Promising Accountants Share Goal-Setting Secrets to Success

Promising Accountants Share Goal-Setting Secrets to SuccessPromising Accountants Share Goal-Setting Secrets to SuccessWhen Tyson Miller was in college, he was asked to fill out a Goals Statement as part of his scholarship application from the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and Accountemps. But even though he was within reach of starting his accounting career, he hadnt thought much about goal platzsetting.That was then. Now he says, Too many times, college students get caught up in the blur of college life, including studying, part-time jobs, friends and other pursuits, that they dont clearly plan for their future. For me, this application served to be one of the few times for me I stopped what I was doing at the moment, sat down and listed my goals. Goal setting helped bring clarity to what I actually wanted to do.Goal setting on the accounting career pathMiller was awarded the scholarship in 2010, got his Bachelor of Business Administration/Master of Accountancy from the Univers ity of Oklahoma, and turned down a job with a Big Four firm to work for a small, rural accounting firm with partners who were looking for succession opportunities.As for goal setting, Miller says hes still at it.Once a quarter, I try to get away from all of my pressing duties, projects and responsibilities, and look at my personal and business goals for the next quarter and the next year. And just like it was with this award application, I find there is something special in actually writing those goals down.Now hes the president of his firm, which has grown from four to 10 full-time employees and several seasonal employees, and hes still setting goals for his accounting career.From CPA exam to graduate school and beyondNorman Wohlschlaeger, a graduate of Missouri Baptist University, also was inspired to embrace goal setting in preparation for his accounting career. When he got a AICPA/Accountemps scholarship in 2009, he says it solidified his plan to sit for the CPA exam and get his masters degree.Becoming a CPA is a multi-year commitment, he says, but the benefits last a whole career.Wohlschlaeger worked for a variety of companies before settling in at Boeing as a computing security and information protection specialist in St. Louis, Mo.As an accounting and IT professional, I still set goals in four-month increments, much like a college semester. I also have more long-term goals, such as to finish a Masters of Information Management at Washington University in the next two years. At work, I intend to expand my knowledge base, and continue to perform well.3 tips for ambitious goal settingWhile Miller and Wohlschlaeger have taken different accounting career paths - one to a small public accounting firm and the other to the worlds largest aerospace company - both attribute goal setting to their success.Here are three tips you can use to tap the power of goal settingIdentify what youd like to achieve - Would you like to study for a certification? Develop leade rship skills? Build your personal brand? Become an Excel fanatic? Be specific, and set both realistic, short-term goals and those that push you out of your comfort zone.Find a mentor - Write down your goals and share your list to hold yourself accountable. Your mentor could be your supervisor or a peer or even someone outside your company. Set up regular meetings with them to keep them updated.Understand that goal setting is a skill - You need to create the right conditions for meeting your goals, make sure theyre actionable, give the process time, and practice by forming daily habits that support your goal setting.A great question to ask yourself is this If I keep doing what Ive been doing today, will I achieve my goals? It takes a serious commitment to forge a successful accounting career, and goal setting can help you find success now and in the future.Dont want to miss our hot-off-the-press career insights? SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

4 Trends Affecting Hiring and Pay for Administrative Jobs

4 Trends Affecting Hiring and Pay for Administrative Jobs4 Trends Affecting Hiring and Pay for Administrative Jobs*/Read the infographic text.4 TRENDS AFFECTING HIRING AND PAY FOR ADMINISTRATIVE JOBS1. Timing is everythingTop candidates often receive multiple offers, so organizations need to move quickly. When faced with a lengthy hiring process, 39% of candidates lose interest and pursue other roles.2. Skilled talent is in short supplyThe unemployment rates for specialized positions are typically lower than the national rate. These professionals are difficult to hire given the high demand and short supply.3. Education is essentialEmployers often give preference to professionals with a college degree. mora than 95% of jobs created during the recovery have gone to those with some college education.4. Temporary is becoming permanentRather than let a job sit vacant, firms are bringing in temporary professionals. This gives them more time to recruit or determine if the temporary worker i s the right fit for a full-time role.Sources1.Robert Half survey of more than 1,000 working professionals 2.U.S. Department of Labors Bureau of Labor Statistics3.Americas Divided Recovery College Have and Have-Nots, Georgetown University Center on Education and the WorkforceDownload your free copy of the OfficeTeam 2017 Salary Guide at officeteam.com/salary-center.

44% of CFOs say social media use is biggest time-wasting worry

44% of CFOs say social media use is biggest time-wasting worry44% of CFOs say social media use is biggest time-wasting worryResearch has found that 40% of people who use social media have deleted an account within the last year because of privacy scandals at Facebook an Twitter, but it turns out that employees dont always use it for just goofing off in the office.While more than 4 in 10 employees overall say they use social media for work purposes, 40% of people surveyed in this category report being on it for a minimum of one hour every day. The data also shows that 44% of CFOs surveyed say that employers are most worried about wasting time at work when it comes to workers being on social media.As for how the research was carried out, more than 1,000 American office employees and more than 2,200 CFOs in more than 20 of the largest U.S. metropolitan areas were surveyed.Employees on social media What employers worry aboutCFOs weighed in on this topic.Wasting time at work 44%Behaving u nprofessionally 35%Posting financial or confidential company information 11%Posting negative comments about the company 10%This is some pretty heavy stuff, but its actually not all doom and gloom.Here are the best ways to use social media on the jobCFOs said that good things can result for companies when workers utilize social media platforms.Expand network of valuable contacts 30%Promote companys attributes and accomplishments 22%Attract new geschftlicher umgang 22%Provide better customer service 21%Michael Steinitz, executive director for Accountemps, commented on the research in a statement.A well-crafted approach to using social media at work can greatly benefit you and your company. Use the platforms as a way to increase productivity, rather than seeing them as a time-waster, he said.What employees say they use social media for in the officeThese were the most popular reasons.To do research 35%To promote the company to their social networks 28%To uncover new business contacts 2 6%Clearly, there are positive ways to use social media at work, butlet this be a word to the wise dont use it for anything that you wouldnt want to have to explain to your employer.