he can. Like many other accountants working in business and industry, Hodell rates the ability to work out of the office as an important ingredient in a achieving both a successful career and happy home life. He relies on a smartphone-the souped-up, e-mail-equipped version of the no-frills traditional cellphone-to increase his personal productivity, improve communication with colleagues, and balance [...]
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SEC Chief Chris Cox gets tough grades from accounting – professor – turned – tech – entrepreneur Thomas I. Selling (left). “Cox has presided without nary a whimper over budget and staff cuts (even in the wake of Enron); and worse, a partisan effort has taken place to move any investor protection agenda stage left,” Selling says at The Accounting Onion. “Front and center are the interests of financial institutions and those who serve them: in part by relaxing rules that threaten their market dominance, but also, in part, by doing nothing or too little about shareholders’ access to the proxy, registration of hedge funds, and the independence and competence of credit rating agencies.”
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How are you coping? Check the Stress-O-Meter. by Rick Telberg Ahhh, busy season. For tax and audit professionals, it’s a demanding time of year, composed of late nights, early mornings, anxious clients, and, of course, deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. It’s a wonder with all the distractions and frustrations that any accountants survive. Over the years, however, some of the most successful practitioners have learned a few things about maintaining concentration and improving motivation through the marathon. Here are a few of their tips….
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CPAs speak out on compensation issues. Next question: Are you ready for tax season 2008? Join the survey; see the answers. by Rick Telberg Here’s something rather surprising: Slightly more than half of the accountants we surveyed actually think they’re paid well enough. I think it says much for our profession that a majority, however scant, is satisfied with its salaries. And I find it amazing that only 46 percent of respondents are dissatisfied. I wonder how many other professions can claim so many financially satisfied professionals. Even more interesting are the reasons behind the satisfaction or its lack. And it was the lack, I should add, that drew the most comments in our survey.
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Benefits packages emerge as key to CPA job changes. Which benefits matter most to CPAs? Join the study. Get the answers. by Rick Telberg On Careers If you’re like most CPAs, one of your New Year’s resolutions may be to start looking for a new job. A whopping 75 percent of CPAs apparently have some interest in moving on to a different job, according to the responses so far to my latest survey. Of course more money is always the concern, but many CPAs seem as interested in the workplace benefits at the next stop. “Most of us consider the benefits package to be just as important as the salary,†said one senior corporate executive who’s participating in the Bay [...]
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The world is changing, your career path will change with it. by Rick Telberg If you’re just starting your CPA career and you’re not sure which specialty path to take, don’t fret. Many experienced CPAs are confounded by the same question. Based on CPA Trendlines research by Bay Street Group LLC, practitioners from all parts of the profession note that selecting a niche is among the more befuddling issues facing newly minted accountants. But making the right choice is not of paramount importance to success. A commitment to lifelong learning is.
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Robert Half releases “2008 Salary Guide” MENLO PARK, CA (Robert Half International) — Starting salaries for accounting and finance professionals are expected to increase an average of 4.3 percent in the coming year, according to the just-released 2008 Salary Guide from Robert Half International. Public accountants, financial analysts and internal auditors are projected to see the largest gains. RELATED: Accountants and Auditors – Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition Talent Shortage Beats Health Care as No. 1 Business Problem Take a Cue from Big League Coaches CPAs Find Friendlier Workplaces What CPAs Can Learn from Starbucks about Hiring (and Keeping) Gen Y Workers Winning Firms Know the Secrets of Keeping Good Accountants Best Career Moves for a CPA? Recession? What Recession? [...]
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Bob Jones and bike Bob Jones spent the past summer on a coast-to-coast sight-seeing trip. Nothing unusual about that, except for two things: He did it on a bicycle. And he’s 76 years old. Jones, the managing partner for Towson-based Jones Hall Advisors and a life member of the MACPA, spent 48 days and 3,300 miles on a bicycle as part of last summer’s Big Ride Across America, a fund-raising event to benefit the American Lung Association. Starting June 25 in Seattle, 44 riders averaged 83 miles per day as they made their way to Washington D.C., where they crossed the finish line on Aug. 11. Along the way, they saw, in Jones’ words, “some awesome scenery†and raised some [...]
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