career planning

Accounting Sector Adds 2,000 New Jobs

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Even as CPA firms shrink by 1,100.

The nation’s accounting and bookkeeping sector accounted for 2,000 of the 80,000 new jobs created in October, according to new preliminary and seasonally-adjusted data from the U.S. Labor Department.

For the nation, the jobs gain pushed the unemployment rate down to 9.0% from 9.1%.

For the accounting and bookkeeping sector, October’s performance represents a third straight month of gains and a year-to-year gain of 60,800 jobs, bringing the industry’s payroll to 932,200 employees.

All Employees, October 2011
All Employees, October 2011

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Accountants’ Job Optimism Hits New Low

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Index hits recessionary levels.

A leading gauge of confidence among finance and accounting professionals has hit its lowest level since early 2009.

But 61 percent are confident in the future of their current employer, up from 56 percent in the previous quarter.

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CPA Firms Cut Salaries for New Grads

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But corporate employers raise starting pay. While most new college graduates are just happy to get a job this Spring, they’re probably happier going to work in business and industry because that’s where the money is. Starting salaries in public accounting are sinking … Continued

No Surprise: The Best Firms Pay More

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But they bill for it too.

Annual compensation. Source: INSIDE Public Accounting via CPA Trendlines

The best firms, according to INSIDE Public Accounting, start paying more from the first day and from the bottom up. For instance, IPA’s Best of the Best pay new graduates about $55,000, compared to $50,000 at their competitors — a 10% advantage that generally carries through every job level. READ MORE →

How Do Accountants Define “Success?” [SURVEY]

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Hint: It’s not all about money. And your answers could help you to better understand your clients.

How do you define success? Join the survey, see what your peers are saying.

In a CPA Trendlines straw poll of accountants about their notion of “success,”  the overwhelming majority are telling us that building a growing business or advancing in their career is not necessarily the most important goal. And career and business may not be as important as you think.

Real-time results:


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