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Job interviews are crucial to the process of recruiting and hiring competent personnel for credit departments and should therefore be conducted carefully and only after thorough preparation. Interviewers should remember to devote their full attention to applicants and encourage them to respond well and provide details about their qualifications. In addition, they should concentrate on the key areas of job-related skills and experience, intelligence and interpersonal skills., The art and science of conducting a job interview is a neglected topic. While significant energy is devoted to advising candidates on how to approach interviews, rarely do employers take [...]

When it comes to thank-yous, the message is typically more important than the medium. In an Accountemps survey of hiring managers, 87% said email is appropriate for expressing thanks after [...]

Without some type of onboarding process, new recruits may not connect with the company's culture and values or become productive as quickly. Employee-orientation programs lay the groundwork for a smoother [...]

Competition is beneficial to business because it clarifies objectives, leads to improvement of product quality and adds incentive to increase productivity in the workplace. However, too much competition may also have adverse effects, as for instance when credit collectors compete to attain the highest collection figures. In such cases, customers are alienated by the aggressive pursuit of outstanding accounts. Techniques on how to harness the positive effects of competition in credit organizations are presented., Competition is the cornerstone of capitalism, and therefore a critical element in the success of any business. Through competition, we clarify objectives, increase the quality of products and services, and [...]

Unlike the U.S., many countries in Western Europe restrict or even ban the use of temporary workers. But a growing acceptance of temporary hiring practices throughout the European Community (EC) [...]

I GET NERVOUS IN JOB INTERVIEWS. WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I SAY THE WRONG THING?? Employers expect job applicants will have a few pre-interview jitters. The secret is to [...]

A 'career audit' can help a bored credit professional regain his enthusiasm in his job. The career audit starts with an assessment of one's career objectives, attitudes and ambitions. A review of one's best projects can give him a sense of professional worthiness which can boost his moral. The career audit also calls for the evaluation of one's management styles and skills. This gives the credit professional a chance to know the areas that need improvement and this may catalyze his enthusiasm., There may be no time like the present to be a credit professional. Our studies indicate that nearly one-third of the 500 chief financial officers polled nationwide believe that the [...]

How to maintain quality through strategic staffing. Mergers and acquisitions, a prolonged recession, and competitive pressures have driven many U. S. companies into the belief that layoffs are necessary for […]

General salary requirements should be discussed early on--during the first or second interview--to avoid surprises later. Be prepared to hear a broad range, as employers want to get a sense [...]

Communication with employees is always integral to an organization's success, but it's especially critical during periods of uncertainty. By keeping staff informed, managers can address anxiety and ensure workers are [...]

Effective communication skills are essential to career advancement. An accountant's ability to communicate clearly can be be improved by focusing on three basic points. These are the determination of a communication goal, the inclusion of action-oriented recommendations, and the summarization of key facts and implications. The use of these general guidelines will also help in organizing an accountant's work in a manner that management can value.

Maintaining and developing professional contacts has always been a vital job-search strategy, and networking websites are another vehicle for doing so. Here are some tips to make the most out [...]

Bank chief executive officers (CEO) can hire an effective management team by following certain guidelines. CEOs should first examine their own strengths, weaknesses, background, and management style. They should then make a list of the bank's goals, followed by a description of the ideal management team. The members of the team, including marketing, operations, financial, and information systems personnel, should all work together to achieve a common goal. CEOs should hire people from within the organization as well as those from the outside. New employees should be integrated into the management team so that all team members understand their roles and responsibilities.

Asking job candidates where they see themselves in five years is a standard question in many interviews, but how many managers actually help them get there once they're hired? Credit [...]

Securing highly skilled financial employees is no simple task, particularly in today's increasingly competitive hiring environment where many professionals receive multiple employment offers. Identifying top accounting talent alone can be [...]

If you're like many managers, the last time you devoted significant attention to the competitiveness of your firm's pay package George W. Bush had just been elected--the first time. In [...]

If you have not recently considered which of your staff members may be ready for advancement, do so now. A recent survey by our company shows that 60 percent of [...]

One of the byproducts of the recent recession has been professional burnout. Even though economic conditions are now improving, the sheer length of the downturn took its toll. If you [...]

Strategic planning of hiring staff by analyzing job needs and priorities of human resources is presented. The general guidelines for the strategic staffing are emphasized.

As a manager, perhaps one of the most difficult situations you may face in your career is dealing with underperforming employees. How you respond can determine whether a problem is [...]

Change is a fact of life, especially in the workplace, but for many people change is fraught with difficulty. Staff may support new initiatives immediately, but sometimes there can be [...]

As a manager, you likely find yourself attending many meetings. While some are productive, you probably wonder whether others were planned at all. The most common problem in these instances [...]

Kiss your paper resume goodbye. If you are looking for a job--create a top-notch e-resume. While basic job-hunting steps remain unchanged, technology has accelerated the pace and improved the efficiency [...]

As assistant controller at my firm, I have been evaluating the overall benefits and compensation we're offering to our accounting and finance employees. In today's hiring environment, I've noticed that [...]

I am an assistant controller at a midsize corporation. While I have a strong financial background, I would like to build a better understanding of other aspects of my company's [...]

Creating a lasting, positive impression on your new job mandates the ability to work well with others and becoming an indispensable team player by always making your time and services available. It also helps knowing how the supervisors go about their routine and how they want their employees to function. It is imperative to study the workstyles of the company's most efficient executives and then follow suit., Starting a new job can be one of the most rewarding periods of your career. Yet it is also a demanding time, as evidenced by the challenge of mastering the [...]

I'm an accountant with an East Coast high-technology firm. Over the last few months, I've frequently found myself unclear about what's expected of me - and, unfortunately, have seen that [...]

Accountants would benefit from participating in projects involving advanced technologies and improving their technical skills, given that technology is playing an ever increasing role in the workplace. Accounting professionals can build their technical knowledge by taking computer or software classes, attending software package vendor courses, taking advantage of seminars and articles on technology topics offered by associations, surfing the Internet, read trade journals, and establishing ties with the company's internal information technology staff. Accountants can also improve their skills by participating in technology-related projects, such as a systems conversion. They can convince management to allow them to join even though they are only marginally knowledgeable by demonstrating their initiative and potential to contribute to the project.

After working at a public accounting firm for 12 years, I decided to join a mid-sized insurance company about a year ago as controller. As a working mother, I had [...]

Learning to work effectively with your supervisor is one of the biggest challenges in business and is critical to success. Over the course of your career, you are likely to [...]

I'm an accounting manager in a midsize, fast-growing service firm. It used to be that when I extended an offer to a candidate usually I could expect an acceptance. Lately, [...]

The question above, featured last month, came from a reader seeking advice on reference checking, a critical topic that I felt warranted discussion beyond one column. Last time I covered [...]

College graduates entering the job market today stand to benefit from one of the most positive hiring climates in recent memory. Record low unemployment nationwide means widespread opportunities for accounting [...]

I'm an accountant with a major bank in the Midwest. Lately I've been hearing rumors that we may be acquired. I'm concerned about my job and future here because it [...]

I am currently assistant controller for a large, international retail firm. I joined the company nearly 10 years ago as a staff accountant. While I'm not entirely unhappy at my [...]

I've held only two jobs in my accounting career - one with a public accounting firm, the other with one of that firm's clients where I worked as a management [...]

In my work, I am constantly being asked about the hiring picture in the field of accounting and finance. What skills are in demand across the country? In which area [...]

Adding specialized temporary staff offers several advantages to a commercial finance company. As such, it is crucial to choose the right temporary employment agency. To do this, managers must analyze present and future personnel needs as well as scout around before selecting a placement firm. Moreover, managers can make the agency a partner in the credit business by inculcating them with their company's culture and sharing feedback., Today's focus on corporate belt-tightening demands increased productivity from streamlined staffs. This is particularly true for the credit function where 'time is money.' Periodic and occasional operations, such as closing [...]

There are essential steps banks must accomplish in order to gain employees' commitment to improving customer service. A bank must communicate what its mission is and what role bank employees play in this mission. Other goals that must be expressed include identifying the critical tasks that each employee has to perform and how success will be measured. Bank management should also support and monitor all efforts to improve customer service., The banking industry has gone through tremendous changes in the last several years. Gone are the days of hushed voices and stem bankers deciding the financial fate of individuals. The [...]

Companies can maintain profitability through strategic staffing, instead of implementing layoffs which are self-defeating. To achieve total quality management, efficient and productive employees are needed. Then, the management must determine the optimum number of employees needed to run the company efficiently. Consequently, employee morale is raised through job security., Today's volatile business climate has driven many U.S. companies into a permanent state of flux. The last decade of mergers, acquisitions, and recessionary jitters have made rounds of layoffs an [...]

Strategic personnel staffing improves the effectivity of the credit and collection functions. The primary aim of this technique is to achieve flexibility in work force levels commensurate to the needs of the company. One of the methods used is the selective hiring of temporary help from personnel service companies. These firms should be selected on the basis of reliability, technical capability, cost effectiveness and quality control., Smart companies recognize that the credit and collections function is integral to a firm's overall fiscal health. Today, with a recession-induced surge in bankruptcies and firms taking much longer to [...]

The stormy decade of mergers and recessions, capped by recession, has dramatically changed the complexion of American business. Excess layers have been trimmed. Strategies have been adjusted. From boardrooms, conference […]

In-House Ethics: Old Rules for a New Age In research we conducted to determine perceived ethical levels in the leading professions, accountants came in second only to engineers. Indeed, the [...]

An informal survey of the accounting managers of 200 of the Fortune 1,000 firms and of a national sample of employees has revealed a gap between the degree to which managers and employees believe workers have been empowered to make decisions and take action. Of the management respondents, 88% believed they has given employees more authority than five years ago, while only 64% of the employees felt they had more authority. Companies should take steps to close the gap because empowerment increases productivity and enhances recruitment. The steps companies can take to close the gap include: determining if empowerment has actually taken place; obtaining top management approval for implementing empowerment programs; and explaining the programs and the reason for having them to employees.

Recruiting quality new hires, and motivating current employees is essential to providing good accounting services. The strongest competition in the accounting profession in the 1990s will be attracting and keeping high quality employees and suggested guides may help manage human resources in the accounting field. Guidelines include developing an accounting environment that allows creative employees to grow while still adhering to accepted accounting principals; focusing on positive qualities in recruiting interviews that candidates will bring to work environments; and viewing new accounting positions and the accounting profession through the eyes of recruits to obtain a fresh outlook.