Outstanding Eastside CPA firm is currently looking for a Senior Tax Manager. Ideal candidate will have at least 8-12 years of total experience, with 3-4 years at Big-4. Must have current CPA license, MAcc a big plus. This firm has a great corporate culture, so don’t miss out on that next step in your career.

Location: Greater Seattle Area

To Apply:

[contact-form]

]]> http://www.bgrayconsulting.com/2009/12/senior-tax-manager/feed/ 0 http://www.bgrayconsulting.com/2009/12/senior-financial-analyst/ http://www.bgrayconsulting.com/2009/12/senior-financial-analyst/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 14:23:39 +0000 BGrayConsulting.com http://70.85.214.38/~bgraycon/?p=34

Great opportunity for an experienced Financial Analyst. Manufacturing company is adding a SFA position due to growth. 5 years + is the ideal fit. BS in finance or accounting. Experience with manufacturing a huge plus but not a deal breaker. Good organization with room to grow.

Location: Greater Seattle Area

To Apply:

[contact-form]

I’ve read several articles lately that are buzzing about employee engagement. So what’s all the fuss about? In today’s changing economic landscape, recruiting, retaining and motivating top talent is extremely important and the best way to do it seems to be through engagement.

First and foremost, companies engage employees to retain them. According to the 2009 Employment Dynamics and Growth Expectations (EDGE) Report, 55 percent of employees plan to change “jobs, careers or industries” when the economy recovers. Therefore, companies should take proactive steps starting now to engage these employees and ensure they prevent unwanted turnover down the line.
If retaining these individuals isn’t enough reason for engagement, employers who are able to engage employees have also claimed they notice higher levels of commitment and productivity. Thus, employers may want to consider creating vehicles that will connect their valued employees.
The following is a compiled list of several strategies for employee engagement:

• Create more open dialogue – encourage feedback from employees by conducting surveys, implementing an employee suggestion program, etc.
• Build connections – find ways to connect employees to their work, team and organization as a whole.
• Take relationships to a deeper level – Consider creating a culture of inclusion and mutual support between employees and managers. Employees look for employers who are authentic and transparent.
• Create opportunity for growth and ownership across the organization.
• Always demonstrate consistency between what is said and what is done and hold accountability for these actions.
• Consider collaboration – According to a recent survey, nearly half of senior executives and managers say that collaboration would increase productivity within their company. Consider how this would affect the efficiency and effectiveness within your own organization.

When it comes down to it, employees simply want to feel a connection to their employer. Companies should take the steps necessary to involve their top talent at different levels of engagement if they’d like to recruit, retain and motivate these valued individuals in the future.

We all know that the interview is the final step in a successful job search, right….? I am sorry to say that many highly qualified candidates fail to realize that the interview is only about step 3 in a 5-6 step process. We need to remember that as soon as we walk out of the interview room we are quickly being forgotten in the already cluttered mind of the hiring manager. The interviewer is thinking about their next interview, all the work that is not being done while they spend time interviewing, and what the heck are they going to have for lunch. You are being moved into the background, and you probably have not even left the building yet.

Ok, how do we avoid being forgotten completely? You guessed it … the thank-you note. Aside from being an overlooked tradition, the thank you note easily conveys your appreciation for the time spent by the interviewer. It allows you to re-establish a connection to the discussion by refreshing the interviewer’s memory of you. The note shows that you are still considering the position seriously; employers want to hire someone that is truly serious about the opportunity, not just a job.

All right, let’s go over some valuable points to consider when composing the note.

1.  Don’t delay

Impress the company by sending the note the same day as the interview. Send it by email; even though a nice handwritten note would be the ultimate, time is of the essence here.

2. Restate your abilities

The note should restate those abilities that directly correlate to the position. Make sure that you are speaking to the job specifically, not just how good you are. This is another chance for you to relate what a great match you are for the company.

3. Speak to the audience but keep it professional

If you had interviews with multiple people then write a separate note to each person. Talk about each interview individually. Writing one note and sending it to four people may have the opposite effect if they compare notes to find a generic tone. Remember that job searching is serious business so keep the notes professional; this is not the right forum to recall shared vacation spots or a mutual love of silent movies. The note itself will jog the memory.

4. Keep it short and simple

The hiring process is a stressful thing for the interviewer, they have a job that is being placed on hold while they look for someone to bring on board. So keep your note brief. Restate the key points, thank them for their time, relay that you are very interested in moving to the next step in the process, and stop there.

5. Don’t blow it with a misspelled word

Proofread, proofread, and then proofread it again. Then have a friend or spouse read it as well. If at any point in the proofreading the note sounds wrong, it probably is and it needs to be revised. Our brains have an amazing ability to read what we meant to say not necessarily what we wrote. So be careful.

Okay,  you have an interview scheduled:  good job.  Now what steps can you take to turn the interview into a job offer?

1. Call the day before your interview to confirm the appointment (time and location) and ask if there is anything you need to bring with you.  This helps you stand out from the other candidates, shows interest and preparation. I always advise my candidates to take a quick drive out to the interview location if it is not familiar; this could make the difference between being early and relaxed or late and out of the running.
2. RESEARCH the company you are interviewing with, it is amazing how comfortable you will feel knowing something about the company, it will also assist you in answering a few key questions and again will show your interest in the position. You will be asked “So what can you tell me about the company”. Don’t get caught without an answer.
3. BODY LANGUAGE is huge in an interview! Have an open posture such as leaning slightly forward, uncrossed legs and arms. Smile, look at the interviewer not out the window or down at your lap while speaking. The caution here is to be yourself, do not act during the interview.
4. You will be asked “Do you have any questions?” The answer is YES and have a few questions prepared.  I like to have at least 3-4 ready since some of your questions may have been answered during the interview. At this point it is important that you “own” the position, this means that you should speak as if you already work with the company, instead of asking “What are your goals for….?” say “What are our goals for….?” See the difference?
5. When the interview is over, give them a nice firm handshake (as you did when you arrived), thank them for their time and always follow up with a thank you email. When doing this, again, mention a point or two why you would be great for the position.