The Next Pay Increase

What You Can Do to Move Your Next Pay Increase That Much Closer

You have been probably wondering how I can be making a little more here and there. Seeing how things are going within your company you have probably already identified that you may need a little more training to get you over that “hump” Universal Accounting is all about getting paid what you worth and here is one of the many solutions we have for you.

Get That Pay Raise with QuickBooks Pro Training
Nearly 80% of small businesses use Intuit’s QuickBooks software. While other programs may be useful, QuickBooks has definitely captured the small business market. As an accountant or bookkeeper you know that over 80% of accounting opportunities are with the small business. Statistics are in your favor; learning QuickBooks is good business.

Universal Accounting Center ’s self-paced QuickBooks program enables you to complete the parts of this software that interest you and skip over the parts that don’t. Even if you have used the program for years, the program teaches you shortcuts and methods you may not have known. You will be impressed by the simple flow and completeness of UAC’s Guide to QuickBooks Pro.

Once you master QuickBooks Pro, you can offer QuickBooks set-up and consultation services for $65-$95 per hour. You’ll find companies who want to do their accounting tasks themselves, but need help in configuring QuickBooks to meet their needs. And once you’ve helped a company set up its initial QuickBooks system, who do you think they’ll turn to for help? You, of course! After all, you’ll have the training and expertise they’ll need whenever they run into a problem. You can compliment your QuickBooks services by offering QuickBooks support. Consider this, Intuit charges $75 an incident and $349-$600 per year for support. That’s too pricey for most small business owners; you could offer QuickBooks support for a more reasonable fee and draw in more clients in need of a little QuickBooks help.

This could be the perfect opportunity for you to expand your business and pay the rental fees for that office space you’ve been wanting. If you order online today, you can get The Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to Quickbooks Pro at a $100 discount, for only $385. This includes the full academic version of Quickbooks Pro with UAC’s valuable instruction. For only $285, you can get the instruction with a trial version of Quickbooks Pro. Make a small investment that could change your business: order now.

Movin’ on up: 10 Ways to Ask for That Promotion

(Part II of II)

Read Part 1

Asking for a promotion is a daunting task. It’s not something you train for. And it can be an awkward exchange for both you and your boss. So how do you make it as painless as possible while increasing your chance of success? Here are ten ways to make your quest for a promotion worthwhile.

1. Earn the promotion.

The last thing you should do is wake up one morning and decide to ask for a promotion simply because you’re in the mood for one. You can’t ask for a promotion without first earning a promotion. A promotion is something you should seriously evaluate and prepare for. Once you’ve decided a promotion is really what you’re interested in, and have demonstrated an ability to take on more responsibility, then you’re ready to approach your boss.

2. Prepare your boss.

Depending on your boss, it might be a good idea to express your interest in preparing for a promotion before you actually ask for one. This may be a chance for you to get feedback and advice on career advancement. And once you’ve mentioned your interest in a promotion, your increased effort in the workplace and the ultimate promotion conversation will not come as a surprise.

3. Pick a good time.

Don’t go to your boss during the busiest time of the year. Wait for a time when your boss is relaxed and ready to respond to you positively; this applies to the time of year, and even the time of day. It’s also a good idea to ride a wave of success into your boss’s office; it may be best to schedule “the talk” after you’ve made some significant contributions that are a good measure of your success.

4. Pick a method of delivery.

Face-to-face meetings are often the best method for discussing a promotion because it allows for an exchange where you can ask and answer questions. But you know your boss best and may think an email or memo the best approach. You want to make sure your message is clear, and that your boss knows you expect a timely response.

5. Do your homework.

A promotion doesn’t always come with a raise, so you need to decide whether you want the responsibility without the pay increase. Write out a job description listing all your responsibilities, and then do some research to see what others are being paid for comparable work. Also see what title best matches your responsibilities. What more would you need to take on to move to a higher position?

6. Focus on how you benefit the company.

Practice your approach. You don’t want to sound like you’re selfishly grubbing for more money without considering your employer’s needs. By communicating how much you’ve contributed to the company and how much more you’d like to contribute, your boss will be more likely to grant you the promotion. And this is the time when you share all your achievements, measuring your success with tangible numbers.

7. Be specific.

When you talk about the promotion be specific. How would you like to expand your current position and how much more would you like to be paid for it?

8. Don’t use ultimatums, unless you’re willing to act on them.

How badly do you want the promotion? Is this career advancement necessary for you to get you where you would like to go? Budgetary constraints may limit your current employer’s ability to promote you. In that case, you need to consider whether you’re willing to leave if you don’t get the promotion. Either way, you shouldn’t throw ultimatums to bully your boss into a promotion. It will leave your boss with a bad impression and may even prevent you from every getting a promotion or a good reference later.

9. Lighten up.

Be calm, collected, and mature. A tense or desperate tone will make the discussion much more difficult. This can be an awkward meeting for both you and your boss, and if you can lighten things up a bit, it will put you both at ease.

10. Be graceful, whatever the response.

Remember that you shouldn’t end the discussion if your boss doesn’t offer you the promotion. That’s a good time to ask for feedback. What more would you need to do to earn the promotion? Is there a possibility of getting a promotion in the future? Walking out of the office and slamming the door won’t do you or your boss any good.

Asking for a promotion can be one of the most difficult things you do in your career. But if you approach it in just the right way it can be a positive experience, illustrating your determination to advance and succeed while taking the necessary steps to move forward in your career.

Movin’ on up: Eight Ways to Earn That Promotion

(Part I of II)

Back in the day, Ward Cleaver got hired to a position that promised job security and frequent promotion on his chosen career path. Times have changed, and these days if you want a promotion, you need to chase it down yourself. Here are eight ways to achieve career advancement:

1. Determine your career goals

It’s hard to get what you want when you’re not even sure what it is. Sit down and figure out where you want to be in 5 to 10 years. Once you state your career goals, it becomes easier to see what it will take to achieve them.

2. Go the extra mile

Come to work 15 minutes early, and stay 15 minutes late. This shows your boss that you’re more interested in doing your work than you are in watching the clock. And do more than what is expected of you. Ask for more responsibility, volunteer for different duties and tasks, and be a visible team player.

3.Be proactive

Create your own opportunities by seeing what needs to be done and doing it yourself.

4. Network

Networking not only helps you to get the job, but it can also help you trade that job in for a better one. Get to know more people within your organization and, when possible, help others achieve their goals. This increases your value to coworkers and superiors who will be more likely to sing your praises when given the chance.

5. Document your achievements

Track your achievements, measuring results when possible. While it helps to say that your proposal saved the company a lot of money, it means more to your boss when you explain how your proposal reduced production costs by 30%; numbers always speak louder than words alone.

6. Communicate

At first it may feel awkward to sing your own praises, but unless your boss knows how valuable you are, it’s difficult for him/her to give you the promotion you deserve. You need to share your achievements with your boss, maybe in a monthly email that states your progress on certain projects and lists your recent achievements. It’s also a good idea to tell your boss you’re interested in a promotion. Who better to help you achieve your career goals?

7. Act professionally

Imagine where you’d like to be in five or ten years and then dress the part, speak the part, and act the part. Avoid complaining, take responsibility for mistakes, and be a team player.

8. Increase your skills and expertise

Nothing shows your willingness to advance like increasing your skills and expertise. Often employers will pay for programs designed to help employees learn new skills or stay current in their field. Seek out chances to expand your skill-set, and be sure to share your new knowledge and abilities with your boss.

If you want to increase your accounting skills and earn a professional designation, Universal Accounting Center has the program for you. UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program will teach you the day-to-day accounting and bookkeeping needs of small business, enabling you to become a Professional Bookkeeper (PB). The Professional Bookkeeper Program teaches you the skills that you need to skip over the entry level positions and get right to those job opportunities that might take someone with a traditional accounting training years. Your employer may be willing to pay for your tuition. Enroll in the PB Program today!

If this article appealed to you, be sure to read our next newsletter article, “Movin’ on up: How to Ask for That Promotion (Part II of II).”

What is a Profit Center Expert?

The accountant/bookkeeper is a major cog in the business machine. Accountants/bookkeepers analyze key accounting indicators that assess a business’s profitability. If the accountant/bookkeeper shares that information with those who can make necessary modifications, profits will increase. This type of proactive accounting evolves an ordinary accountant into the Profit Center Expert. If you want to be a Profit Center Expert you must study key accounting indicators that will signal areas in need of attention.

Score-carding

In his book In the Black, Allen Bostrom, President and CEO of Universal Accounting, suggests “score carding” in order to monitor these key indicators. He explains, “score carding’ is a term used to describe the important, even critical, numbers that a business owner or department manager can quickly scan to get a feeling for how the business is doing, and how it will be doing in the future.”

Sit down with your supervisor to discover what information he/she would like to see on a regular basis. Be prepared to suggest indicators you find valuable. Once you identify four to five key indicators, you should tract them regularly. Scorecards should have a quick summary for marketing, sales, production, customer satisfaction, and cash flow. While key indicators vary business to business, some may include cash balance, current ratio, sales commission percentage, number of leads generated, and percentage of sales financed. See the example below:

Once you have this information you can compare data.

• How did this month compare with last month?
• This quarter vs. last quarter?
• This quarter vs. the same quarter last year?
• Year-to-date this year vs. year-to-date last year?
• Year-to-date vs. budget?

You can see how assessing this information enables an organization to make more profitable business decisions.

Once you have this information it’s important for you to communicate it with your supervisor so that it can be shared with other employees. It’s amazing how numbers improve simply because employees are aware of what’s being measured.

If you’re interested in advancing your career as an accountant or bookkeeper, or if you want to learn more about becoming a Profit Center Expert, enroll in Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper Program. The Professional Bookkeeper’s Guide to QuickBooks is another program that will help advance you in the accounting profession.

Learn about a Professional Bookkeeper Career

Workplace Friendships

They’re More Beneficial than You Might Think

You’re well aware that employees value jobs more when they enjoy good friendships at their workplace. In fact, one of the greatest deterrents to productivity is feeling ostracized or alienated from co-workers. But can good work relationships really make you more productive? Studies say “yes.”

Accountemps with www.SmartPros.com conducted a survey of 150 senior executives from 1000 of the nation’s largest companies and 519 of their full and part-time employees to see whether or not they believed that workplace friendships increase productivity. 57% of executives believed they did while 63% of employees agreed with them.

Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps, explained, “Colleagues who are friends are more likely to support one another when presented with challenges or new responsibilities, enhancing workflow and team spirit.” He went on to say, “Supervisors can increase camaraderie by sponsoring team-building events and giving staff members the opportunity to get to know each other outside of an office setting.”

But what can you do to build lasting relationships in the workplace? Here are five tips to consider:

1. Determine common goals. Just like most friendships, professional relationships develop as a result of common experiences, perceptions, and aspirations. When building relationships with coworkers look for commonality, especially in your professional goals. In this respect you can work together to achieve your career objectives, providing one another with valuable support.
2. Treat co-workers with respect. Regardless of whether or not you develop friendships with all of your co-workers, you should treat everyone respectfully. While you definitely shouldn’t allow anyone to take advantage of your good nature, you should make an effort to be friendly and polite to all your coworkers. This speaks volumes of your character and will only serve you well in the long run.
3. Avoid both alienation and favoritism. As you build professional relationships, the last thing you want to do is run a popularity contest where cliques are formed and coworkers find themselves either “in” or “out.” You want to foster a work environment where everyone feels welcome and included. If you’re finding yourself on the “outs,” there’s bound to be someone else that you could befriend who shares that experience. And always remember, work relationships should be inclusive rather than exclusive.
4. Demonstrate responsibility. You’ll lose favor quickly if you let your coworkers down. Being late, missing important meetings and failing to follow through on tasks will not help you “win friends and influence people.” Your workplace stock will only go up when you demonstrate responsibility and practice teamwork.
5. Maintain professionalism. When you build close relationships with people it’s common to feel comfortable, casual, and heaven forbid, slap-happy with each other. While it’s great to have fun it’s not good to be slack in your professionalism. At all costs avoid gossiping, sharing off-color jokes or forwarding inappropriate emails. With workplace relationships there’s a fine balance you must achieve between being personable and being professional.

It’s good to know that workplace relationships can help you be more productive. As you strive to turn coworkers into friends, remember that as with all things professional, you must follow a few rules of workplace etiquette in order to take full advantage of those professional relationships.

References
“Survey: Friendships Benefit Job Performance.” 26 June 2007. SmartPros.com.
Koepcke, A.G. “Professional Friendships: The Importance of Workplace Friendships and How They Help You.” 18 March 2007. suite101.com.

A Valuable Introduction to UAC’s Professional Bookkeeper Program

While colleges train accounting majors how to manage the finances for large corporations, over 98% of businesses are small. There is a huge demand for accountants who understand the specific needs of small businesses, because the most common problem plaguing small business owners today is their inability to understand their finances. Not only that, but for years Universal Accounting Center (UAC) has proudly relayed reports that by 2008 accounting jobs would increase by 20%. That great forecast has been extended to 2014! They predict “Employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014. As the economy grows, the number of business establishments will increase, requiring more accountants and auditors to set up books, prepare taxes, and provide management advice.” The future is bright for accountants!

If you’re interested in securing a job in accounting, or would like to advance in the accounting field, it’s not as difficult as you might think. You can earn at least 20-30% more without going back to college. It’s no longer necessary to spend 4 to 5 long, agonizing years and thousands upon thousands of dollars of your hard-earned money to increase what you can earn in your accounting career. Universal Accounting can help you do this, like more than 30,000 others just like you!

Ask Yourself an Important Question

Have you ever looked at those in the accounting business who are making more than you and ask yourself, “Why not me?” You’ve even gone as far as to look into what it would take to reach that level and found it could take years of training and tons of practical experience and asked yourself, “How in the world am I going to get that?”

Is it possible to draw from 25+ years of experience and the highest quality practical training in less than 90 days?

In the video you are about to watch below you will understand how Universal Accounting’s Professional Bookkeeper Program is designed. Since 1979 Universal Accounting has specialized in training those like you in small and large business the art of accounting and what you need to know in order to advance your career within the profession. We have put that experience to work for you so that you could get to the level you want to be, in your accounting and bookkeeping career, in the shortest amount of time possible.

The Professional Bookkeeper’s Program contains proven accounting strategies developed and practiced by Universal Accounting and its graduates.

Take a few moments and watch this five-minute clip and see what is involved in changing your life for the better with these new skills. Universal Accounting Center’s President and CEO, Allen Bostrom, will provide a description of the course modules, including the benefits of this video-based program. Click on the play button to start the Introduction.

In watching the video above you discovered how today’s universities train individuals in the complexities of audit, tax, and accounting standards for large corporations. Little is mentioned regarding the day-to-day accounting practices for the small business. In choosing a bookkeeper/accountant, a small to mid-size business owner should seek a professional qualified to support the needs of his/her small business. And when you earn the Professional Bookkeeper designation you will be recognized as an individual with the vital small-business bookkeeping and accounting expertise in a variety of industries.

The Professional Bookkeeper certification uniquely announces to employers and clients that you have proven your ability through training, testing, and experience to confidently provide full bookkeeping and accounting services. The best decision you can make is to invest in yourself with the right training that will get you to your next level, your next promotion, or increase in pay. Can you afford to hesitate to take the easiest step in the whole process of getting to your professional goals and dreams?

A Message from President and CEO, Allen Bostrom

” . . . Continuing education is key to furthering your career, and the fact of the matter is the more skills you are able to bring to the table, the quicker your career will become everything you want it to be.

There’s never been a better time to get yourself on the right track and enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper’s program. The rewards will not only be richly rewarding but will give you greater satisfaction over almost anything else you can do.

When you make the right investment in your career, your employer will pay you and be glad to pay you what you’re worth.”

Best Wishes,
Allen Bostrom

Enroll Today!

Don’t wait another day to make that personal investment and advance your career. Order the Professional Bookkeeper Program today!

An Introduction to What Beginners Will Glean from the Professional Bookkeeper Program

Are you tired of working for what seems like an eternity, without ever getting ahead? Do you dream of making more money and being able to enjoy it? Do you wish you had more free time to spend with your family or pursuing your favorite hobby? The field of accounting could offer you all that and more. The accounting field is growing at a phenomenal pace and the US Department of Labor predicts that “Employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2014. As the economy grows, the number of business establishments will increase, requiring more accountants and auditors to set up books, prepare taxes, and provide management advice.” In fact, here are just a few occupations you could qualify for with the proper accounting training:

• Accountants Accounts Payable Clerk
• Accounts Receivable Clerk
• Bookkeeper Clerk
• Payroll Clerk
• Accounting Clerk
• General Ledger Bookkeeper
• Office Manager
• Accountant
• Controller
• Full-charge Bookkeeper
• Internal Auditor
• General Ledger Accountant

One of the great things about a career in accounting is that you can begin as a clerk and work your way up to a controller. It’s a great career path, but do you really want to start at the bottom and work up? The Professional Bookkeeper Program teaches you the skills that you need to skip over the entry-level positions and get right to those job opportunities that might take someone with traditional accounting training years.

Why is our course so different that we can make these claims and back them up with hundreds of testimonials? In short, the Professional Bookkeeper Program gives you practical, hands-on training in how to do the accounting and bookkeeping critical to the day-to-day running of a small business. Universities don’t teach small business accounting, so your training with Universal Accounting will better prepare you for rapid growth within the company that you are in or for a new job opportunity than even a college degree can.

How do we know that it works? 25 years of students have gone on to better careers and increased pay through mastery of the skills that we teach in 60 hours. If you want to supercharge your career advancement in the least amount of time, the Professional Bookkeeper program can get you there fastest.

We also give you a very unfair advantage; follow-up support that is second to none. We give you the confidence to take on even difficult accounting and bookkeeping issues through our hands-on training, but with Universal Accounting, you are never left alone. You can call one of our coaches even after completing training with us. A great benefit? Definitely! Unfair? Maybe, but it is an advantage that will give you the confidence to know that you can do this!

Want more of a taste of what the program is all about? We’re glad to give you all the information you want to be able to make the right decision for your career’s advancement and financial opportunities in the near future. Below you will find a video sample of what a beginner can expect from the course work on the instructional DVD’s and the sessions on each of the Modules I - III. And here’s a sample of the Accounting Manual (in PDF format) you can have as you watch the sample class.

Click On The Play Button To Start

Don’t Just Take Our Word For It

Here are what UAC graduates have to say about their experience with the PB Program:

“This course offers a comprehensive review of the accounting process, as well as providing a system to help you help yourself. The instructors not only teach, but offer an unheard of level of support. I would highly recommend the course to anyone.” -Laura Ogden

“After graduating from this course I now feel competent to run my own bookkeeping/accounting business. I want to thank the staff at Universal Accounting for the outstanding course of instruction.” -Gary Hamblin

“I wish I had taken this class five years ago. I’ve been working in the accounting field for over 10 years and didn’t know half of what I learned in one month in this class. I feel completely qualified now to accept a position of great responsibility with a large organization or to be self employed. I’m excited about the potential for money making that this course has given me.”-Kris K. Trout

What’s Next For Me?

As a professional pursuing the best accounting training possible, you don’t want to leave anything to chance when it comes to your financial future and your career path. We work on the philosophy that you only get one chance to make a good first impression, and when you are going into your employer (potential or current) and start the negotiations for your next step up in your career, you want to have the surety that whatever the situation as a “Certified Professional Bookkeeper” you’ll be able to confidently handle it for the company. Enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program today!

Advance Your Account-Ability

Last week we discussed how the Professional Bookkeeper (PB) Program benefits individuals with intermediate accounting skills. Now is a great time to take advantage of the talent shortage in the accounting industry. Whether you have no accounting experience whatsoever or an extensive background managing financial records, you can benefit from the PB Program which will train you in small business accounting.

So how can those with advanced accounting skills benefit from the Professional Bookkeeper Program? Module III is where you begin to advance your account-ability.

Setting-up Books from Scratch: An Inside Look at the Process from Beginning to End

Continuing your education is key to keeping your skills vital in the workplace. For those who have been in the accounting field for some time, there are items in the accounting process that become forgotten or were perhaps never well-known in the first place like Percentages of Completion, Progress Billings and Cash and Accrual Systems. You will learn profit-making ideas that will be worth their weight in gold (or salary and billable hours) to employers or clients.

Allen Bostrom, President and CEO of Universal Accounting Center, will teach you the complete processes of accounting and bookkeeping, from starting a company’s books to maintaining them. The program is designed to help you practice these processes for yourself in various training activities that will increase your confidence and account-ability. With more than 27 years experience training professionals like yourself, Universal will teach you how to avoid the standard pitfalls that face all accountants and bookkeepers who start and maintain a company’s books.

Universal has the training you need to reach the levels of success you seek. Only in the Professional Bookkeeper program will you find highly concentrated training and experienced mentors to provide you with quality instruction and feedback. The PB Program provides a “lighted path” you can use to be successful in your accounting career.

For Those with Advanced Accounting Experience

Below you can watch a sample of the quality instruction you will experience in the PB Program. This video clip will introduce you to Module III, featuring Allen Bostrom teaching valuable accounting skills. If you don’t understand everything you hear this first time, don’t worry; the beauty of learning via DVD instruction is that you can review concepts and principles that you didn’t quite understand the first time.

Please allow time for the video to load before viewing.

How Does This Benefit You?

92% of all businesses are classified as small businesses. Unfortunately the majority of accounting programs, including university curriculum, focus on training participants in large business accounting. This doesn’t prepare students for the real life, day-to-day accounting tasks they will likely encounter in their careers.

Chances are you work for a small business. If you want to advance your career and earn the promotions you deserve, enroll in the Professional Bookkeeper Program where we will help you focus on the financial needs of the small business.

Don’t Just Take Our Word for It

The PB Program is designed to give you an experience comparable to thousands of other UAC graduates. Here is what some of them had to say:

“I was very pleased with the training I received at Universal Accounting Center. I had done bookkeeping for six years and was amazed how little I really knew. After graduating from Universal, I have a lot more confidence in my capabilities.” -Diane Murray

“Without your training program I would never have considered this position, I now have the confidence and the skills to be an effective member of the corporate level management group.”-Ralph Coleman

“After taking this course I have gone from “I can do your books” to “This is why your company can’t do without me!” It was exactly what I was looking for. It is money well spent! I now have the marketing confidence to go out and get clients!” -Darlene Bennett

“I was hired in the Director of Finance division at my current job. I was up for VP of finance. With the usefulness and immediate application of this course, I was a “shoe-in” for the position. As the 4 weeks unfolded - I was able to immediately apply the information almost daily. My goal is to build my retirement fund by building my business. I would recommend this class to anyone who wants to enhance their competency in accounting and bookkeeping.”-Jackie M

With the right training, you too can receive the confidence necessary to reach higher levels of success. This training will give you a distinct advantage over other accountants and bookkeepers competing for the same positions and promotions. This training will also eliminate the time and money spent experiencing the standard trial and error experienced by your counterparts.

What’s Next For Me?

Nowhere but at Universal will you be able to find this kind of focus on the correct principles of small business accounting. You will not find this real-world training in any university, college or applied technology setting. Only at the Universal Accounting Center will you gain access to the right information you need to achieve your professional pursuits and career goals.

Invest in your future. Invest in yourself. Enroll today.

The Proactive Accountant/Bookkeeper:

An Employer’s Best Friend

It’s always important to follow an employer’s initiatives, but accountants and bookkeepers are most valuable when they take some initiative themselves. Proactive accountants and bookkeepers have a few things in common, characterizing them as invaluable employees who advance in their professions. Check the following list of proactive-ities to see if there are ways you could increase your currency as an accountant or bookkeeper.

• Don’t obsess about the past. Being informed about a business’s fiscal history is important, but it’s even more important to use that information to improve the business’s future.
• Know your employer’s industry. The more you know about your employer’s industry, the better equipped you are to assess your employer’s standing. The same applies to the level of business. If you are the accountant or bookkeeper for a small business, you need to become familiar with the idiosyncrasies of small business accounting and bookkeeping.
• Be more than a bean counter. Because of your specialized knowledge you can make informed recommendations to your employer that will help improve his/her business. Don’t be afraid to speak up and offer the advice that only a proactive accountant or bookkeeper can give.
• Join the team. Sadly, the stereotypical accountant or bookkeeper is seen as a social recluse who hibernates in a back office and rarely steps out to mingle at the water cooler. Some are even viewed as the wet blanket to a business’s plans for innovation and change. A proactive accountant or bookkeeper collaborates with colleagues to advance the business and ensure its success.
• Stay current in the accounting and/or bookkeeping profession. It’s important to continue your accounting and bookkeeping education in order to offer your employer the best service you possibly can.

When you exhibit these proactive characteristics, you become more valuable to your employer, and most likely you will enjoy your job more. If you’re interested in learning more about small business accounting and bookkeeping, Universal Accounting Center has a Professional Bookkeeping Program that instructs individuals in the day-to-day accounting procedures for small to mid-size businesses. Other educational opportunities include the Professional Tax Preparer Certification and QuickBooks courses.

By Carol Kleiman — Chicago Tribune

Have a heart: Richard Harris, president of Sales Recruiters International in Bedford Hills, N.Y., says he has ”no qualms” about being called by the much-used term “headhunter” - despite the fact that sometimes that term isn’t very friendly. But Harris adds this: “We may be characterized as headhunters, but we’re really recruiting hearts.”

Joyce Gioia, president of The Herman Group, an employee retention consulting firm based in Greensboro, N.C., agrees wholeheartedly, saying that Harris “is right on the money. The key (to retention of employees) is to win the hearts, as well as the minds, of the people who work with you.”

What the two experts are talking about is a kinder, gentler way of doing executive recruiting. Which I agree sometimes is needed - with all my heart.

Absolutely, positively: If you have the kind of personality that consistently accentuates the positive, you “are less likely to burn out on the job or to be looking for a new one.”

That’s the finding of researchers at Tulane University in New Orleans, who did an analysis of 205 studies on workers’ attitudes toward their jobs. The studies represented 62,527 employees nationwide and the results were published in Psychological Bulletin.

At the same time, another conclusion of the research, whose prime author was Carl Thoresen of Tulane, was that workers with negative attitudes are “likely to feel burned out, distance themselves from co-workers and think about finding a new job.”

Does this mean it’s not always your boss’ fault if you’re unhappy at work, that it’s your basic personality that determines your reaction to the daily grind? Whatever the reason for negative attitudes by workers, being dissatisfied about the work you do and where you do it seems to be on the rise.

“Americans are growing increasingly unhappy with their jobs,” according to a report by The Conference Board, a nonprofit business membership organization based in New York. “The decline in job satisfaction is widespread among workers of all ages and across all income brackets.”

The report, based on a survey of 5,000 U.S. households, shows that today 50 percent of employees indeed are content - but that number is down from 60 percent in 1995. And the largest decline in job satisfaction was reported by workers ages 35 to 44 years. Another finding: “Approximately one-quarter of the American work force is simply ’showing up to collect a paycheck.”‘

Resume rules: As the Internet continues to expand its job boards and Web sites of employers seeking workers, the requirement to post resumes expands. It’s a fairly new way for job seekers to apply for work, so the questions continue.

One common concern is the pragmatic one of how to e-mail your resume and cover letter once you complete them. Some good advice comes from Kevin Donlin, a resume writer and contributor to CollegeRecruiter.com. “Attach your resume to the e-mail, sending it as an attached file,” advises Donlin, author of the self-published book, The Last Guide to Cover Letter & Resume Writing You’ll Ever Need ($17).

But that’s not enough: “Send your resume in the e-mail, too,” he urges. “Attachments can and do get scrambled during transmission, making them impossible to open. … So copy and paste the material into the body of your e-mail.”

And that covers all cyberspace possibilities.

Carol Kleiman is the author of Winning the Job Game: The New Rules for Finding and Keeping the Job You Want.

More Education Helps You Move Up

Positive attitude will certainly affect your altitude, but your smile will get you a lot farther when you have the training to back it up. If moving your way up in the accounting and bookkeeping field is in your future, you owe it to yourself to check out the Professional Bookkeeper course. In four short weeks, you will get the hands-on training to become an accountant. Don’t let lack of certification hold you back. Find out more today!

See How Learning Accounting with the Professional Bookkeeper Program Brightens Your Future