Top Accounting Talent Available – October Newsletter

TITLE:   Senior Financial Analyst  #101241

Areas of expertise:  Financial modeling, budgets, forecasts, trend analysis

Noteworthy:   SAP & Excel guru

Available for Contract and Contract to Hire Roles

 

TITLE:   Payroll Tax Analyst  #126944

Areas of expertise:   Federal, local, Multi-State payroll tax filings

Noteworthy:   in-depth knowledge of payroll tax laws and regulations

Available for Contract and Contract to Hire Roles

 

TITLE:   Accounting Manager  #152217

Areas of expertise:  Financial Statements, Cost Accounting, inventory

Noteworthy:   5+ year plant MFG industry experience

Available for Contract and Contract to Hire Roles

 

TITLE:   Senior Accountant  #113994

Areas of expertise:  Month-End Close, Reporting, Balance Sheet Analysis

Noteworthy:  SAP experience, Excel (pivot tables and v lookups)

Available for Contract Roles

 

TITLE:   Accounts Payable  #137118

Areas of expertise:  Full-Cycle Accounts Payable, 3-way match

Noteworthy:  great work history

Available for Contract and Contract to Hire Roles

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Embracing AI in the Workforce

Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking over the workforce. The technology uses data to analyze patterns of behavior that are encouraged, discouraged, and tolerated by people and systems over time to determine which are most favorable. By performing repetitive, mindless busywork, AI frees up time for employees to engage in higher-level tasks. Increasing efficiency and productivity encourages new jobs to be created that increase engagement and fulfill potential. Therefore, AI should be embraced as a positive transformation in the workplace.

Faster Recruitment and Training

AI makes recruitment and training faster. For instance, an applicant tracking system screens resumes to narrow the candidate pool. Also, chatbots conduct basic background checks to identify specific qualifications and determine which candidates get offered interviews. Further, AI helps employees gain opportunities to learn new skills that aid in career growth, providing the business with a competitive advantage.

More Effective Management of Company Culture

AI more effectively manages company culture. For instance, AI analyzes behavioral data from onboarding processes, performance management, business processes, leadership forums, discussion threads, exit interviews, and other HR sources to develop real-time behavior patterns and create an ongoing picture of culture incorporated in the workplace. Also, AI identifies systemic issues and their consequences to avoid current risks, and facilitate the development of a culture plan. Additionally, AI facilitates culture audits of systems and processes to ensure they align with what boards and regulators expect of an organization.

Shorter Sales Cycle

AI shortens the sales cycle. For instance, the screening process becomes more precise and positively impacts the customer experience, improving the conversion rate. Also, AI takes on time-consuming, but necessary, tasks to increase productivity. For example, by using information from public domain and prefilling underwriting questions needed for an insurance quote, AI improves the ease of conducting insurance business for both prospects and the company, by closing more deals in less time.

Enhanced Customer Experience

AI enhances the customer experience. For instance, chatbots can predict customer needs and give the information customers desire at any time, reducing the burden on human customer service reps. Also, increased response time allows for instant communication and faster decision making. With the necessary information, customers are more inclined to conduct business and become loyal followers. Additionally, AI analyzes what customers want over time to provide deeper personalization and higher-quality products and services.

Increased Focus on Big Picture

AI increases focus on the big picture. For instance, AI can take over tedious work such as programming, and free up time for more enjoyable work. Programmers can play with, train, monitor, and provide feedback on AI so that running modules becomes more streamlined.

Your Next Finance or Accounting Job in Chicago

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Does Your Company Culture Say What You Want About Your Company? Time to Evaluate.

Company culture impacts employee engagement, retention rates, profitability and more. Culture also helps determine whether a job candidate will be a good fit with your organization. Learning to identify and describe your company culture will help you decide whether it needs modification and how to implement change.

Identify Your Company Culture

Begin by identifying your company culture. For instance, ask your employees to rate your culture through small-group interviews. Ask questions such as, “What would you tell a friend about your organization if they were about to start working here?”, “What is the one thing you would most like to change about this organization?”, or “Who is especially respected around here and why?” Also, ask your employees to complete surveys. You may purchase surveys with questions that have been proven reliable and validated or create your own. The results will guide you on what to do more or less of and what to stop or start doing. Further, objectively watch your employees interact. How do they engage and resolve conflicts? How do senior leaders interact with middle managers and employees? How do middle managers interact with employees? And, watch your employees’ emotions to determine their values. Are your employees engaged, interactive, excited, happy and friendly at work?

Describe Your Type of Culture 

You may find that your culture is best described as hierarchy, market, or adhocracy. In a hierarchy, the culture is a traditional top-down organization with several layers of management between leadership and employees. Employees at all levels have clear lines of decision making, authority, rules, procedures, and accountability that typically lead to streamlined production. In a market culture, the focus is on the company’s external environment over internal environment. For example, every position may be directly tied to customer support or profitability. In an adhocracy, culture is defined by assumptions that innovative initiatives lead to success. The focus is on developing new products/services. The culture emphasizes individuality, risk taking, and wearing multiple hats.

Modify Your Company Culture

See how your culture fits with the culture you want and modify accordingly. For instance, to create a hierarchy culture, hire more project managers and managers to implement processes and procedures for employees to follow. To create a market culture, consider adding financial incentives tied to customer satisfaction, consistency, product development or profitability. To create an adhocracy, adopt values of creativity and entrepreneurship.

Find Top Professionals With a Leader in Chicago Employment 

Find top professionals with Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a leader in Chicago employment!

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The Job You Interviewed for Wasn’t What You Expected, But You Have No Other Leads. What Do You Do?

There are many reasons to consider taking a job that is different from what you expected. Perhaps your unemployment is almost gone or your family is relocating and you need a job. Whatever your circumstances, you need to decide whether to take the job or hold out for a different opportunity altogether.

Evaluate How to Proceed

To determine whether to take the role, ask yourself some questions. For instance, “What new information has caused my interest in this opportunity to decline? How much has my interest waned?” And, “Does the new information compromise my core wants and needs?” Also, “Is there information I do not know that may change my mind? What is it?” Plus, “Do any aspects of this opportunity still appeal to me? What are they?” If more information is needed, stay in the running and wait for another interview. Write down the questions you need answered to make a better decision.

Take the Job If the Pros Outweigh the Cons

If the pros outweigh the cons, then take the job. For instance, the hours may be long, but the company will look great on your resume. Or, you may not be interested in one duty, but there are five you do enjoy. Perhaps the role is not very exciting, but your potential colleagues are amazing and an advanced position could be your dream job.

Decline the Job If You Truly Are Not Interested

If you are less than inspired by the role, then let the hiring manager know as soon as possible. Chances are remote that you will change your mind. Contact the hiring manager by phone or email. Be specific about your reasons for withdrawal and emphasize your gratitude for the interview. For instance, “Sarah, I want to thank you for the opportunity to interview for the Auditor role at Firm A. As I learned more about the position and organization, it was clear that I am not a good fit with company culture. I appreciate getting to know you and hope you find the right candidate soon. Best regards, Rebekah Freiberg”.

Work With a Top Employment Agency in Chicago

Work with Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a top employment agency in Chicago!

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Technology: Use These Tech Tools to Minimize the Time Spent on Mundane Tasks

No matter your industry or size of your company, technology plays a large role in daily operations. Choosing the right technology for your needs can streamline processes and increase productivity. Consider taking advantage of these tech tools to handle mundane tasks.

Social Media Tools

Use social media tools such as Hootsuite, Buffer, or CoSchedule to interact with employees, job candidates, and customers. For instance, create a platform for scheduling, monitoring, and responding to social conversations. Also, immediately address customer questions and concerns to resolve issues and build brand loyalty. Plus, receive analytics to assist with creating your short- and long-term social strategy for growth.

Email Marketing

Use email marketing platforms like MailChimp, Constant Contact, or ActiveCampaign to personalize your process for moving prospects through your customer funnel. For instance, implement a platform to directly connect with customers and track campaign performance. Also, integrate your platform with third-party services to increase your effectiveness.

Workflow Automation

Implement workflow automation tools such as OnTask, Integrify, or monday.com to streamline operational tasks. For instance, workflow software can increase productivity, speed up processes, and improve accuracy on procedures such as contract management, vendor communication, recruiting, onboarding, and processing invoices. Also, workflow automation supports your ability to grow and scale your business. After you implement flexible internal processes, employees at all levels can use the procedures in any department.

Internal Communication Tools

Take advantage of internal communication tools like GChat, Microsoft’s Teams, or Slack. For instance, many email providers or software companies offer tools for answering quick questions, participating in group chats, sharing documents, or making calls through the internet. Many of these tools are successfully used at companies of all sizes, industries, and employee demographics.

Internet of Things

Incorporate the Internet of Things (IoT) into daily tasks. For instance, involve a voice-activated intelligent work assistant in preparing a conference room, beginning and ending a meeting, and a seemingly endless variety of other skills. Also, use sensor performance and other monitoring technology to control utility costs, track inventory and other assets, and improve processes.

Artificial Intelligence  

Make artificial intelligence a part of your business processes. Gain insight into customer purchasing behavior by collecting data and determining usual patterns and trends to more effectively market your products/services. For instance, use social media behavior and app location to share ads relevant to your local customers in real time.

Blockchain

Add blockchain technology to your business processes. Blockchain is an open access shared ledger that records transactions between parties and allows users to agree on its contents. New information is added in blocks, creating a chain. Because the ledger is verified by miners, it ensures accuracy and creates an audit trail. Past records can be viewed but not altered without the majority’s consent. Because blockchain is an excellent accounting tool, accountants spend less time on bookkeeping, reconciliations, and other mundane tasks and more time on interpreting the information and making decisions.

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3 Morning Activities That Are Guaranteed to Boost Your Productivity

How you spend your morning helps determine how productive you are throughout the day. When your morning begins with energy-producing activities, you are better able to decrease your stress level. Incorporate these three activities into each morning to increase your productivity throughout the day.

1. Meditate

Quieting your mind stimulates creativity, contemplation, and being in touch with yourself. Meditation also helps you relax, keeps your stress level down, and improves your focus and memory. You are better equipped to think more efficiently and effectively. Start by setting aside five minutes each morning and working up to 30 minutes. Sit up or lie down, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. When your mind wanders, refocus on your breathing. If you have trouble keeping still, look for a guided mediation online. Follow the instructions while focusing on your breathing. With practice, you will gain peace of mind and accomplish more throughout the day.

2. Eat Breakfast

Since your body gets energy from turning food into glucose, you need to start each day with a healthy meal. Plus, your metabolism is better earlier in the day, meaning your body can more easily turn the calories you eat into energy to use throughout the morning. Aim for eating within two hours of waking up so that you can capitalize on your energy stores before starting work. Include protein and healthy carbohydrates such as fruit or whole grains. Avoid donuts and other sugar-laden foods that will not sustain you.

 3. Exercise

Exercise improves circulation and releases endorphins that increase well-being and minimize pain and discomfort. Whether doing yoga at home, participating in a spin class or running around the neighborhood, you will lower your stress level and maintain energy throughout the day. Completing your exercise routine in the morning ensures it gets done while allowing time to complete your work. Plus, because exercise helps you clear your mind, you are better able to focus and make good decisions about work projects, problems and more.

Find Your Next Accounting or Finance Role Through Casey Accounting & Finance Resources

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Are You Taking Too Long to Contact Potential Candidates? Are They Losing Interest?

If you have a slow hiring process, top candidates most likely will lose interest in working for you. Candidates who move fast want to work in a fast-paced culture where quick decisions are made. Keeping job vacancies harms production, revenue, and employee morale. As a result, you want to speed up your hiring process to bring aboard the most in-demand talent.

Common Reasons for Delayed Hiring

Your hiring process may be delayed for various reasons. For instance, there may be more job openings than candidates to fill them, especially when labor markets tighten. Or, candidates’ resumes may remain untouched in a hiring manager’s inbox. Additionally, hiring managers may be unclear on what they need in a candidate until they see it.

Why Delayed Hiring Hurts Your Business

Delayed hiring hurts your business for multiple reasons. For instance, you will lose the majority of top candidates in the late stages of your recruitment process because they typically will have multiple offers and will be more inclined to accept one. You will have to hire a lower-quality candidate at a potentially higher salary to fill the role. Also, the longer you keep a role vacant, the more productivity and revenue you lose. Further, a company image of being slow at making hiring decisions implies that making other business decisions will be slow, as well. Strong contributors will not want to work for your company.

Steps to Speed Up the Hiring Process

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to speed up the hiring process. For instance, benchmark your hiring efficiency according to where your jobs are located, your company’s size, level of the position, the measure of local talent supply and demand, and other pertinent variables. Because some roles will be harder than others, put time-to-fill in the right context. If a more-thorough hiring process for a specific role will result in a higher-quality hire, accept the longer timeframe. Also, engage in workforce planning. Allocate recruiting resources in line with your business needs so that hiring managers can see where and when demand will be greatest, and plan accordingly. Additionally, keep your pipeline active so you have available candidates when a position opens. Use candidate relationship management (CRM) tools to keep track of interested candidates. Further, keep your scheduled interview times as much as possible. Set a plan for interview guides, assessment criteria, and how feedback gets submitted to whom. More structure leads to a better candidate experience and better hire.

Find Qualified Candidates Through a Chicago Staffing Leader

Find qualified candidates through Casey Finance & Accounting, staffing leader in the Chicago area!

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2018 Mid-Year Accounting and Finance Salary Survey Available!

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources has compiled updated salary data for the fields of accounting and finance. Having passed the middle portion of 2018, having the most up-to-date information is vital!

With compensation trends changing on a monthly basis, both sides can benefit from having this information during job negotiations.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources can help financial professionals who want to learn more about what salary expectations should be. We have compiled our salary survey list with updated facts and figures including job descriptions for more than 110 accounting and finance positions for the Chicago metropolitan area.

Email us today at FinancialSalarySurvey@caseyresources.com and we will be happy to share this with you.  In the “YOUR MESSAGE” section, please enter “2018 Mid-Year Accounting & Finance Salary Survey”.  Enjoy the rest of the summer!

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5 Buzzwords You Should Incorporate into Your Interview

The words you use during an interview convey an impression of you and your abilities. You want that impression to show you are the most qualified candidate and should be offered the job. Be sure to incorporate these five buzzwords into your next interview.

1. Responsibility

Mention a few key responsibilities you held that are essential to the role. Share stories of how you contributed to other employers and helped them move forward. Mention specific examples of your knowledge, work ethic, and accomplishments that will transfer to your next position. Use the responsibilities listed in the job posting as a basis for your answer. Include statistics in your answer. For example, “I understand customer service is a key part of this role. I spent three years working in a high-volume call center, answering customer calls and finding solutions. I am adept at deescalating situations and making customers happy.”

2. Passion

Demonstrate why you are passionate about the position. The interviewer wants to know you will come to work each day because you care about what you do, and will perform beyond your job description. Mention specific reasons you are excited about the role. Perhaps you enjoyed performing those tasks in the past, enjoy thinking about how your work will affect your target audience, or how you can improve your skills. Maybe you see things through to completion and finish your work on time. For example, you reorganized a presentation at the last minute because the client changed their direction. Or, you still finished a project when the office computers were down.

3. Leadership

Discuss your greatest examples of leadership. Talk about how you led teams and projects and took ownership of your results and accomplishments. For example, show how you encourage top employee performance through recognition and rewards and assigning new responsibilities for professional growth. Mention how you delegate responsibilities to enhance employee skills and increase value to the organization. Discuss how you openly give and receive constructive feedback so individual and team performance improve.

 4.Collaboration

Provide examples of how you collaborate with teammates. Working in teams promotes innovation by sharing and developing ideas to move the organization forward. The interviewer will be especially impressed if you collaborated with employees in another department. For example, mention how you ensure everyone understands their role in completing a project and what the timeline is for each task. And, discuss how you stay on task and help others follow suit. Plus, share how you ask for help and assist your teammates when needed.

5. Results

Explain the measurable results you achieved that relate to the position. The interviewer wants to see specifically how you benefitted a previous employer, and how you may benefit your next one. Provide statistics with your answer. For instance, “I increased sales by 25 percent in three months.”

Set Up an Interview With Casey Accounting and Finance

For help with finding your next role, set up an interview with Casey Accounting and Finance! Contact our top Chicago recruiters today.

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