Working Your Way To The Top: Four Ways To Help You Make It To Management

In the following post, Lewis Daidone discusses how CPAs can rise to a managerial position.

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.

Work for a specific job title.

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.

Get the appropriate degree.

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.

Hone your leadership skills.

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.

Look the part.

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.

Lewis Daidone, CPA, is a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms. For more on his credentials, click here.

Fun In The Office? 4 Do’s And Don’Ts

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.

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.

Studies have shown that laughter is a great reliever of stress, and that the right balance of creative humor 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.

Do: Try to be light-hearted.

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.

Don’t: Overload on sarcasm at the expense of your team – or worse, your supervisors.

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.

Do: Stay appropriate.

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.

Don’t: Be disruptive.

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.

Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms. For more management articles, follow this Twitter account.

Are You an Active Listener? 3 Tips for Improving Your Listening Skills

In the following post, Lewis Daidone discusses tips and strategies for becoming an effective and active listener.

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.

Listen to tone, and pay attention to body language.

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.

Don’t assume you’ve got the idea before the speaker finishes.

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.

Summarize the speaker’s statement in your own words.

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.

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!

CPALewis Daidone serves as a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms. Visit this LinkedIn profile for more on his work.

Negotiating Numerous Job Offers: How to Select the Right One

In the following post, Lewis Daidone offers tips on how to choose from multiple accounting job offers.

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?

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.

Decide what you want most from your career.

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.

Assess the company culture.

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?

Compare compensation packages.

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.

Lewis Daidone, CPA, works technology companies and financial services firms as a consultant. For similar updates, visit this blog.

Client Management Difficulties? Here are a Few Tips

In the following article, Lewis Daidone offers tips for talking to clients who are unfamiliar with accounting rules, concepts and terminology.

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.

Use accessible language.

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.

Be systematic and specific.

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.

Listen carefully, and with compassion.

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.

Keep clients informed.

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.

Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms.

Should You Relocate? The Pros and Cons of Broadening Your Job Search

In the following post, Lewis Daidone addresses the Pros and Cons of job relocation.

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.

Pro: Exciting opportunities

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.

Con: The stress of moving

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.

Pro: Personal and professional growth

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.

Con: It can be a costly gamble, both personally and financially

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.

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.

Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to technology companies and financial services firms.

Are You a Leader? Honing The Skills that You Need to Succeed in Accounting

Accountants aren’t generally thought of as natural leaders, but Lewis Daidone argues that strong leadership skills are essential to a successful accounting career.

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.

Look the Part

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.

Speak with Confidence

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.

Write with Style

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.

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.

Lewis Daidone is a Certified Public Accountant and a consultant to tech companies and financial services firms.