tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42317572239522353682024-03-26T23:36:24.466-07:00Lewis Daidone BlogsLewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-81817439309849918992017-05-01T23:57:00.000-07:002017-05-14T23:58:09.192-07:00Accounting Internships | Lewis-Daidone.blogspot.com<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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How to Get Your Dream Accounting Internship</h1>
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<i>Looking for a challenging, fruitful internship? In the following post, Lewis Daidone offers strategies for getting a high-quality internship – one that can help you get the job you want. Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to financial services firms and tech companies..</i></div>
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Here’s the good news: accountants are in high demand. It has been estimated by the Department of Labor that the need for accountants, controllers, and auditors will increase by approximately 140,000 jobs in 10 years. However, in order to secure the accounting position of your dreams, it is important to have the kind of background/experience that gets noticed. An internship at a respected organization will make you an extremely attractive candidate once you enter the job market, but prestigious and valuable internships can be nearly as difficult to secure as salaried accounting jobs. Here are a few tips that can help make you an appealing prospect, and also help you make the most of the opportunity you’re given.</div>
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<strong>Give yourself a boost while you’re still in school.</strong></div>
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If you’ve already made the decision to pursue an accounting degree, you should immediately begin to investigate the different professional associations sponsored by your school. Demonstrating an interest in furthering your practical knowledge of the accounting profession while you’re still in school helps to convince organizations that you’re serious about pursuing an accounting career, and that you’re actively developing your networking skills. </div>
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<strong>Choose your internship very carefully.</strong></div>
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You probably don’t need an internship to learn how to order lunch for a staff of 8 middle managers. Your internship should be an introduction to the career or industry of your choice, and give you solid training and learning opportunities. However, you can afford to be creative with your decision. Don’t automatically discount a start-up. While a large, established firm has name recognition and will look great on a resume, you are more likely to have more responsibilities and challenges at a start-up, and you can develop a diverse array of experiences and skillsets working for an organization that is trying to find its industry footing.</div>
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<strong>Paid internships are great – but unpaid can be pretty great, too.</strong></div>
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This might be an issue if you simply can’t afford a wage-free summer. Nevertheless, certain organizations offer exceptional unpaid internship opportunities to those who can stick it out for two or three months. If there is a great unpaid internship in the pipeline, don’t despair. Some universities offer internship funding programs. You can also apply for grants and fellowships. Also, don’t be afraid to ask the internship program director if it’s possible to work part-time in addition to completing your duties as intern. Since some excellent companies actively hire successful interns, your decision to take the unpaid internship reap you great rewards.</div>
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Internships can offer tremendous opportunities in the long term. Just be diligent and proactive about pursuing your career goals, and you’ll be well on your way to securing a rewarding internship.</div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-59150601639822301092017-04-13T23:54:00.000-07:002017-05-14T23:56:25.975-07:00Why Accounting? | Lewis-Daidone.blogspot.com<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Why Accounting? A Few Reasons Why Accountancy Could Be a Great Career</h1>
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<i>In the following article, Lewis Daidone offers insight into why an accounting career could offer new grads security, variety, and stability. Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to financial services firms and tech companies.</i></div>
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If you’re not certain what career track you should take, it might be a good idea to consider accounting. Accountancy is a stable career that can suit a fairly wide variety of personalities and interests – even if you don’t necessarily believe you’re the numbers-crunching type. Here are a few things about an accounting career you should keep in mind.</div>
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<strong>Accountants can ascend to upper management positions quite quickly.</strong></div>
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If you’re looking for a fast track to a great salary with challenging responsibilities, accounting is an excellent choice. With the need for qualified accountants expected to increase by as much as 11 percent in the next 10 years, accounting is the fastest growing profession in the United States. </div>
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<strong>Accounting majors have a wide variety of career options.</strong></div>
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While certain careers are wholly dependent upon the stability of a particular sector, accountants can move from industry to industry with remarkable ease, particularly at the lower to mid-levels, since accounting principles aren’t necessarily industry-specific. Moreover, you have the potential to seek employment in any field you find attractive. Whether you’re interested in entertainment, cars, sports, law enforcement, healthcare, technology, or even fashion, you can carve out a stable, satisfying career within the market of your choice.</div>
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<strong>Accounting careers can be exciting!</strong></div>
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Forget the old stereotype of the accountant tied to a desk, surrounded by spreadsheets and adding machines; accounting careers can be very glamourous! For example, if you decide to work for an international firm, you may get the opportunity to travel the world, visit international offices and be exposed to a diverse set of accounting systems and principles. Entertainment accountants are in great demand, too. The rapid growth of streaming video platforms and production companies has opened up many accounting opportunities within the film and television industries.</div>
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While accounting careers can certainly be demanding, you may find that the hard work and dedication will pay significant dividends in the long run. If you are looking for a flexible, fast-paced, and fulfilling career, accounting may be the career for you!</div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-63127011555396557912017-02-06T22:39:00.000-08:002017-02-12T23:00:47.673-08:00Working Your Way To The Top: Four Ways To Help You Make It To Management<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Working Your Way To The Top: Four Ways To Help You Make It To Management </span></h1>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the following post, Lewis Daidone discusses how CPAs can rise to a managerial position.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Even if you’re satisfied with your current position, there might come a time when you want a more challenging role. Although your excellence might inspire senior management to promote you, it’s more likely that you’ll have to do more to get ahead. Here are ways that you can get the appropriate experience and skillset for that senior position.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Work for a specific job title.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Map out a clearly defined career path. Rather than dream of more money and responsibility, work towards an actual job, like controller, senior financial analyst, or accounting manager. Once you’ve identified the role you want, you can begin to get the necessary qualifications.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Get the appropriate degree.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having a graduate degree could help put you on the fast-track to management. Learn which credentials and certifications both appeal to hiring managers and provide the necessary knowledge and skills for your desired position. For example, if you want to be the head of corporate compliance, having a law degree could make you an extremely valuable candidate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hone your leadership skills.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If you want to reap management rewards, plant the seed of leadership. Don’t keep your ambition a secret; discuss your plans during your performance review, and ask which steps you might take in order to achieve your goals. Additionally, take on project team leader roles, and act as mentor to new hires.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Look the part.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It may seem superficial, but do your best to dress and present yourself in a way that causes people to think that you’re in a more senior role. If clients and colleagues look at you and think “manager”, then – if you’re performance is up to par – it’s only a matter of time before your supervisors think it, too.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <a href="https://twitter.com/lewisdaidone">Lewis Daidone</a>, CPA, is a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms. For more on his credentials, click <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-daidone-3a7823104">here</a>.</span></i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-17286604277086312882017-02-02T22:26:00.000-08:002017-02-12T23:00:57.142-08:00Fun In The Office? 4 Do’s And Don’Ts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In the following article, Lewis Daidone discusses how striking the right humor balance can improve workplace productivity – and how getting it wrong can lead to disaster.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you’re happy in your current job, it’s likely because you’re working for a well-organized firm where you’re confident in your abilities, your colleagues are pleasant, and you’re receiving more-than-adequate compensation. There’s no doubt that you take your work seriously, but having an occasional humor break helps to ease the tension of a tight deadline.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Studies have shown that <a href="https://goo.gl/y4NlPW">laughter is a great reliever of stress</a>, and that the right <a href="https://goo.gl/JTpVbF">balance of creative humor</a> helps to contribute to creativity in the workplace. But how do you know where to draw the line between fun and distracting? Here are a few tips that can help you make yourself a valued team member in the eyes of your employer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Even if you’re seriously stressed by a recent management directive, do your best to stay lighthearted and cheerful. By using occasional self-deprecating or silly humor, you can help lift the spirits of your colleagues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don’t: Overload on sarcasm at the expense of your team – or worse, your supervisors.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It might be tempting to make fun of an underperforming colleague or an unreasonable manager, but doing so only erodes confidence in the whole organization. The goal is to enhance productivity, not to demoralize the staff – no matter how funny the wisecrack might be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Do: Stay appropriate.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">There are certain subjects – like politics, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and age – that should be handled extremely delicately, if not avoided entirely, in casual conversation with colleagues. Not only might you make your co-workers uncomfortable, you could leave yourself open to complaints to HR.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Don’t: Be disruptive.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">All humor should be used with the intent to increase workplace morale and, ultimately, productivity. Forwarding silly email chains or pranking unsuspecting colleagues only serves to delay or halt team members’ production and output.</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009601463253">Lewis Daidone</a> is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms. For more management articles, follow this <a href="https://twitter.com/lewisdaidone">Twitter account</a>.</span></i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-76720051331166200642017-01-05T22:21:00.000-08:002017-01-17T22:22:54.901-08:00Are You an Active Listener? 3 Tips for Improving Your Listening Skills<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Are You an Active Listener? 3 Tips for Improving Your Listening Skills</h1>
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<i>In the following post, Lewis Daidone discusses tips and strategies for becoming an effective and active listener.</i></div>
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Most people think that they’re good (or at least decent) listeners. Well, most people are mistaken about their listening capabilities; they might recall some of the spoken words, but the crux of the communication is often lost. If you’re going to succeed in the accounting profession – or any profession, for that matter – you have to hone your listening skills.</div>
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Listen to tone, and pay attention to body language.</h3>
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Hearing the words people say is obviously important, but the manner in which they communicate those words can give you a tremendous amount of information. This can be challenging because it requires a dual focus: visual and aural. However, if you can get a sense of the speaker’s attitude and emotional state, you are better equipped to respond appropriately. Is the speaker anxious? Annoyed? Excited? Taking these factors into account can help you become a more empathetic listener and effective leader.</div>
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Don’t assume you’ve got the idea before the speaker finishes.</h3>
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Set aside your assumptions until the speaker has completed his/her thought. Repeat the words in your head, if necessary, and ask for clarification if you aren’t absolutely sure. Do not interrupt with affirmations or encouragements (“Yes!” “Exactly!”). Once the speaker has completed his/her point, pause before you comment to ensure that you truly understood the message.</div>
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Summarize the speaker’s statement in your own words.</h3>
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In order to solidify your own understanding of the speaker’s point and to assure him/her that you understand clearly, give a brief summation. Statements such as: “So, what I’m hearing is…” and “If I understand correctly…” , help to clarify the issue for both you and the speaker.</div>
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Do your best to practice active listening during your daily conversations. It not only helps you to improve your listening skills, it can also improve your emotional intelligence!</div>
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<i>CPA<a href="http://lewis-daidone.blogspot.com/">Lewis Daidone</a> serves as a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms. Visit this <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewis-daidone-3a7823104">LinkedIn profile</a> for more on his work.</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-40999988515695542302017-01-03T22:18:00.000-08:002017-01-17T22:20:03.949-08:00Negotiating Numerous Job Offers: How to Select the Right One<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Negotiating Numerous Job Offers: How to Select the Right One</h1>
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<i>In the following post, Lewis Daidone offers tips on how to choose from multiple accounting job offers.</i></div>
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Congratulations! You’ve got not one, but several job offers! But… now what? You can only accept one job, so how can you make sure that it’s the right one? </div>
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You’re in a fantastic position, and yet you should tread carefully. Here are a few tips for how you can strategically choose the best job.<br />
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Decide what you want most from your career.</h3>
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While a great salary is obviously fantastic, the money shouldn’t be your only consideration. Which job will allow you to use your particular skills? Which job has the most promising career advancement opportunities? In the long run, having a mid-level position at a large firm might be a smarter move than having an advanced position at a small, unproven one. However, a small firm might have a great deal of potential for growth.<br />
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Assess the company culture.</h3>
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Most employers do their best to determine whether new hires will be a good fit with the culture of the organization, but only you can determine whether or not you’ll feel at home. Hopefully, you will have chatted with the staff members during the interview process. Do they seem energized, pleasant, and happy to be a part of the company, or do they seem frustrated and distracted? What sort of environment do you thrive in? Do you like a relaxed, collegial environment, or do you operate better under a more formal structure?<br />
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Compare compensation packages.</h3>
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Don’t necessarily allow yourself to be seduced by goodie bag-style compensation packages. (Gym memberships! Catered lunches! Massages!) Think about your lifestyle and which perks could really save you money, and then think about your career and consider which can help you advance – not only at this particular organization, but anywhere.</div>
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<i> <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/135329175@N08/">Lewis Daidone</a>, CPA, works technology companies and financial services firms as a consultant. For similar updates, visit this <a href="http://lewis-daidone.blogspot.com/">blog</a>.</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-34998483205675484262016-12-14T22:32:00.000-08:002016-12-19T22:32:44.826-08:00Client Management Difficulties? Here are a Few Tips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Client Management Difficulties? Here are a Few Tips</h1>
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<i>In the following article, Lewis Daidone offers tips for talking to clients who are unfamiliar with accounting rules, concepts and terminology.</i></div>
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If you decide to enter the public accounting field, you’ll experience a diverse range of clients. Some will make your job easier; others… not so much. Here are a few things to keep in mind while working with clients with various degrees of accounting literacy and experience.</div>
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Use accessible language.</h3>
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People tend to become brusque or annoyed with accountants because they find accounting concepts difficult to understand. If you can explain the issues in a matter of fact matter straight forward manner (examples are always helpful), you’ll be able to assuage a lot of client anxieties. Never talk down to your client.</div>
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Be systematic and specific.</h3>
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You may find that some of your clients are panicked because they don’t fully understand the reasons for their financial difficulties. It’s your job to break down their problems into manageable components that they can understand. Once that is done, you can address each issue and point out what precisely is and isn’t working.</div>
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Listen carefully, and with compassion.</h3>
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Some clients find it difficult to organize their thoughts. Be patient, and make sure the client is comfortable expressing their concerns and observations. Open and honest communication is necessary in order to effectively and efficiently service clients.</div>
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Keep clients informed.</h3>
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Sometimes client expectations about goals and results and actual progress are two different things. It is very important to set expectations regarding timing and possible outcomes up front. Never make your client feel that they were blindsided or kept in the dark. If things change, inform the client immediately. Communication is key to maintaining good relationships and that, in turn, will result in happy clients.</div>
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<i>Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms.</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-144076826630424512016-12-13T22:24:00.000-08:002016-12-19T22:25:07.121-08:00Should You Relocate? The Pros and Cons of Broadening Your Job Search<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Should You Relocate? The Pros and Cons of Broadening Your Job Search</h1>
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<i>In the following post, Lewis Daidone addresses the Pros and Cons of job relocation.</i></div>
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If you’re a recent graduate just starting out in your accounting career, you’re probably open to working in almost any city that seems attractive. However, if you’re considering a mid-career transition, or if you have established roots in your community, the thought of starting again in a new town might seem a bit daunting. If you’re looking for new opportunities or just a change in scenery, here are a few factors that could influence your decision.</div>
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Pro: Exciting opportunities</h3>
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Accountants who are willing to relocate have more options as it relates to career advancement; prospects who are willing to travel are more likely to find their dream job than those who remain in a city where demand for certain accounting specialties may be low.</div>
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Con: The stress of moving</h3>
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The older and more established you are in a particular location, the more difficult it is to move. If you have a family, it might be a challenge to convince them to relocate (especially if you have adolescent children). Moving is very stressful and can put tremendous strain on even the healthiest of family relationships.</div>
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Pro: Personal and professional growth</h3>
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Job relocation is a marvelous opportunity for personal enrichment. Adapting to a different city and expanding your area(s) of expertise will make you a more well-rounded, knowledgeable professional.</div>
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Con: It can be a costly gamble, both personally and financially</h3>
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There is always the possibility that you’ll dislike the new company culture, and that your new position is a bad fit. Then what? You’ve uprooted your whole life for a job you like less than your old one. This is a significant risk, not to be taken lightly – particularly if you move your entire family.</div>
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Think carefully about the opportunities a job relocation presents. In my next post, I’ll discuss steps you can take that can not only help you make the best decision, but also ease the transition if you decide to take the job.</div>
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<i>Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms.</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-31541393484330419022016-11-01T00:32:00.000-07:002016-11-01T00:32:09.985-07:00Are You a Leader? Honing The Skills that You Need to Succeed in Accounting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Are You a Leader? Honing The Skills that You Need to Succeed in Accounting</h1>
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<i>Accountants aren’t generally thought of as natural leaders, but <a href="https://lewisdaidone.wordpress.com/">Lewis Daidone</a> argues that strong leadership skills are essential to a successful accounting career.</i></div>
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What makes a great leader? Opinions differ—many believe charisma or charm is crucial to leadership; others think confidence and authenticity are the most important qualities. Whichever components ultimately form the building blocks of your particular leadership style, it is incredibly important to communicate, in words and actions, your ability to effectively lead, manage and take control whenever the situation demands it. Here are three ways you can convince your audience, interviewers, and team members that you have the skills to provide firm and valuable direction, even in the most difficult circumstances.</div>
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Look the Part</h3>
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Whether it’s fair or not, humans are heavily influenced by perception. The way you carry yourself when you enter a room can convince an audience of your capabilities, even if you haven’t said a word. While having a clean and professional appearance is important, the way you walk, gesture, and make eye contact can positively or negatively influence those around you. If you aren’t confident in your ability to present yourself or command a room, it could be helpful to spend a session with a career coach.</div>
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Speak with Confidence</h3>
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Have you heard yourself speak? If not, have a friend record you the next time you have a conversation so you can listen to the way you communicate. Is your voice tentative? Do you pepper your phrases with “like”, “ummm”, and “kind of”? These are little tics that diminish the authority of your message, and tell the listener that you aren’t entirely confident of the message that you are trying to convey.</div>
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Write with Style</h3>
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When you communicate through email or text message, craft your words carefully. This is especially important for accountants when they have to communicate concepts that might be unfamiliar to clients or colleagues in different parts of the organization. Make sure your written communications are easily understood, concise, and to the point.</div>
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While leadership comes naturally to some people, with some practice and a little effort most people can improve their leadership skills and their opportunities for promotion and advancement.</div>
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<i><a href="http://lewis-daidone.blogspot.com/">Lewis Daidone</a> is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to tech companies and financial services firms.</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-70161224243535275332016-11-01T00:29:00.001-07:002016-11-01T00:29:33.179-07:00Afraid of Failure? Don’t Be<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Afraid of Failure? Don’t Be.</h1>
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<i>In the following article, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewisdaidone">Lewis Daidone</a> discusses the value of making (and learning from) the occasional mistake.</i></div>
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When we’re new to a job, we very often live in fear that we’ll mess up something important. It’s natural. Even though no one could reasonably expect a novice to handle everything with total ease and 100 % accuracy, we still expect ourselves to perform to absolute perfection. Here are a few things to remember if you’re wracked with anxiety over the possibility of making a mistake.</div>
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No risk, no reward.</h3>
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It’s a cliché, but it’s nonetheless true. If you don’t challenge yourself and put yourself in a position to succeed, your career will never develop and blossom. Remember: the most successful people didn’t achieve success because they never experienced failure; they just didn’t let failure get in their way. They owned their mistake, learned from it and then never made that same mistake again.</div>
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Fix, don’t fixate.</h3>
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Dwelling on a mistake only makes you reluctant to try again. Try to reframe your approach to dealing with failures. Don’t let the embarrassment become the primary focus, shift your energy towards what actually went wrong, and address it directly. Also, don’t forget that you’ve undoubtedly learned something new during the process, which will benefit you in the long run.</div>
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Take the high road.</h3>
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As soon as you realize that you made a mistake immediately bring it up to your supervisor. Timing is everything and waiting and hoping that your error may go undetected is not a viable, or ethical, solution. Then own it. Resist the urge to absolve yourself of responsibility or make excuses. It not only inhibits your ability to learn from the process, it can diminish you in the eyes of your team members and supervisors. If you own up to your mistake and eagerly move forward, it proves that you are the kind of person who can be trusted.</div>
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<i><a href="http://www.lewisdaidonecpa.com/">Lewis Daidone</a> is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to tech companies and financial services firms.</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-76664519436135108902016-10-10T23:43:00.001-07:002016-10-16T23:49:19.492-07:00Working Remotely? Here’s How to Maximize Efficiency<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Working Remotely? Here’s How to Maximize Efficiency</h1>
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<i>In the following article, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lewisdaidone">Lewis Daidone</a> offers tips for increasing focus when working from home. <a href="https://in.pinterest.com/lewisdaidone/">Lewis Daidone</a> is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to tech companies and financial services firms.</i></div>
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On the face of it, working from a home office seems like a luxury. You don’t have that horrible commute, you don’t have to adhere to a dress code, and you have more flexibility with your schedule. However, sometimes it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. When your home is your office, you can never seem to entirely get away from your job, and it can be difficult to work through some distractions (when a pipe suddenly bursts, you don’t just call maintenance—it’s a problem <i>you</i> are forced to deal with). If you struggle with staying focused while working in your living space, here are a few tips that might help you get back on track.<br />
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Have a separate space specifically for work.</h2>
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Depending upon the size of your home, this might not be entirely possible, but having a space entirely dedicated to work matters is tremendously helpful in minimizing distractions. When you’re working in your space, make sure you insulate yourself from home-related matters as best you can. No television, food, or social media allowed. If you get a personal phone call, remove yourself totally from the work space until it is finished, and only then, return.<br />
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Be strict with your schedule.</h2>
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Cultivate the discipline to start work at a certain time every day, and finish at a certain time every day. It could also be helpful to dress for work—even though you’re only reporting to yourself. As nice as it is to be able to work in sweatpants, if you just spend the day lounging around, your initiative could dwindle—along with your productivity.<br />
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Don’t become too isolated.</h2>
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Try to get out of your house during your break times. Go for a walk, or have lunch in a nearby park. Knowing that you have a break time will help you compartmentalize your work obligations from your personal life more effectively. Spending your entire day cooped up in your own home can upset your work/life balance dramatically.</div>
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Working from home effectively takes a surprising amount of discipline, but setting parameters for yourself will help you to effectively meet your professional obligations. </div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-56550857210352736302016-10-05T23:31:00.000-07:002016-10-16T23:47:40.883-07:00New Grads: Dress For Success!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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New Grads: Dress For Success!</h1>
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<i>In the following post, <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/lewisdaidone01/">Lewis Daidone</a> discusses how looking your absolute best not only helps boost your confidence, it inspires confidence in others. <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/135329175@N08/">Lewis Daidone</a> is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to tech companies and financial services firms.</i></div>
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Although dress codes have become more relaxed, there are still many firms that will require you to observe certain—possibly fairly rigid—dress codes. Even if you have to wear business professional attire, you can still comply and look unique and stylish, too. When you look polished, well-groomed, and professional, you create an unmistakable aura of success. Here are a few basic tips for looking like a million bucks in the workplace.<br />
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Tailor your suits.</h2>
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Few young people bother to have their suits professionally tailored; you can tell by the boxy, bunching, ill-fitting suit jackets they wear. Both men and women can benefit from employing the services of a tailor – your clothing will look well-made, and you will look slimmer and more comfortable, too.<br />
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Keep it conservative, but add a little color</h2>
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While business attire is meant to communicate proficiency and seriousness, you’re probably not going to be at your professional best if you feel like you’re dressed as an imposter. If you’re concerned about masking your individuality by wearing conservative clothing, you can always add hints of your personal style in the form of one or two colorful accessories, like argyle socks, a brightly colored handkerchief or scarf, or a bold tie-clip. <br />
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Try unique accessories.</h2>
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Having a few elements of tasteful whimsy in your wardrobe actually serves a professional purpose. While strict business professional attire can be intimidating to some (particularly if you’re working with clients), having a few items that showcase your fun side can let people know that you’re open and relatable. Cufflinks; suspenders; a nice, heavy watch; a tie pin—are all acceptable business attire, while simultaneously being great additions for wardrobe personalization.<br />
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It might seem obvious, but if you’re going to shine in the workplace, it is extremely important to shine on the outside, too. You will not only look the part, you will feel it, too. </div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-32494529401834089512016-09-26T02:40:00.000-07:002016-09-26T02:40:13.153-07:00Nailing the CFO Interview: The Day of the Interview<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Nailing the CFO Interview: The Day of the Interview</h1>
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<i> In the second installment <a href="http://lewis-daidone.blogspot.com/">Lewis Daidone</a> offers advice for an effective and successful job interview. <a href="https://twitter.com/lewisdaidone">Lewis Daidone</a> is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to financial services firms and tech companies.</i></div>
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The interview process can be stressful; you want to demonstrate your exceptional capabilities while keeping the interviewer engaged. In some cases, too much enthusiasm can affect one’s ability to act naturally. If you’re nervous about being interviewed, these tips might help make it go smoothly.</div>
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Dress for success.</h2>
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It seems obvious, but it is very important to choose your attire based on the office culture and expectations. While you may want to ask about the dress code prior to the interview, it never hurts to appear in a business suit - especially when interviewing with the CFO. Better to be too conservative than appear too casual.</div>
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Give yourself a 10-minute cushion.</h2>
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Although you might be tempted to arrive as early as possible, if you arrive 20 minutes (or more) early, you could give the impression that you are either over zealous or unconcerned about the interviewer’s schedule. Whatever you do, do not arrive late. Arriving late is the most effective way of showing the interviewer that you cannot be relied upon to meet important obligations. </div>
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Start the interview the moment you walk into the building.</h2>
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Don’t make the mistake of only treating the interviewer with respect. If you’re unpleasant or rude to the receptionist or anyone else for that matter, word will certainly get back to the CFO. </div>
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Be relaxed… but not too relaxed.</h2>
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You want to be at ease during the interview, but don’t take familiarity too far. Keep your attitude warm, but professionally distant.</div>
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In the final installment of this CFO interview series, I’ll give you some tips on making the post-interview period work in your favor.</div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-85328458528850351782016-09-19T00:26:00.000-07:002016-09-19T00:26:07.958-07:00New Job? Here’s How to Make the Best Impression<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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New Job? Here’s How to Make the Best Impression</h1>
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<i>It isn’t unusual to have new job jitters during your probationary period. In the following article, <a ghref="http://www.lewisdaidonecpa.com/" href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Lewis Daidone</a> discusses how you can show your best self to your new colleagues and supervisors. <a href="https://lewisdaidone.wordpress.com/">Lewis Daidone</a> is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to financial services firms and tech companies.</i></div>
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If you’ve just gotten your dream job at one of the Big Four accounting firms, you’re probably very anxious to make the best possible impression. However, in your eagerness to make yourself invaluable to the firm, your enthusiasm may be misconstrued as being too aggressive and you may end up alienating the people that you want to impress. If you are too introverted you may stay under their radar. Here are a few tips for truly showcasing your talent.</div>
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You might not know everything, but use everything you know.</h2>
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As a new hire, you may be a small fish in a big pond, but that doesn’t mean you have to keep your mouth shut and your head down. There was a reason why you were hired, and you shouldn’t be too timid to contribute if your contribution is well-considered and based on solid experience. Don’t be afraid to take initiative or tackle a challenging task.</div>
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However…</div>
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Keep your ego in check.</h2>
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Even though you might have outshone your college peers or former colleagues with your accounting acumen, you’re in a whole new world now. Give yourself permission to adjust to the new culture, and seriously consider the advice and guidance that you receive. Make sure you know how things operate before you try to make changes.</div>
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Be accessible.</h2>
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It’s true—quite a few people who are attracted to the accounting profession have introverted dispositions. Even though it might not be your instinct to reach out to new colleagues, it’s nonetheless a good idea to do so sooner rather than later. You certainly don’t have be everybody’s best friend, but you should introduce yourself to co-workers and colleagues and ask questions about the firm and the company culture.</div>
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Yes, starting a new job can be intimidating, but make it a point to become integrated into the company structure as soon as possible. If you’re a relaxed, confident, and reliable team member, you’ll not only be off to a great start, but a great career as well.</div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-15909270085636378402016-08-09T05:57:00.003-07:002016-08-09T05:57:29.293-07:00Do you Know How to Self-Market?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Do you Know How to Self-Market?</h1>
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<i>In the following post, Lewis Daidone discusses how accountants can improve their career prospects with effective marketing strategies. Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to tech companies and financial services firms.</i></div>
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In general, the qualities that make for a fantastic accountant don’t necessarily apply in the marketing sphere (except when determining marketing budgets). Accountants value the application of logic, while successful marketing is entirely dependent upon the ability to appeal to the often illogical habits of the consumer.</div>
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Because accountants don’t typically have the kind of fanciful disposition that can easily create appealing marketing campaigns, they aren’t very successful at marketing themselves to prospective employers and clients. If you have solid accounting credentials, it may seem like a tidy resume and social media page should be enough to broadcast your strengths to your potential targets. Unfortunately, this isn’t enough. Here are a few tips that might help you effectively demonstrate your value.</div>
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<li><b>Don’t sell your job title—sell solutions.</b> Your knowledge of GAAP isn’t as attractive to potential clients and employers as your history of successfully facing challenges and providing effective solutions. Describe exactly how your ideas and innovations have added organizational value and benefitted previous clients.</li>
<li><b>Make your passion for your career evident.</b> Even if you became an accountant because you’re good with numbers and it’s a solid career track, those perfectly reasonable motives won’t sell your ability as much as your excitement about your job and your future will.
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<li><b>Emphasize your stellar interpersonal skills.</b> Accountants have an unfortunate reputation for being introverted numbers-crunchers who are happier sitting alone at a desk than giving a presentation in front of an audience. Networking and relationship-building are hugely important professional skills. If you have fantastic customer relationship skills and possess the ability to influence people, you will be an extremely valuable acquisition for any organization.
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It seems counter-intuitive to try to make your accounting skills sexy, but if you want to compete, you’ll have to make yourself and your brand irresistible. </div>
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<i><a href="http://www.whitepages.com/name/Lewis-Daidone">Lewis Daidone</a>, a certified public accountant, works as an investment management consultant with BlackRock. Learn more about him by visiting this <a href="https://lewisdaidone.wordpress.com/">blog</a>.</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-58408130562401078012016-08-08T05:41:00.000-07:002016-08-09T05:41:33.691-07:00Accounting Mentor Programs Part 3: Recognizing a Well-Structured Mentorship Program<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Accounting Mentor Programs Part 3: Recognizing a Well-Structured Mentorship Program </h1>
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<i>In the final post of the mentorship series, Lewis Daidone discusses the importance of finding a high-functioning mentorship program with clear objectives. Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to tech companies and financial services firms.</i><br />
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Although mentorship programs are definitely becoming more common in the financial and accounting sectors, not all programs are created equal. Here are a few indicators that you’ve found a well-constructed and effective mentoring program. <br />
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<li><b>Goals are thoroughly defined.</b> “Mentoring” can be a vague concept. When businesses treat mentoring programs like a cross between an introduction to the company culture and a probation period, they are failing to exploit their full organizational resources. Look for a program that has specific objectives. Does the company want to encourage cross-departmental familiarity? Does it want to give new hires the tools to pass the CPA exam? Does it want to optimize team-member performance? </li>
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<li><b>Timetables are set and maintained.</b> One of the most common reasons mentorship programs fail is because of a lack of commitment to any set schedule. (This is particularly true during tax season, where offices get hectic.) There should be consistent meetings between the mentor and mentee throughout the duration of the mentorship. Furthermore, there needs to be regular benchmarking of achievements, so that progress can be assessed and challenges addressed. If there is no adherence to any schedule, it is likely that the program is going, or has gone, stale.</li>
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<li><b>The mentorship program is organization-wide.</b> It might not be reasonable to expect every senior-level employee to mentor another employee, but everyone in the entire company has to be accessible to the mentorship program, and offer guidance when necessary.</li>
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<li><b>The program has strong oversight.</b> The management team should make its interest in the success of the program evident by involving itself in its operations.</li>
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Mentorship programs can be a boon to both companies and individual employees. As workplace expectations continue to develop and industry practices continue to innovate, mentorship programs will become indispensable in helping organizations meet diverse challenges.<br />
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<i><a href="http://www.whitepages.com/name/Lewis-Daidone">Lewis Daidone</a>, a certified public accountant, works as an investment management consultant with BlackRock. Learn more about him by visiting this <a href="https://lewisdaidone.wordpress.com/">blog</a>.</i></div>
Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-19360149020506110772016-07-11T11:08:00.002-07:002016-07-11T11:08:51.147-07:00After the Interview—What Now? Here are 3 Follow-up Tips<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<p><i>In this post, Lewis Daidone discusses the importance of following up after a successful job interview. Lewis Daidone is a CPA and consultant to several financial firms and tech companies.</p></i>
<p>Congratulations! You’ve scored an interview at a highly impressive financial firm, and it went exceedingly well. So, should you just wait for the inevitable call inviting you to join the team? </p>
<p>Not necessarily.</p>
<p>Even if you’re confident that you nailed your accountant job interview, without the gift of telepathy, you can’t be certain that you will actually be their newest hire. Keep your great interview fresh in their mind by applying strategic post-interview follow-up techniques.</p>
<h2>Send a brief email to all of your interviewers</h2>
<p>No more than two days after your interview, you might want to send a thank you message to the interview team—individually. Make sure you don’t wait; the final decision could be made quickly, and you should make sure you communicate before it’s too late. Don’t make it too long, just a few sentences that could serve as an elevator pitch. Also—triple check for grammatical errors and misspellings!</p>
<h2>Connect via Social Platforms</h2>
<p>Social media conversations can be tricky if done via Facebook, but LinkedIn is a great professional channel. (Twitter could also be useful, depending upon the company culture.) However, you have to assess the willingness of the hiring manager to engage in a social media conversation. If he or she divulged any professional affiliations or school associations, you might leverage those for a social network connection.</p>
<h2>Call the Hiring Manager</h2>
<p>Don’t make the phone call immediately—if you still haven’t heard anything after a week, then go ahead and call the manager for an update. </p>
<p>Whatever you do, don’t be afraid to take initiative. If done professionally, it will only impress your prospective employers. Even if you aren’t their first choice, your name may still pop up for another opening! </p>
<i><a href="http://www.whitepages.com/name/Lewis-Daidone">Lewis Daidone</a>, a certified public accountant, works as an investment management consultant with BlackRock. Learn more about him by visiting this <a href="https://lewisdaidone.wordpress.com/">blog</a>.</i>Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-82277112000786633482016-07-11T11:07:00.003-07:002016-07-11T11:07:52.222-07:00Public Accounting Vs. Private Accounting<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><p>Lewis Daidone discusses the fundamental differences between public and private accountants. Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and consultant to tech companies and financial firms.</p></i>
<p>What makes accounting careers so attractive? Although they are definitely appealing to those of us with a natural facility for analysis, calculation, and finance, it’s the diversity of professional applications that makes them so dynamic. While there are numerous branches of accounting with slightly different focuses, there are two major career tracks accounting students can choose: public accounting or private accounting.</p>
<h2>Public Accounting</h2>
<p>Those who work in a public accounting capacity will offer advisory, tax, analysis, auditing, and consulting services. They will typically work for public accounting firms—the largest being Ernst and Young, Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and KPMG (known as the Big Four) —and will serve a broad array of clients from different industries. It is essential that public accountants not only have an accounting degree, but also be in possession of a Certified Public Accounting credential. Furthermore, it is extremely helpful for a public accountant to develop a strong and flexible understanding of a wide variety of industry practices and accounting transactions.</p>
<h2>Private Accounting</h2>
<p>While public accountants will have to be in possession of a CPA designation, private accountants may only need a bachelor’s degree—although those who hold CPAs will command higher salaries. The main difference between public and private accountants is the private accountant’s dedication to a single organization; rather than having to constantly adjust to different industries and practices, the private accountant must only focus on one. It is the job of the private accountant to process company transactions (billing and payable), as well as to develop expertise in their industry in order to help management with daily operations. This means liaising with the heads of different departments, so developing excellent team building skills is critical.</p>
<h2>Which to Choose?</h2>
<p>Public accounting can be quite exciting—the client base is constantly changing, and public accountancy often requires a great deal of travel. Private accountants, on the other hand, work from a single office, and are surrounded by the same team every day, which might be more comfortable for a homebody kind of personality. There might also be more room for work-life flexibility, depending upon the private accountant’s industry.</p>
<p> Your decision to become a public or private accountant may depend upon your desired career trajectory, your need for variety, and your personal disposition. Nevertheless, both public and private accounting careers can be thoroughly rewarding, challenging, and satisfying.</p>
<i><a href="http://www.whitepages.com/name/Lewis-Daidone">Lewis Daidone</a>, a certified public accountant, works as an investment management consultant with BlackRock. Learn more about him by visiting this <a href="https://lewisdaidone.wordpress.com/">blog</a>.</i>Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-683569571072550772016-06-09T04:09:00.000-07:002016-07-13T04:17:18.794-07:00GPAs for CPAs: What are Optimal Grade Point Averages?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">GPAs for CPAs: What are Optimal Grade Point Averages?</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>In today’s post, Lewis Daidone talks about whether or not grade point averages are truly important when applying for accounting positions. Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant for tech companies and financial services firms.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The short answer is: 4.0 is the optimal grade point average. Sorry!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, don’t think you can sail on the wave of an excellent GPA alone and expect to land the plum jobs. You have to supplement your excellent academic record with other value-adding achievements too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Having a high GPA is definitely a plus—it establishes your dedication to your coursework and your in-depth understanding of diverse accounting fundamentals. Nevertheless, there is no magic number that will absolutely guarantee you a position at a prestigious company. There are innumerable other qualities that are extremely valuable to prospective employers. If you fear that your GPA isn’t that impressive, or that your grades alone might not be enough to distinguish you from other candidates, here are a few things you can do that will help you make an excellent impression.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Make your GPA stronger</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Easier said than done, but if your GPA isn’t where it needs to be, make a special effort to raise it. Choose your course load strategically—make sure your class levels are appropriate, and that some of them satisfy an inherent interest so that performing well comes easily. Participate in class. Take advantage of <i>any</i> extra-credit opportunities your professor provides. Develop a relationship with your instructors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Have both Scholarship and Fellowship</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">What are your greatest strengths as a job applicant? Naturally, you have to demonstrate your profound understanding of accountancy, but what else can you bring to the table? The student who has a near perfect or even perfect GPA but who struggles with building professional relationships might not add real value to certain firms. However, an applicant with a successful track record of taking on difficult roles and inspiring confidence in others could be quite attractive. Make sure you make an effort to demonstrate your people-skills and facility with networking. On your resume, Provide examples on your resume of situtations where you stepped up and tackled challenging interpersonal situations, or proved your strong leadership ability.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Develop a Diverse Skillset</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Having the kind of attitude, intellectual curiosity, and enthusiasm that a CPA firm values are highly impressive attributes. Enrich your resume with meaningful work experience, extracurricular activities, and—eventually—a CPA credential, and you’ll be a fine prospect for any organization. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" ref="https://plus.google.com/112396433176153544896/posts">Lewis Daidone</a> is a consultant specializing in investment management. Follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/lewisdaidone">Twitter</a> for more info.</i></span></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-50583564884660645672016-06-03T22:19:00.000-07:002016-06-06T22:22:28.088-07:00Management Accounting and Supply Chain Management<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Management Accounting and Supply Chain Management</h1>
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In the modern business world, “supply chain management” is not just a buzz word; it is considered a key driver in the midst of foreign competition and offshore sourcing as well as global markets. Keeping a company’s supply chain performing well requires a high level of responsiveness, as does keeping the shelves in stores filled. Management accounting drives the necessary planning, monitoring and use of logistical information to maximize efficiencies throughout the supply chain.</div>
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Profit Driven Management Reporting</h2>
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Supply chain management today involves increasing the speed of inventory and trimming costs. Accomplishing these tasks requires skills in management along with creativity. Companies compete based on how effectively they can move raw materials, parts and finished goods. Those that do it the best make the most profits. The reporting and analysis provided by the management accounting system provide the techniques and context to drive those profits. </div>
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The accounting rules worked particularly well with companies in the past, which were more likely to be vertically integrated and focus mostly on making sales domestically. However, these principles do not necessarily work well with today’s business practices and operations.</div>
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The Challenges</h3>
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There is no one size fits all management accounting solution for supply chains. Industries vary, business plans change, and strategies differ even within similar industries. It is important to use a system that works in the context of your business model, product mix and customers. The right management accounting system can be the difference between a mediocre company and a stellar performer..</div>
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<i><a href="https://twitter.com/lewisdaidone">Lewis Daidone</a> works alongside boards of directors, venture capitalists, senior executives and partners toward improving infrastructure, growth projections, and fiscal results of financial services and technology companies. Follow him on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/people/Lewis-Daidone/100009601463253">Facebook</a> to know more.</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-378809507004298002016-05-12T22:38:00.003-07:002016-05-24T09:19:54.601-07:00Tips for CPA Exam Prep<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Prepping for the CPA Exam</h1>
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<i>Certified Public Accountant and consultant Lewis Daidone offers tips for preparing for the CPA exam</i></div>
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Passing the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination is no easy feat. About half of all people who take the CPA exam fail. In addition, it is estimated that there is only about a 20% chance of passing all four parts in one try, so proper exam preparation is crucial.</div>
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Clearly, anyone who intends to take the CPA exam has to take it extremely seriously. Not only is the exam rigorous (it's a 14 hour test), the cost for the four sections of the exam is approximately $1,000, including the application fee. In addition, I highly recommend taking a review course – and those fees range from $1,500 to $3,000. Trust me—you don't want to have to take this more than you have to!</div>
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Here are a few tips to consider regarding taking the CPA exam.</div>
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<b>Choose your study courses carefully</b></div>
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Don't settle for basic review courses or those with the best advertising or those that appear affordable. Do the research. Look for hard data on student exam passing rates. Review the reviews – search for student posts on independent websites..</div>
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<b>Study like it's your full-time job</b></div>
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Plan to put in 30+ hours per week of study (approximately 500 hours) for each section of the exam. In addition to dedicated study time, you can also take audio courses, and listen to them during your drive to work or on the elliptical. You will also want to simulate the exam itself – multiple times. Your review courses should offer computerized test simulations; there are also online resources you should research – some are free, These should be used only to augment the review course material, not replace it.</div>
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<b>Take care of yourself!</b></div>
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If you're completely sleep deprived and run-down by the time your exam date rolls around, you're probably going to kiss all of that exhaustive prep work goodbye. Get plenty of rest, eat well, and practice your favorite stress-reduction techniques so that you will be in top physical and mental condition for your big day!</div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-14905410158025404382016-05-12T06:18:00.000-07:002016-05-24T09:20:01.782-07:00Failed the CPA Exam? Don't Panic!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Failed the CPA Exam? Don't Panic—Try Again!</span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i>Lewis Daidone discusses options for CPA candidates who've failed one or more parts of the CPA Exam. Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and consultant to financial services firms and technology companies.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Taking the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Examination is a crucial step on the road to becoming a successful and respected accountant. However, it is a road paved with challenges. The examination is an exhaustive, 14 hour, four-part test that requires years of dedicated preparation. Approximately half of all applicants fail. Credit for any section passed is valid for 18 months from the date the exam was taken. Examination credit expires by section.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you've failed one or more parts of the CPA Exam, don't despair! You can take the CPA Exam as many times as your schedule (and your sanity) allows.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Failing with a score of 70 – 74</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If you failed one of your sections by only a few points, apply for a Notice to Schedule (NTS) to reschedule the failed section as early in the next window as practicable, and begin seriously reviewing the previous materials. You've demonstrated that you've got a strong grasp of critical concepts within that section, and you just need to pay a bit more attention to some of the nuances. You already have the exam fresh in your mind, so you're definitely in a great position to do well on the retake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Failing with a score of 70 or lower</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Those who've failed one of the exams with a score under 70 probably aren't comfortable enough with the material to retake the test successfully early in the next testing window. If you are secure in your grasp of the materials for the next part that you are studying for, continue on your current track, take that exam, and then return to the section you failed. Schedule your re-examination late enough in the following window to give yourself enough time to really nail down all of the materials.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Remember, you have 18 months to pass all four sections of the CPA exam, so use them wisely. Don't let your stumble intimidate or discourage you; stay the course and conquer that test!</span></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-65342286070171721832016-04-01T05:41:00.001-07:002016-04-26T07:07:32.887-07:00Careers for Accounting Majors: They're a Lot More Diverse Than You Think Pt. 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Auditors </h1>
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For some, the role of an auditor conjures up thoughts of boring, tedious and repetitive tasks that provide little job satisfaction or excitement. Why on earth would anyone want to become an auditor?</div>
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Quite a few reasons, actually!</div>
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Although an auditor may be considered a harbinger of doom in certain circumstances (think IRS), auditing jobs can be extremely fulfilling, particularly for those who enjoy problem-solving and logic puzzles. Auditors are similar to forensic accountants, except they don't typically work with law enforcement.</div>
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Roles/Responsibilities</h2>
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Auditors scrutinize every facet of an organization's financial processes and look for inefficient controls, financial leakage, lack of regulatory compliance, deficient management policies, tax discrepancies, and other situations that may result in errors and/or inconsistencies; in some cases they may even uncover fraud. An auditor will comb through financial data and records to ensure that controls are operated as designed and that proper protocols are followed in accordance with policies and procedures.</div>
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<b>Internal Auditors:</b> Internal auditors work within an organization. These professionals investigate and monitor existing practices and help to determine risk management protocols. An internal auditor must follow the auditing process in an independent and objective manner, in many cases internal auditing departments will have a reporting line directly to the Board of Directors to ensure their independence.</div>
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<b>External Auditors:</b> External auditors work for independent accounting firms and, therefore, are not employees of the firms that they audit— hence, they are completely independent. Independent Accounting Firms work for the entity that that engaged them to perform the audit, such as the Board of Directors, the parent company, or even the government. In the case of a public company (one that is listed on a public stock exchange), the Board hires an independent accounting firm to determine if the Financial Statements prepared by management present a fair and accurate picture of the company and comply with generally accepted accounting principles.</div>
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Whether you want to be an internal or external auditor depends upon the type of environment most appeals to you. Internal auditors are a part of an organization, and therefore integral to that company's culture. External auditors are independent of the organization they audit which may allow for more directness in their audit approach.<br />
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Education </h2>
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Auditors must have a Bachelor's degree, usually in accounting, business administration, or finance. Many organizations value auditors with a background in information technology or law, but having a solid grasp of your industry is essential. Many auditors, particularly external auditors, will study for and take the CPA exam in order to be credentialed as a Certified Public Accountant, which is essential for auditing public companies.<br />
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Salary </h2>
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Nationally, the median salary for auditors is $53,000 per year; $61,000 if you have your CPA.<br />
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<i> Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to financial services firms and technology companies..</i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-16642047147861187762016-03-23T06:44:00.002-07:002016-04-18T12:38:06.104-07:00Careers for Accounting Majors: They're a Lot More Diverse than You Think Pt. 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73ympwlnGpgvKdg6yLLJzSWqKeiTlkqgGQmuaxSDh7tXw_w6143kcY6vQ9sEumwlcGg6yJRcaTerWi5Cuttzcf_54xLbPZVp3dfG6T9ksK2WplfOBcF3lllHTn4Buzx9LEFISRM_kFtlE/s1600/20625350-frustrated-businessman-looking-at-a-drawing-of-multiple-arrows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73ympwlnGpgvKdg6yLLJzSWqKeiTlkqgGQmuaxSDh7tXw_w6143kcY6vQ9sEumwlcGg6yJRcaTerWi5Cuttzcf_54xLbPZVp3dfG6T9ksK2WplfOBcF3lllHTn4Buzx9LEFISRM_kFtlE/s400/20625350-frustrated-businessman-looking-at-a-drawing-of-multiple-arrows.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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In the previous post, I discussed environmental accountants. In this segment, I'll be exploring the law and order-centric world of the forensic accountant.</div>
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Forensic Accountant </h2>
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In addition to being one of the fastest-growing law enforcement professions, forensic accountancy is one of the more inherently interesting and satisfying branches of accounting. If you enjoy solving puzzles and a good mystery novel (and if you're also proficient with numbers), financial forensics might be the career for you.</div>
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Some of the most famous criminal cases in the United States have hinged upon the work of forensic accountancy. The Lindbergh baby kidnapping was solved by Treasury Department agent <a href="https://americanheritagecenter.wordpress.com/2011/06/03/secret-agent-man-the-papers-of-frank-wilson/">Frank Wilson</a>; he recorded serial numbers from the ransom money and distributed those numbers in a booklet, ultimately leading to the discovery of the cash and the kidnapper. This same numbers-cruncher also helped to get Al Capone prosecuted and convicted for tax evasion.</div>
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Roles/Responsibilities</h2>
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Forensic accountants scrutinize financial, tax, and business records of individuals and organizations in order to uncover fraud or illegalities that may be pertinent to civil or criminal cases. Money laundering, tax evasion, and embezzlement all fall under the purview of the forensic accountant; occasionally, financially-motivated homicide prosecutions depend upon the work of the forensic accountant.</div>
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Education</h2>
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The level of education necessary for the forensic accountant will depend upon the agency (local, state, or federal). At minimum, the candidate will require a Bachelor's degree in accounting as well as the appropriate public accounting certification. The ideal prospect will also have had extensive coursework in criminal investigation.</div>
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Because giving expert court testimony is an essential part of a forensic accountant's duties, all forensic accountants must receive specialized training that will prepare them for court appearances, as well as techniques in financial investigation, and knowledge of state and federal laws. The ability to issue clear and effective written communications is also critical.</div>
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Salary</h2>
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Salaries for forensic accountants average $65,940 per year.</div>
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In the next installment, I'll be discussing auditing.</div>
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<i>Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to financial services and technology companies. </i></div>
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4231757223952235368.post-63618052509798330742016-03-21T06:18:00.000-07:002016-04-18T12:36:05.255-07:00Careers for Accounting Majors: They're a Lot More Diverse than You Think Pt. 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It may come as a surprise that there are accounting jobs that suit nearly every personality type and area of interest. If you have a strong social and/or environmental consciousness, consider environmental accounting.</div>
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<span style="color: black;">Environmental Accountants</span></h2>
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The strong social and governmental focus on sustainable environmental practices has led to a plethora of local, state, and federal regulations. Additionally, public opinion demands that every business conduct its practice with an eye towards ecological responsibility. The environmental accountant must balance conserving company resources and eliminating waste with ensuring a positive environmental impact.<br />
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Roles/Responsibilities</h2>
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The environmental accountant integrates conservation practices and principles into standard reporting, that includes cost/benefit analyses. He/She monitors all activity along the supply chain, including administrative and operational requirements (office supply usage, electricity, etc.). Environmental accountants must also have a keen understanding of the regulations that govern the environment in which the company operates, in particular those monitored by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/our-mission-and-what-we-do">Environmental Protection Agency</a>, the federal oversight agency for all public and private business entities.<br />
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Since consumer interest regarding environmentally friendly practices is now at an all-time high, it is important to demonstrate a company’s commitment to maintaining a green work environment. So everything from green packaging and sustainable manufacturing to paperless offices come under the purview of the environmental accountant to ensure the most efficient and cost effective means of maintaining an ecologically responsible workplace.<br />
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Education</h2>
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Environmental accountants must possess a Bachelor's degree; acquiring a Certified Professional Environmental Auditor's credential is essential for career growth and maximizing earning potential.<br />
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Salary</h2>
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The mean salary varies depending upon location. In New York, the mean salary is $85,000—in Texas, it is $68,000. Texas, New York, and California employ the highest number of environmental accountants.<br />
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In my next post, I'll discuss forensic accounting.<br />
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<span style="color: black;"><em>Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to financial services firms and technology companies.</em></span><br />
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Lewis Daidonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03161601930861925444noreply@blogger.com0