Revving Up For a Job Search?

Here Are 5 Things You Should Do Before You Start

You dying to get that dream job? Everyone wants to find that perfect position that will give them the satisfaction both personally and on a professional level. You know what we’re talking about – it’s that job description you hope to find in the classifieds surrounded by an odd glow. And when you call to learn more you hear angels singing the hallelujah chorus in the background. But be honest with yourself. You probably won’t trade your current accounting or bookkeeping job in for something much better until you make a few changes. Wouldn’t you be willing to invest a little time and energy in yourself before starting the job search, especially if it could mean getting a better job with better salary? And it may not require as much as you think.

Search Your Soul
Cheesy, we know, but you should really ask yourself what you want to be doing with your life before you get another job that further anchors you to a profession. And if you’re not certain what your “life calling” is, take some self-assessments to determine your interests and personality traits and what occupations with which they best align. Perhaps you’re in the right profession but not the right position.  You’re doing payroll when you want to be an accounting manager.  We’re not saying that taking a test is the panacea to your career problems, but we are saying that taking the time to answer some questions about yourself may be what it takes to help you determine the direction you’d like to go.

Revise Your Resume
Of course you’ll have to update your resume. It’s always interesting to return to your resume after you’ve been employed for awhile; some may even wonder how they got hired with that resume in the first place. Research what makes a good resume and then make your resume a shining example. It’s generally in working on a resume that you recognize gaps: training and certification that you may lack or perhaps you haven’t adequately focused on the skills and experience you do have.

Remember it is the resume that will get you into the door. Find the right balance of being eye catching without being amateurish in presentation of your skills. Someone going through the interview process may only take 16 seconds or less on your resume, make sure you properly use the bulletpoints, the bolding, and the phraseology that will catch their eye and give them a reason to invest more time to digest your resume.

Research Companies and Organizations You May Want to Work for
Why let job openings dictate where you choose to apply? Be proactive and find organizations that appeal to you. You choose where you want to work and then, with diligence and persistence keep inquiring about your ideal position. What characteristics do they have? How will your employment there benefit your career? How may it work as a stepping stone to something even more spectacular?

Chart your own course; do the research that will help you find companies you would be happy to work for and then start your job campaign. The greater portion of positions in companies are filled by those who know someone, and never get into the “Help Wanted” ads in the newspaper. You may be surprised at what you find and how companies differ from one another in philosophy, benefits, salary, and other comparables. You may also be surprised at the advantage your research gives you come your job interview.

Cast Your Net
Now’s the time to look at your contacts and use networking to your advantage. If you haven’t put much time and energy into networking now’s the time to start. In fact, start yesterday! Look to associations you may be a part of, or chambers of commerce you joined, or the group you see at the gym. Networking is everywhere and you need to be looking for those opportunities to be able to make that crucial connection.

Recognize that just about every encounter is an opportunity to share what you do and possibly hand out your business card. Let close friends and family know that you’re thinking about a change and see what you might hear back. Perhaps in your networking you’ve met people who work for companies you’re interested in. See if you can find out more. Just be careful; if word gets back to your current employer that you’re unhappy and looking elsewhere, it will make a job transition difficult.

Enroll in a Training Program
You’d be surprised at how a few advanced courses, some specialized training, or a professional designation can bolster your resume and make you a very appealing applicant. Involvement in professional development shows that you’re serious about your profession and are ready and willing to run ahead of the competition. It also lets potential employers know that your skills have been proven in a rigorous educational environment.

UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program Can Help You Prepare
If you’re interested in a program that can get you more attention when you apply for jobs, Universal Accounting Center’s PB Program is for you. It will teach you the day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping needs of small business, enabling you to earn the Professional Bookkeeper Designation. This program will teach you the skills that enable you to skip over entry level positions and get right to those job opportunities that might take someone with traditional accounting training years to secure. And the professional designation looks nice on a resume. Take the time to get the job you really want. Enroll today!

Employees Can Expect Higher Raises, Says CareerJournal.com

PRINCETON, N.J — Workers in the U.S. can expect a 3.7 percent pay raise in 2005 — the second straight year of increased raises for employees after a three-year decline — according to a report on CareerJournal.com, The Wall Street Journal’s executive career site.

The 2005 expected increase is slightly higher than the 3.6 percent average raise in 2004, according to data compiled by Salary.com. Average salary increases bottomed out at a five-year low of 3.4 percent in 2003, after hitting a five-year high of 4.4 percent in 2001. A 3.7 percent pay raise would mean that an average worker earning $34,000 a year can expect to see an additional $24.19 per week. Those with a salary of $100,000 can expect an increase of $71.15 per week.

“We are in the early stages of an upswing,” says Tony Lee, publisher, CareerJournal.com. “The projected salary increases for this year are a ray of sunshine following several years of salary freezes and layoffs.”

CareerJournal.com offers these tips on how you can earn more as the job market improves:

• Keep track of your successes to present to your boss.
• Document your fair-market value by researching free salary data on sites such as CareerJournal.com.
• Learn the art of salary negotiation-the better you are at negotiating, the better your chances of being successful.
• Ask what needs to happen for you to earn a raise in the future, and try to get a commitment in writing.
• “Having another job offer also is a great tool in negotiating a raise with your current employer, but be prepared to leave if your employer doesn’t meet your terms,” Mr. Lee adds.

Focused Education Is Key to Getting the Best Raises

In the accounting and bookkeeping fields, you need a way to stand out from the crowd to move up to a better job. The training that is taught in the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) program gives you that edge over other applicants. The PB designation proves to employers that you have the real-world skills needed to get right to work with minimal training.

Learn More About the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program

5 Questions to Ask Yourself at the Start of a New Year

The start of a new year is a good time to sit back and evaluate your career and see what, if any, improvements need to be made. The last thing you want to do is be passive about your position and expect things to magically get better. Sometimes just asking yourself a few questions is all it takes to evaluate your career and push it back on track. Here are 5 things to consider:

1. Are you happy?
Sometimes it can be that simple. Are you happy? While every job has its ups and downs, you should find yourself generally happy with your job: happy to wake up in the morning, happy to see the people you work with, happy to tackle your projects.

If the answer is no…
If you’re not happy, pinpoint the source of your unhappiness. Perhaps you’re experiencing personnel problems. If so, consider whether or not that can be resolved by talking with the coworkers in question. Is it bad enough for you to request a change in team or a transfer? If you’re outright miserable, it’s time to look for another job!

2. Do you feel challenged?
You can love your work environment, your coworkers, and even your job description and still not feel satisfied. A challenging position enables you to learn and grow. It can also inspire and excited you.

If the answer is no…
If you’re not challenged, that means you’re not advancing in your career; you’re stagnate. You need to change that, and quickly. And that doesn’t mean you need to start looking for a new job. Schedule an appointment with your supervisor or boss and ask if you can take on new and different projects. Better yet, ask if you can work towards a promotion. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll earn more money, but it does mean you’ll learn new skills and take on more responsibility, and that’s always good for your career in the long run.

3. Are you getting paid what you’re worth?
When your salary measures up to your experience and skills you feel respected and valued as an employee. When it doesn’t, resentment often builds and you begin to feel like a drone.

If the answer is no…
You need to research what standard salary is for your skill-set to ensure that you’re not inflating your worth. Once you have a number to compare your current salary with, and can articulate how you benefit your employer, it’s time to talk with your boss. But do not be aggressive. Nothing turns an employer off more than a smarty-pants employee who demands a higher wage. Be calm, assertive, and willing to contribute more in order to get that raise. And don’t threaten to quit if you don’t mean it. There’s nothing wrong with a statement of truth: “If I can’t make more money with this company, I’ll have to look for a company that can pay me what I’m worth.” That is, there’s nothing wrong with a statement of truth if you’re truly ready to back it with action.

4. Does your current position have potential for upward mobility?
A job is rewarding when it offers you the opportunity to learn new skills and advance, earning more responsibility and a higher wage. You don’t want to work for years at a job that promises to remain the same, day after day, month after month, year after year. A career implies growth, and if you’re not moving upward, you’re not moving anywhere.

If the answer is no…
It’s time for you to look for a job that allows you to advance. Many employees will endure a lower wage and cubicle walls for the potential to work their way up in a company. If there’s no where else to go but out, maybe it’s time you packed your desk and found something more promising. But don’t jump ship before you’ve found yourself another boat, or at least a life raft. Since you currently have a steady job, use your spare time to find something truly fulfilling.

5. Are you on the right career track?
If you’ve always wanted to be an accountant, but took a job as a bank teller to pay the bills, you might find yourself frustrated in your day-to-day work activities.

If the answer is no…
If there’s no chance that you could advance to a position that aligns more with your career of choice, then it might be time to look for a new job. And if you haven’t taken the time to make any career goals, 2007 is your year. Without a target, it’s difficult to hit the mark and progress. Write down some career goals and imagine where you’d like to be in 2, 5, even 10 years. That will make it easier for you to take the necessary actions to achieve those goals. And if there is the possibility that you could advance to a position that puts you on your career track, you need to find out what it will take to do that. Talk with your supervisor or boss and share your aspirations. Generally speaking, they will be pleased to know they have an employee who wants to advance within the company. They’ll also be able to share with you what is required in order for you to attain that position you would like.

The worse thing you could do this New Year is assume that you have no power to change your current status as an employee. You are the one in control of your career, but first you must evaluate your current job and what it offers you. Once you take inventory, you decide where you’d like to go from there and take action to get where you’d truly like to be.

Take the first steps in the process of getting yourself ready for that next pay increase, promotion or position that you see yourself at! Click here to find out more about the training that will make the difference in your career.

5 Tips on Ensuring You Enjoy Your Career

Enjoying your job shouldn’t be a perk but a requirement. If you’re not having fun doing your job, then something is wrong. In an article published by the Chicago Tribune, Julie Jansen, a career coach from Stamford, Conn. was quoted as saying, “It shouldn’t be a luxury to enjoy your work, it should be a given - regardless of the economic times.” But is that easier said than done?

Jansen, in her travels speaking to countless professionals, estimates that approximately 70 percent of employees are unhappy in their jobs. Jansen went on to explain, “It’s important to be in a job that makes you happy, because you spend so much time at work and it affects you emotionally, physically and professionally,” said Jansen, author of I Don’t Know What I Want, But I Know It’s Not This: A step by step guide to finding gratifying work.

But how do you infuse more passion and enjoyment into your career? Here are five tips that will help you get on the right track:

1. Determine what’s making you unhappy
There are lots of reasons employees don’t enjoy their jobs. Some don’t like the people they work with. Others find themselves in a monotonous position that isn’t challenging or fulfilling. While others still may feel they’ve picked the wrong career track. Before you start making any changes it’s important that you determine exactly what’s making your unhappy. You may not need to quit your job as much as your need to make some changes in the approach you’ve taken with your current employer. Would a promotion or department-change rectify the problem? Evaluate your current situation and determine exactly where you’re dissatisfied.

2. Determine what you enjoy
It’s important that you be passionate about your work. It’s also important that you feel challenged. When you’re not, you’ll find yourself unhappy and bored. What impassions and challenges you? When you can pinpoint those elements that enable you to feel satisfied in your career, then you better understand what steps are necessary to achieve that satisfaction.

3. Consider all your options
Don’t limit yourself by only considering the possibilities as they exist in your current position. Perhaps you should change occupations, change employers, or start your own business.

4. Trust your intuition
It’s important that you listen to that inner voice that informs you when you’re headed in the right direction. Often that requires you to ignore naysayers and follow your heart. Your intuition will often be the best guide and provide you with the necessary confidence to move forward and take those actions that will enable you to achieve career satisfaction.

5. Make it happen
If you decide that changes must be made you can’t wait around for the Universe to drop them into your lap. You must take action to advance your career goals, whether that be getting the training you need, expanding your expertise and skills, or learning how you might finance your own small business, you must be proactive in advancing your career.

You don’t have to settle for dissatisfaction and unhappiness in your current position. While it may take some effort, you can make changes that will find you more fulfilled and your family better off financially. Take the time to evaluate your career and determine what you must do to achieve true personal and professional success.

References
Kleiman, Carol. “The Fun Factor.” The Chicago Tribune.

Ten Tips to Making Yourself Better Understood in the Work Place
(Part I)

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has occurred.
—George Bernard Shaw

How many of us have a mental image of the accountant as the bean counter in a back room, surrounded by accounting ledgers and calculators? Accountants should be the profit center experts in an organization, but that’s impossible to accomplish when fraternizing with numbers alone. One of the keys to becoming an invaluable accountant is in effectively communicating with colleagues, many of whom have no background in accounting and may be a little skittish talking profit margins.

So how should an accountant engage with coworkers in a manner that puts everyone in the financial know? Here are five of ten tips to becoming a better communicator, which will enable your colleagues, including management, to become profit center enthusiasts.

1. Listen

Effective communication can’t take place if one person is doing all the talking. Part of effectively engaging with colleagues is in understanding their goals, responsibilities, and concerns. This can only happen when you listen to them. Once you do, you better understand how your objectives can align with theirs, making you true business partners.

2. Determine Your Audience

After listening to your colleagues, you can better understand who they are and how your message can be catered to them. Ask yourself the following questions in order to better understand your audience:

• How much accounting knowledge do they have?
• Do they have responsibilities that can contribute to profit center success?
• How does your message or purpose relate to their organizational role?

Once your understand how your message relates to their role and the company’s success, they will be more likely to respond favorably.

3. Identify Your Purpose

You must identify the purpose of your message. Are you simply sharing information or do you want to effect organizational change? Once you understand what you’re trying to accomplish, you can eliminate the fluff and ensure your message is communicated clearly and succinctly.

4. Determine Your Method of Presentation

After identifying your audience and the purpose of your message, you need to determine the best method of presenting it. Not all messages are created equal; pick the method of presentation best suited for your audience and purpose. Should you present in staff meeting, write a company memo, or schedule a one-on-one meeting? It would be silly to share your message in a staff meeting if your purpose is to communicate one individual. It would be a waste of time to schedule one-on-one meetings with a handful of people all getting the same message.

5. Use Plain Language

Accountants have a tendency to use accounting jargon that can intimidate, confuse, and even bore an audience. Be sure to use plain language, especially when communicating with colleagues who don’t have an extensive accounting background. Consider ways to explain accounting concepts simply and clearly.

These five tips can help accountants effectively communicate with colleagues and ensure a profit center’s success. Return next week to discover five more ways to improve your communication skills as an accountant.

Learn more to speak the accounting language.

5 Ways to Ensure Your Resume Makes the Proper Impression

You’ve probably heard a lot of tips about creating the perfect resume, but have you read about the most common mistakes? There are some things you can do that will ensure that your resume won’t go in the slush pile. And here are five:

1. Avoid long-winded prose
Some may believe that wordy text, especially written in first-person, will sound friendlier and more appealing than the sterile appearance of bulleted lists. The truth is, when potential employers are looking over your resume they want facts, not frill. They expect to experience your personality in the job interview not on your resume. The easier it is to find crucial information, the better. Bulleted lists enable potential employers to quickly scan resumes and find what they’re looking for.

2. Make sure your educational information is clear
While it’s important to make your resume as concise as possible, there is such a thing as over-abbreviating your educational information. Remember to include the school, city and state, and the time you attended. If you did not receive a degree, clarify how many credits you earned and in what area of focus. There’s also a rash of falsified-resumes going around; ensure that every detail you include on your resume is true and complete. Not doing so can cause you (and your employer) a lot of difficulty in the end.

3. Focus on accomplishments
Many resumes are duty-oriented rather than accomplishment-oriented. The truth is potential employers are more interested in what you have accomplishment than completed tasks. As you review your employment and educational history consider what you have accomplished and make a point to include those things on your resume.

4. Avoid overused resume templates
While you may think the resume template you’ve chosen is innovative and eye-catching, remember that potential employers see a lot more resumes than you do. Even if you choose a template you should change it up a little and make it your own.

5. Include key words
Remember that a resume is your opportunity to market yourself and your skills. The potential employer is your audience. Look at the job posting as you craft your resume and include key words they used to publicize the opening. As you use those key words to highlight your skills and abilities they will appreciate both your attention to their needs and the manner in which you showcase your employability. Not to mention, you will appear well-suited for the job.

Your resume is the first look many potential employers will get of you and your skills. You don’t want to eliminate yourself by making simple mistakes that have become fairly common. In attending to the five details above, you could get your resume the attention it deserves.

The Second Half of Our Self-Employability Quiz

If you’ve ever considered becoming a freelance accountant you need to ask yourself some serious questions before taking the plunge. There are a lot of variables to consider when becoming self-employed, and very few of them have to do with your accounting skills. Last week we posed the following five questions:

1. Are you self-motivated?
2. Are you a go-getter?
3. Are you organized?
4. Are you flexible?
5. Can you manage uncertainty?

This week we’ll talk about the final five questions of our self-employability quiz:

6. Are you patient?
Most likely you won’t have a flood of clients come through your door as soon as you hang your shingle. Building a solid client base will take time, and you will need to exercise patience throughout the entire process. There are other things that may require your patience as well: going full-time with your business, having enough money to hire staff employees, and collecting payment from some of your clients.

7. Can you promote yourself?
When it comes to contract work you must be able to promote yourself. Clients won’t come and find you; you must find them first and then illustrate why your services are better than any others being offered. Not only must you be able to promote yourself, but you must also believe in what you’re promoting: YOU!

8. Do you appreciate your business value?
When you recognize your business value, a lot of things will happen. One, you’ll emanate a confidence that will put clients and potential clients at ease. Two, you’ll be able to charge what you’re worth. And three, you’ll keep plugging away even when things get difficult.

9. Can you set clear boundaries?
With a traditional full-time job you work from 9 to 5 and then go home where you’re generally not expected to continue working. The difference with contract work is that your schedule can be more fluid, enabling you to work whatever hours you choose. This will require a bit more flexibility as you respond to client emergencies, etc. However, you will have to set some boundaries to avoid being taken advantage of. And once you set boundaries, be sure to abide by them.

10. Do you have enough knowledge and skills?
There’s no higher authority you can consult if you run into a complicated or difficult issue. As a freelance accountant you’re the higher authority. If you don’t have the knowledge or skill to run your own accounting practice, that’s your first order of business. Look for quality training programs that will help you gain the expertise you need.

Universal Accounting Center Offers Quality Training Programs

Last week when we introduced the first five questions of our self-employability quiz, we also shared our special professional package, designed to help people like you open a successful accounting practice.

The Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program
Regardless of your expertise, whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or expert accountant, the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program will teach you small business accounting, enabling you to promote your service to a large niche market. You’ll learn everything you need to know to help your clients’ businesses become more profitable. Imagine gaining the reputation as a Profit Expert, granting the Midas touch to every business with which you work. The PB Program will give you the skills to analyze a company’s finances and determine how they can best increase their revenue and become more profitable. Once the word gets out you’ll have more work than you can handle.

The Universal Practice Builder (UPB) Program
But getting the word out is sometimes problematic. While accountants may be comfortable crunching numbers, they generally are not comfortable marketing their services. Wouldn’t it be nice to learn a proven system for marketing your newfound small business accounting skills? Universal knows how to do that, and we want to teach you! For years we’ve been offering the Universal Practice Builder Workshop, designed to train you how to market your practice in order to experience significant growth and profitability. You had to attend this two-day workshop in order to glean all the amazing information offered. Now, to accommodate students and make this information more convenient we have turned this workshop into a DVD program. Imagine all that you could learn from our experience training thousands of individuals like you!

Receive a Free Gift
But wait, there’s more! We want you to take advantage of this offer so you can realize your potential. And what better way to help you accomplish that than by combining these two powerful programs with another profit-building program, QuickBooks Made Profitable, for FREE!

UAC has created this amazing program to teach you how to use QuickBooks to generate more clients. You’ll be trained in a proven system of how you can use QuickBooks to attract larger numbers of potential clients offering expert QuickBooks services. Learn how to leverage your time, meet potential clients and offer them services that will help them reduce taxes, increase profits and put money in the bank. With this added service you’ll become even more valuable to all those clients, securing their loyalty and the longevity of your business.

There is a certain amount of risk involved in starting your own business. But when you’ve proven your skills by earning a professional designation your chances for success rise significantly. Do all that you can to prepare for your success. Purchase this professional package today!

Where the “Opportunity Things” Are

Gain Control of Your Career

I was recently reading “Where the Wild Things Are” by Maurice Sendak to my kids for a bedtime story. I was stricken with how similar this well-known story line reflects what we all go through when pursuing our professional goals.

In the story Max is sent to his room, feeling constrained by those who are in authority over him. He imagines for himself a world where he has the control of what happens. How often have we, sitting in our little cubicles, had those same imaginings about our careers? How many of us have imagined what it would be like to gain the control necessary to steer our careers in the direction of success and happiness? How many of us have imagined that happy, yet seemingly unattainable position of empowerment, where we are in charge of our professional futures?

Most of us can imagine being able to dictate what we do, how we do it and for how much we will do it for. We imagine a place of business where we are not only invaluable to the company we work with, but an indispensable part of that company’s success. Or perhaps we imagine working for ourselves, determining our own schedules as we grow an accounting practice that we manage.

Unlike Max who, after creating his ideal world, went back to the reality of his own room, will we settle for this dissatisfying stage of our careers? Or will turn our dreams into reality?

The corporate world can really be a jungle, and for those in our field we need to be gaining the right tools that will help us clear a path to the places we would like to be in five, ten, or fifteen years from now. Where are your “Opportunity Things”? What tools can you use to take advantage of that next promotion, pay increase or business opportunity?

Universal Accounting Has the Answers

The Professional Bookkeeping (PB) Program is designed specifically for those in your situation, those who need the experience and training necessary to move forward in their chosen career paths. The PB coursework will supply you with the materials, training, and support that will enable you to become a certified Professional Bookkeeper. The PB Certification will get you the experience and knowledge that has been used by more than 30,000 others, just like you, to make their professional dreams a reality. This comprehensive program can be completed in as little as 60 hours, allowing you to learn at your own speed while acquiring the tools necessary to catapult you to the professional future you’ve been imagining.

Building your own accounting practice will require exceptional marketing skills. And when you couple the PB Program with the Universal Practice Builder (UPB) Program you practically have a ready-made business at your finger-tips. The UPB Program will train you in more than 12 proven marketing strategies, teach you how to get 15 to 25 qualified leads per month, help you create a customized marketing plan, and enable you to earn $30,000 more in annualized billings in just 12 months.

Isn’t it time to make a move on your career? What’s holding you back from turning your dreams into reality? What is separating you from those who have gotten where you want to be? Stop allowing others tell you how much you can make, what responsibilities you are qualified for and how far up the corporate ladder you can go. With Universal’s training and practical, hands-on experience, the steering wheel is in your hands, and you can decide where to take your career. Enroll now!

You finally scored that interview and are ready to dazzle and amaze the interviewer. How do you prepare? One way is to formulate answers to the most common interview questions. There are quite a few out there, but here are 10 of the most popular ones:

1. Tell me a little bit about yourself.
While this is the interviewer’s attempt to put you at ease at the start of an interview, it is not an open invitation to blather on and on about your childhood or to recap your resume. This is, however, your chance to highlight your experience, expertise, and skills, and how they relate to the position for which you are interviewing.

2. Why did you leave your last job?
Be honest. Whether you quit, were laid off, or fired, you need to be honest and upfront about it. But be brief and as positive as possible. Complaining about your previous experience will not leave a good impression. Conclude by saying that you are looking forward to new and rewarding work experiences.

3. Why do you want this position?
This is your chance to align your career objectives with this position. It is important that you display passion and excitement for the job and what you bring to it. And when discussing your qualifications, ensure that they align with the job description provided.

4. Why do you want to work here?
This question may seem similar to the one above, but there’s a fundamental difference. The previous question was asking about the position. This question is asking about the employer for which you might be working. The interviewer is interested in learning what you know about the organization and whether or not you value what it has to offer you. Be sure you’ve done your homework. What do you find appealing about this particular employer? If you can’t answer that question now, you should be prepared to do so before the interview.

5. Why should I hire you?
Some people feel uncomfortable selling themselves in an interview, but this is exactly what you need to do. And this particular question is begging for you to tell the interviewer how you can benefit their organization. What strengths do you have and how will they work to strengthen the company? As always, be sure that your points align with the job description.

6. What’s your greatest weakness?
The last thing you want to do is share your greatest weakness and leave it at that. Or worse, tell the interviewer that you are unaware of any personal weaknesses (This is a definite red flag: everyone has weaknesses, and if you claim to be unaware of them, you’re either lying or delusional and arrogant). This is your chance to demonstrate how you have acknowledged a weakness and worked to overcome it. For example, if you’re too detail-oriented, explain how you have worked to step back and see the big picture. Or, if you procrastinate, explain what you have done in order to motivate yourself to slowly work towards completing projects on time and on budget.

7. What are your salary expectations?
This is another question that requires a little research. Considering your experience and expertise, what is a realistic salary range? Search on the Internet to find out. And do a little research on the company as well. Is it reasonable to expect them to pay top dollar? Or should you expect a more modest salary range from this employer? But before you answer this question in your interview, ask if the interviewer can provide a salary range with which to base your response. If not, answer the question based on your research.

8. What do you like in a boss or supervisor?
This isn’t a trick question. The interviewer wants to know whether or not you are a good match for the individual supervising this position. I remember being shocked at an applicant’s response that he liked being micromanaged. And because I was not the type of supervisor who could micromanage my employees, and because he would not have felt comfortable working independently, it was exactly the answer I was looking for. So be honest (and positive) as you describe your ideal working arrangement.

9. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Regardless of your desire to be independently wealthy and touring Europe in 5 years, you should answer this question in regards to your career goals. The person asking this question is interested in knowing whether you have any goals and how ambitious you are regarding them.

10. Do you have any questions for me?
The answer to this question should always be “yes.” It shows that you have been attentive throughout the interview (unless, of course you ask a question that has been answered through the course of the interview) and know enough about the company to compose thoughtful questions. It also gives you the chance to illustrate your interest in the job; if nothing else, ask about the next step in the selection process. Will they be conducting second interviews? If not, when could you anticipate finding out whether or not they will be hiring you.

Note: If salary has not already been discussed, this is not the time to ask how much they pay; at this stage, when you focus on compensation it looks as if that’s your primary concern.

While job interviews can be stressful, you can prepare for the most common questions. Going in with positive, thoughtful, and genuine responses will give this potential employer a good impression of you and your abilities.

Now That You’ve Got Your Feet Wet

Recently we discussed what you needed to do to get yourself started in the right direction and moving your career path to where you want it to end up. You’ve put in the time and researched what you needed to, which type of a position within the accounting field most interests you. How much that person in that position stands to make and you have even looked up what type of experience you are going to need to be even eligible for your desired position.

You’ve identified what you have right now in terms of skill sets and experience already under your belt. And what work experience is just at-your-fingertips if you were to stretch yourself and step up to grasp ahold of it. You’ve started looking for those ways to network… find other like minded individuals who are in the profession that may have a different accounting responsibilities. You never know when you are going to make at least a lateral step from one company to the next. Always good to keep your options open for you.

We’ve also chatted about the training you can get to further your career. We’ve talked many times before about the pros and cons of going to a four year university, verses other forms of education. This fact is something that Universal Accounting took into serious consideration. What benefits do you receive with a four year university that makes you a better accountant? After several months of research the conclusion was found that if you were looking to be a big corporate accountant, then the four year option was for you. That’s only what they prepare you for, and teach you to do, in those accounting majors in the higher education institutions.

So What Benefit Can I Realize With Universal’s Training?
Very good question. It first all rests on the conclusion we came to when we started offering this training program. We saw that for most in the profession, accountants and bookkeepers were finding a greater opportunity for higher pay and advancement in those companies that were classified as small business operations. These opportunities have only grown over the years, from 85% of all businesses being in that small business category to approaching 91% of all business transacted are with companies with 100 employees or less.

Secondly, we found the then existing training available nationwide did little or nothing to prepare those who were in those businesses. A great need for the right accounting training was there for us to service. With Universal’s Professional Bookkeeper Program you are able to get hands-on instruction so that you can portray your accounts within a company the way they need to be for effective tracking and record keeping. In the training we teach what is the single best indicator of a company’s financial health.

Tested and proven techniques that will make your job easier and prove to your boss your expertise in helping the company to stay sound, financial viable and best yet, profitable! We’ve been down in the trenches, tested these strategies and methods in real time and have done the trial and error for you. Within 60-90 days you two can know, and put into practice what it took us years and years to perfect. Click Here to find out more about the training itself.

The “So What…” Factor
“So what does this mean for me?” you may be asking. What does the right and immediately applicable accounting and bookkeeping training going to do for your career? Frankly, it gives you more. The training affords you the ability to have the confidence in whatever may come your way in a company’s accounting needs that you know or can get the answer to it readily. This training allows you the opportunity to be able to apply what you’ve been trained in ANYWHERE to any company you come in contact with.

Most importantly, the Professional Bookkeeper Training Program gives you the luxury to be able to dictate what you can get paid, which position you will be able to occupy, and which type of lifestyle you can create for yourself and those around you.

The right training opens the many doors of accounting opportunities, and you choose for yourself which option to take!

Don’t Hesitate Another Day
Procrastination for your tomorrow is doing you no good. Take control of where your career is heading, don’t allow it to be dictated by someone else! Click Here to enroll today in what will be the difference in your earning potential, your job satisfaction and the type of things you will have access in doing throughout your life with your greater earnings. Enrolling in the Professional Bookkeeper Program gives you what you need tomorrow… today!

Want Another “Door” to Open to You?
UAC’s Professional Tax Preparer Certification May Be the Key. Check out Universal’s tax training is not only a great way to boost your resume, but it can also offer an added income stream come tax time. You’ll acquire expertise that most employers will appreciate, and you’ll be able to make money in your spare time as a tax preparer. You’ll also be able to earn a professional designation which is always a good selling point in any job interview. Don’t wait to make those career changes that you’ve been thinking about. Consider the PTP Certification your exit to success.