Attract and retain the best and the brightest. by Jean Caragher Capstone Marketing Daniel Burrus, considered one of the world’s leading technology forecasters and business strategists and author of six books including “Flash Foresight: How to See the Invisible and Do the Impossible,” was the opening speaker at the 2012 CCH User Conference held this week in my new hometown of San Diego. Complete conference coverage: Cloud & Mobile Technologies Drive Change in Tax and Accounting | How Apple Is Changing Your Business | 10 Ideas to Keep Your Firm Moving Forward | Given the rapidly changing world in which we work, Burrus challenged us to look into the future to determine those hard trends (those that will happen whether [...]
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New analysis of trends and case studies in social media’s role in recruiting staff. The use of social media for recruiting in CPA firms is growing, especially with the need for accountants who are tech savvy, says social media analyst Becky Livingston in a new report available to CPA Trendlines PRO members. It’s no surprise, of course, that social media should become the dominant force in recruiting. Online platforms give recruiters new tools to evaluate candidates before they interview. Tracking systems and online databases give recruiters a way to amplify the number of candidates in the hiring network, while increasing the quality of leads. Online recruiting has become the norm, no longer the exception, says Livingston. GET THE INSTANT DOWNLOAD: [...]
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If your staff recruiting effort is overlooking social media, then some of the best candidates may be overlooking you. New college graduates are embracing social media as a job-search tool, according to a new study. Approximately 41 percent of 2012 college graduates in the market for a job are using social media to help them land one.
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Surprise: Hard work and knowledge aren’t Number 1. Neither are skills or knowledge.
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Hint: It’s not about how smart they are or hard they work. By Rick Telberg How do you spot the hidden rock stars on your staff? And what do up-and-coming tax, accounting and finance professionals need to know to get ahead in today’s profession? These aren’t idle questions. Many firms and individuals are struggling with these issues right now. But don’t take it from me. Just listen to the decision-makers from a dozen firms I met with in a Milwaukee hotel recently. The mission: Learn how to deal with a looming new staff shortage. Some took away solid action plans. “Our firm,” said one, “is trying to develop our rock stars and this showed me we need to be doing [...]
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2011 finishes at new high. Average hourly earnings across all employees in the accounting and bookkeeping slipped slightly in the latest month, but rang in a solid gain year to year. With more than 970,000 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics calculates that workers earned $27.10 per hour in December, the latest month available, down from $27.10 in November, and averaging $26.51 for the year. The $26.51 rate for 2011 represents a 35-cent advance from 2010 and $2.68 more than in 2007, the first full year in the books
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Now running at new high. Hourly earnings at CPA firms are running at an all-time high, according to new data available to CPA Trendlines. On average, earnings reached $31.20 per hour in 2011, up about 3.2%, for all employees. For just non-supervisory employees, wages gained 21 cents, reaching $24.20. In the last five years, earnings for management-level employees have risen 10.1%, while wages for all employees advanced 9.1%.
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No men need apply? Women have long outnumbered men in the accounting firm workforce, but a new CPA Trendlines analysis suggests that the latest recession widened the gap. Based on the latest data available, 584,300 of the people employed in accounting’s 920,500-person workforce are women. Only 336,200 are men, giving women an almost 2-to-1 advantage. A quick look at the chart shows women employment numbers rising sharply from 2004 to 2007, even as total employment fell or leveled off. Next question: Where are the women owners and leaders?
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20 years of ups and downs, now up again. The number of people employed by CPA firms in the U.S. has topped 400,000 for the first time since last February, according to the latest data available to CPA Trendlines. Total payroll hit 401,500 people in December, up from 397,500 the month before and 390,700 the year before. Since 1990, the profession has grown from 320,600 people to 400,700 on average in 2011. Payrolls were slashed and rebuilt again and again through the last two decades.
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What recession? More accountants with jobs … ever. by Rick Telberg In the same jobs report that drove the NASDAQ to an 11-year peak, the accounting and bookkeeping sector recorded more people employed in the industry than ever before.
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Accounting firms hire the most, pay less. The average salary for accounting majors is averaging up 3.7 percent to $50,500, according to a new survey of college graduates and the employers who hired them.
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Poll shows what it takes to land the best students. Public Accounting Report’s 30th annual poll of college accounting professors shows that if their best student had a choice, that student would choose PricewaterhouseCoopers to start their career. (To subscribe to Public Accounting Report for $476 a year, call 800-248-3248, or email cust_serv@cch.com.)
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State-of-the-firm vid lands Rachel Ray TV show appearance.
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Learn what it takes to attract the best talent and merger partners. by Robert Fligel, CPA RF Resources LLC For many in the CPA business, organic growth is going to be very slow for the next several years. So, CPA firms seeking growth are: making strategic mergers or acquisitions, or bringing in new partners or groups of partners with strong books of business. But how do you position your firm to be desirable to merger partners or new talent?
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Maybe the 150-person firm in Bellevue, Wash., has found a winning formula…
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Potential challenge for the profession: demand for new talent eventually could outpace supply…
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Rule 1: Deliver a consistent message. CPA and consultant Steve Erickson offers 10 tips to help firms in hiring and retention: Increase focus and efforts. Make recruiting a year-round focus, engaging both partners and employees in the process. Build an employee referral network. Use it to find employees and offer your expertise to other accountants while spreading the word about the profession through speaking and writing engagements. Focus on reciprocity–make referrals for other firms and don’t burn bridges.
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