staffing & recruiting

finance and accounting professionals forecast improving job prospects through 2013 [pro member exclusive]

by

rebound in confidence after two quarters of decline.

next question: what’s your best career advice? join the survey; get the answers.

a leading measure of overall confidence among u.s. finance and accounting workers, rose 5.4 points to 55.8 in 4q 2012 — ending a two-quarter decline, according to new data reported by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间.

the new survey finds growing confidence in job availability and in workers’ personal employment situations, despite continued tepid sentiment in the strength of the economy.

read more →

putting the “no jerks” rule to work in tax season

by

and a couple more ideas for high performing firms.

by ed mendlowitz
tax season opportunity guide

ed mendlowitz
ed mendlowitz

if you have staff, have happy, cheerful, helpful people. don’t surround yourself with downers and nay-sayers.  make sure they are team players.

part of this is your firm’s culture.  it takes work to get people to work together and to focus on doing what it takes to service the client fully, properly and timely.  everyone working together gets it done.  you need to create that atmosphere.

here are three things that might help:

read more →

when’s the right time for a full-time quality control reviewer?

by

not when, but how?

question: i want to improve my firm’s review and quality control. do you have any suggestions?

ed mendlowitz responds: this is a recurring issue for most firms. every cpa practice needs quality control. the issue is whether a dedicated quality control (“qc”) person is needed and, if not, how the qc can be done without one.

a practice is a business and every business must be run efficiently and profitably. qc is an area that i have found many firms getting tied up in and either spending nothing or much more than they should.

more ed mendlowitz:  free instant download: sample fee schedule for 1040s    |  tax season opportunity guide 2013   |  12 reasons to love tax season   |   implementing fee increases for 2013

a firm needs a dedicated qc person when the work load volume warrants it, especially where there are bottlenecks and backlogs because the supervisor or partner who would review the work is not readily or easily available; the scheduling becomes exceedingly difficult; and the expertise and training becomes more specialized and wider in scope. read more →

overcoming the three biggest obstacles in succession planning at cpa firms

by

hint: start linking it to compensation.

by marc rosenberg, cpa
author of “cpa firm succession planning”

it’s common sense that the key to succession planning is developing future leaders, a practice at which the vast majority of cpa firms billing under $15-million-a year struggle with.

marc rosenberg
marc rosenberg

more on cpa firm management and leadership for pro members [go pro here] :   cpa firm merger “non-negotiables”   •   the “aha moment” in cpa firm leadership   •    leadership is overrated: it’s good management that makes successful firms •  40 great ways to improve firm profitability  •  four management metrics that fool even the best-run firms  •  19 ways to improve accounting firm profitability • de-bunking the myth about niche marketing for tax and accounting firms • practice development is no longer an optional activity • 10 good ways the achieve partner accountability • pick your partners right to begin with • the first nine questions your partner team needs to embrace for optimal profitability • profitability and the value of strategic thinking • the five essential building blocks for creating a strong accounting firm • the seven signs of great leadership in a cpa firm • compensation issues for the new managing partner •

here are three tactics for developing future leaders: read more →