2015 - Casey

7 Reasons Recruiting Firms Help You Find the Best Talent – Including Millennials

Millennial employees are highly sought-after in today’s job market, for their technology expertise and above-average career drive. It’s no wonder that the competition is fierce among companies in the Chicago area. In order to recruit the best of the best from the millennial generation, there are multiple reasons recruitment firms can be beneficial to your business.

1. Recruitment agencies have a pipeline of millennial talent.

It can be highly efficient and cost-effective to hire millennials through a recruitment agency. They have a large pipeline of candidates who are ready to start work immediately. Candidates are prescreened and versed about your company before they start, which makes onboarding simple.

2. A recruitment firm can advise your company on starting packages.

Millennials are looking for the best starting salaries, benefits and workplace perks possible. A recruitment agency can help guide your company on setting up generous compensation packages that attract the best talent.

3. Recruitment agents have resources to find the best candidates.

Recruiters are great at networking and they have access to a large number of resources for finding candidates. By partnering with a professional recruitment firm, you have access to all their collective resources.

4. Recruiters are widely connected with colleges and social networks.

Not only are recruitment pros in touch with many resources, they also network with others through social media, college career centers, and other community groups where millennials are seeking work opportunities.

5. Millennials know that recruitment agencies are hiring them.

When they need a job, millennials understand that the fast track to getting hired by a leading company is to register with a staffing agency. There are many opportunities to hire employees directly through a staffing and recruitment agency like ours.

6. Recruitment agencies can handle all the pre-employment and payroll details.

Another key benefit of working with a recruitment firm is the ability to control staffing costs for upfront things like pre-employment screening, background checks. It’s also more cost-effective to let the recruitment firm handle employment paperwork, payroll and even benefits administration.

7. Finding millennials who have the best fit for your culture is made easier.

Recruitment agencies are able to use tools to evaluate the suitability of every candidate before placing them in jobs. Millennials are interested in a positive experience with an employer, therefore it can be helpful to have them work through the staffing agency for a more positive onboarding experience, including making sure they are a good fit for your company.

As a trusted staffing firm, Casey Accounting & Finance Resources reduces your time spent on recruiting, evaluating, screening and interviewing employees. Contact our award-winning recruiters today to get started on finding top candidates for finance careers in Chicago in 2016!

Want to Get a Phone Call? Promote your Financial IT Skills

Yоu’ve рrоbаblу heard thе cliché “thе person wіth thе rіght education gеtѕ thе job.” Wіth а degree іn уоur hand, уоu mау find уоurѕеlf tо bе thе perfect fit fоr thе job advertised. Thіѕ, hоwеvеr, іѕ nоt always true whеn іt соmеѕ tо finance and accounting jobs.

Financial jobs in Chicago can be tricky to land. Whіlе technical competency іѕ сеrtаіnlу thе fіrѕt criteria fоr selection, employers often lооk bеуоnd whаt textbooks hаvе taught. Thеу wаnt ѕоmеоnе whо саn communicate thе technical knowledge tо people whо саnnоt translate numbers аnd figures іntо information. Inѕtеаd оf perplexing thе client wіth complex industry jargon аnd technical terms, thеу wаnt ѕоmе оnе whо helps to effectively disseminate the information. Thеу аrе nоt rеаllу interested іn numbers. Thеу wаnt tо knоw whеrе thеу stand, whеrе thеу аrе heading, аnd whеthеr оr nоt thеrе іѕ аnуthіng thеу ѕhоuld bе worried about.

Fоr thіѕ matter, employers аrе lооkіng fоr ѕоmеоnе whо brings аlоng strong interpersonal skills, аnd knоwѕ hоw tо nurture relationships. Precisely, thеу wаnt а technical expert wіth thе mind оf а business consultant.

By highlighting these skills, you stand a better chance of getting a job offer in the financial sector.

Information Technology

Information technology іѕ thе fіrѕt skill оn thіѕ list. Nоt bесаuѕе it’s thе mоѕt important, but bесаuѕе it’s thе mоѕt obvious. Whаtеvеr оur function, nеw applications аrе automating whаt wе dо аnd helping uѕ bесоmе mоrе efficient аnd (hopefully) mоrе effective. Skills уоu wіll nееd tо master include social media, HTML, analytics, pivot tables, virtual communication and mobile development.

Thеrе аrе vеrу fеw professions thаt information technology dоеѕ nоt touch. In order tо stay оn top оf уоur field, уоu nееd tо stay оn top оf thе latest technological developments.

Managerial Skills

Whеthеr оr nоt уоu manage staff, managerial skills аrе extremely important. Whеthеr it’s managing projects, resources, finances оr simply уоur оwn time, уоu can’t live wіthоut solid managerial skills.

Communication

Untіl thе latest economic downturn, thе mоѕt important оf thеѕе nontechnical skills wаѕ communication. But it’s mоrе thаn simple communication: It’s information delivery. Mоrе accurately, it’s information analysis аnd delivery. It’s thе ability tо communicate уоur area оf expertise іntо layman’s terms – іn bоth oral аnd written form. Information sharing іѕ а key aspect оf аnу role today. Mоѕt professionals muѕt bе capable оf nоt оnlу delivering thеіr KPIs, but аlѕо interpreting thеm fоr external audiences tо ѕее thе business implications оf them. Thе complexity оf today’s business environment underscores thе nееd fоr good communication аnd оthеr soft skills ѕuсh аѕ diplomacy аnd persuasion.

Innovation / Strategic Thinking / Problem Solving

Thе mоѕt important оf thеѕе skills is thе ability tо solve problems. Sоmеtіmеѕ thе ability tо solve problems іѕ masked аѕ innovation оr strategic thinking, but thе purpose іѕ thе same. Thе conversation gоеѕ ѕоmеthіng lіkе this, “We haven’t ѕееn а problem lіkе thіѕ before. Wе hаvе nо idea whаt nееdѕ tо bе done, but wе nееd уоu tо figure іt оut аnd tо dо ѕоmеthіng аbоut it.”

We cаn аll agree thаt wе аrе facing mоrе problems, bоth business аnd otherwise, thаn wе hаvе bеfоrе іn оur lifetimes. And, еѕресіаllу ѕіnсе thе downturn, еvеrуоnе іѕ bеіng asked tо dо mоrе wіth lеѕѕ resources. Evеrуоnе іѕ bеіng asked tо solve increasingly complex problems аt increasingly lоwеr levels оf thе organization.

Mastering Thеѕе Skills

Mоѕt оf thе time іt іѕ quіtе easy tо develop аnd kеер оn top оf уоur technical skills: Thоѕе essential skills уоu nееd tо dо уоur job. Mоrе оftеn thаn nоt though, thеѕе nontechnical skills аrе mоrе оf а dо-іt-уоurѕеlf project. Yоu mау оr mау nоt bе gіvеn thе opportunity tо learn thеѕе skills frоm уоur employer.

Hоw dо уоu gо аbоut developing them, then? Actually, it’s easy enough, but іt takes life-long education. Tаkіng courses thrоugh уоur local universities оr functional trade organizations іѕ а great start.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources focuses directly on your area of expertise. We are a dedicated team of professionals providing superior value. Contact Casey Accounting & Finance Resources today – a leader in financial recruitment!

The 12 Joys We are Grateful For!

As the year ends and a new one is on our doorstep, we reflect on how fortunate we are and what we are grateful for in our everyday lives as we work to place people in outstanding job opportunities with great companies!

“I am grateful for the ability to impact someone’s life by finding them a career that has truly made a difference in their life. The best is when they come back to me years later to let me know! I am grateful for my standing desk. It allows me to burn calories while I work away…can’t beat that!” Cheryl

“I am grateful for strong working relationships.” Denise

“I’m grateful for terrific coworkers that know me better than I know myself some days, and for the ability to build new relationships every day. Also, couldn’t be more grateful for a sense of humor that helps me keep everything in perspective.” Rachel

“I am definitely thankful for donuts!” Jake

“I am grateful for the clients and candidates that contact me to assist with staffing and placement when needed, knowing I will do my best to assist!” Linda

“I am grateful for LinkedIn! As a new recruiter, I LOVE IT!” Adam

“I am thankful for great companies that we work with that allow us to place our wonderful candidates. I am thankful for a warm office to come to every day with great team members, wonderful leaders and owner!” Barbara

“I am grateful for the trust that each person places in me during the search process. And a hot cup of coffee each morning!” Pete

“I am grateful for the team I work with. We are a family and work together to help one another succeed.” Jessica

“I am grateful for the office treats!” Erika

“I am grateful for the client and candidate relationships I have developed and maintained over the many years! I am grateful for the technology available to me to make my job easier and accurate. I’m grateful for working with a dynamic and loyal management team.” Eileen

“I am grateful to be able to work with a great group of recruiters and staff who love what they do, for our amazing clients and the ability we have to give back to our community! Every day, we get to improve people’s lives and make an impact on their future. I am grateful to be a part of it all! Best wishes to all in 2016!” Patty

How to Get Responses from Passive Candidates

To a recruiter, passive candidates may seem like a golden opportunity to attract a professional with a strong sense of loyalty and above-board skills. The hardest part is often connecting with the elusive candidate without being too “sales” oriented. While it is possible to accomplish this on social networking sites like LinkedIn, recruiters must still tread carefully so that they do not scare off, intimidate, or – worse yet – annoy a passive candidate.

Many recruiters have equated passive candidate attraction to the dating world. You may like what you see, but taking that first step and talking to the passive candidate is the hardest. Failure to take action could mean losing a valuable person. Coming on too strong could ruin any chance you had to begin with.

Try these suggestions for reaching out to passive candidates and getting them to respond in a positive way.

Put yourself in the candidate’s shoes

What is it that you’re actually sending to passive candidates? If you’re not sure of how your initial messages may appear to a candidate, take the time to send a message to yourself – wait 24 hours, and then read it to get an initial impression. Remember: These are people who are not actively looking for work opportunities, however with the right offer they may consider at least talking with you. Your initial communication with a passive candidate must be respectful of their time, and not overly pushy.

Explain who you are

Getting a message from an unknown source can be creepy to anyone. Be sure to explain in a non-threatening way who you are and why you were contacting a passive candidate. Keep your message warm and friendly. Make sure all of your social profiles are up-to-date, including your cover photo profile information and any open positions you are recruiting for. Remember: A candidate will immediately start searching for you online, so you want to shine in the best light.

Be complementary and specific

When a passive job seeker reviews your message, they will be able to tell immediately if it is a form letter or if you wrote it specifically to them. Review the candidate’s background carefully and compliment specific achievements that they’ve made. Recognize their value to appeal to their ego. If you have a common connection, make sure you indicate this in the message. Keep the message concise and discreet. Include your direct contact information. Let the candidate know you will be checking back with them within a specified amount of time.

Invite the candidate to self-schedule

Thanks to modern scheduling calendar software, it’s possible to invite the candidate to select a time that is convenient for them to talk with you about the career opportunity. This call to action can be very effective in getting a passive candidate to respond to your request. Clearly state that you want to find out what their career goals are and how you can help them accomplish this. This should appeal to any passive candidate who may be thinking about a career change in the near future.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a winner of Inavero’s Best of Staffing® Client Award for the second consecutive year, can help your company meet all of its financial staffing needs. From a recent survey, the feedback we received was: “I am pleased with the professional service provided by Casey Accounting & Finance Resources.” Contact our award-winning team of financial recruiters today to get started!

With Fewer Job Candidates Comes Multiple Job Offers

After several years of a virtual dry spell of jobs in the Chicago region, now it seems there are not enough candidates to go around for the companies here. The unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest percentage in seven years. It’s a candidate-driven market by all expert accounts, which means active job seekers may be hit with multiple job offers at once.

What do you do if you happen to get more than one job offer? How do you choose the best company for your career? Here are some guidelines.

What is the company’s reputation in the industry?

Take a good look at the companies that are offering you jobs. Are they respected in the industry? Look for company reviews left by current and former employers for added insight. Check out industry publications and the Better Business Bureau site to see what clients are saying about the companies.

Also, talk to your own network. If you are staying in the same area, then there’s a good chance you know someone (or know someone who knows someone) who has a personal experience with the company. Making that connection can take some work, but it will pay off in the long run.

Is the company going in the same direction my career is?

If you can find a website portal, see what the company has been focusing on and where it’s headed. Press releases, new products and offerings, and the mission of the company should indicate this. How well does this fit with the goals you have for your own career? If there is a good match, then this may be the best offer to accept.

Considering the cultural fit is just as important. A high salary is great, but it won’t keep you happy every day. Do your potential co-workers focus on the same ideals that you value?

How is the company doing financially?

Review public financial records of each company you are considering to see if they are healthy financially. Did they offer you a basic salary and benefits package that seems a little low or is it just right? If you are not getting a good enough offer, go back to the negotiating table and ask for more. The right company will value you enough to consider adding more to sweeten the deal.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a winner of Inavero’s Best of Staffing® Client Award for the second consecutive year, always welcomes great job candidates and helps navigate the complicated job search. Contact us today, and we’ll help you find the best accounting Chicago careers!

10 Tips for End of the Year Hiring

Is your website mobile-friendly? Can candidates find the jobs you are recruiting for while they are on their personal phones? With the smart phone, many people do not even use a laptop anymore, so a responsive website is required when advertising jobs on your website.
Once the candidates can find the jobs, how easy is it for them to apply? Too many pages and forms to fill out and candidates will move on to a more user-friendly job opening!
Have you spruced up your employee referral program? Do your employees know what it is? Share this information with your employees regularly.
Often, interviewing slows down at the end of the year, so it is a perfect time to pick up your interviewing while more candidates are available. This way you can have them on track to start working for you at the first of the year!
Scheduling hassles for interviews when hiring managers are traveling? Thanks to the accessibility of high-speed Internet and video conferencing capabilities, many resources are available to conduct the interviews online, so you don’t miss a beat.
How are your job postings on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter? Post openings daily to your company’s LinkedIn and Facebook pages, and Tweet 10-12 times a day on Twitter. Ask people to follow you and like you! Have the posts link back to your website to increase your SEO.
Who does the hiring for your company? Are they engaged? Are they excited about working for your company and can share that excitement with potential new hires? Having an employee who is not engaged or excited about the company interview new hires can quickly turn off a potential great hire!
Timing? Don’t let a lot of time go by from the first time you interview the candidate to the second interview. If you like the candidate, move quickly in the interview process. Chances are that you are not the only company who is interested in hiring this person! Make sure the interview process is clearly defined and progresses at a steady pace. Candidates have multiple opportunities under consideration now and an interview process that lags is one that loses top talent to others that expedite the interview process.
Have a hiring manager who “collects” resumes? Explain the job market and low unemployment rate to this hiring manager. It should be a priority to interview candidates as soon as possible or risk losing the great candidates to proactive hiring managers!
Flexible contract workers help to fill in the gaps during the hiring process. Often, these candidates are hired on at the company on a temporary-to-hire basis – once the company and the candidate both see how they can each contribute to each other’s success!

10 Items to Evaluate on LinkedIn Recommendations for Financial Candidates

LinkedIn recommendations are a nice way to learn more about financial candidates before you bring them in for an interview. On top of the resume and cover letter, a LinkedIn profile is increasing in importance during the job selection process. More quality feedback that you can acquire will provide you with a better chance of hiring the best fit for your company.

However, they can also be a little misleading because they are generated by individuals who may not have a lot of direct interaction with these candidates. How can you evaluate LinkedIn recommendations left by people on a financial candidate’s profile? Here are the top 10 items to critique.

What is the top-rated recommendation?
Are the LinkedIn recommendations relevant to the industry?
Who submitted the recommendations?
Do the recommendations appear to be real? (This is very important. Be aware of generic recommendations that appear fluffy and have no substance)
Is the candidate writing recommendations for others?
How many recommendations are recent?
Do the recommendations relate to the job itself?
Has the candidate proven the skills stated?
Are there recommendations that the candidate is lacking?
How closely do the LinkedIn recommendations match the candidate’s achievements? (Seeing actual numbers in the recommendation that show the impact made by the candidate are a great sign.)

When evaluating a candidate for a financial position within your company, it’s important that the recommendations are relevant for the job itself. For example, does the candidate have recommendations that indicate they have specific financial software skills? Or does the candidate’s recommendations show that there is an understanding of the industry, such as legal and ethical considerations? These are all things you will want to consider.

A good financial candidate will have strong recommendations, both in their skills section and the written testimonials left by others. Look for past employers who have taken the time to write positive reviews of a candidate’s performance. Also learn what you can about the candidate’s career direction, which should be evident from any work history provided. See a progression of added responsibilities and projects? These are good signs.

What really takes a LinkedIn recommendation to the next level is confirmation of accomplishments by the job candidates – the more details the recommendations provide, the better. If it’s a generic assessment, then it provides no real context. A job candidate that has a number of recommendations from different employers or varying perspectives is another great sign.

If you need support with finding a strong financial candidate to hire for your company, Casey Accounting and Finance Resources has the recruitment solutions for your organization. We have access to the best financial candidates in the greater Chicago area. Contact us today!

Job Interview Blues? What to Do When the Interviews Don’t Go Well

You’ve brushed up your resume, practiced your interview answering skills, and put on your best power suit. The big day of your job interview is finally here and you are pumped up and ready to impress. But then, something doesn’t feel right, you start to falter, and gradually the interview starts to go very wrong. You walk out almost in tears, wondering what just happened and how you can redeem yourself in the eyes of the hiring manager.

It’s happened to just about everyone who’s ever interviewed for a job. Interviews don’t always go as planned because they are about people. And people are prone to making mistakes, saying the wrong things, and yes, sometimes looking ridiculous. Before you beat yourself up too much, turn things around.

Think about what happened from both sides.

Were you late to the interview or got lost trying to find the office? Did you stumble to come up with an answer to a tough interview question? Try to see things from both sides. It may not be as bad as you think. The hiring manager may have mentioned that the office is hard to find, and they may know that the interview question always stumps people. In other words, the whole scenario may not be as bad as you think.

Be prepared.

Are you ready to give examples demonstrating your accomplishments? Can you give examples of various situations in your previous work experience, show examples of how you responded to these situations with the actions involved and what the results were that you were able to accomplish? Remember SAR: Situation, Action and Results when talking about your accomplishments.

Take the pressure off trying to be perfect.

You are a human being and this means you are not perfect, not even close. You can do your best to look perfect, behave perfect, and show off your perfect resume, but it’s not going to land you that dream job right away. Instead, you need to be a genuine person and let your personality shine so that others can see your value. The next time around, just be yourself.

The recruiter may have been challenging you on purpose.

You may not have had a stellar interview, but then not many people do. In fact, a trick that recruiters will use to make you think you are not a good fit for the organization is to act like they aren’t interested in you at all. They may appear emotionless in an interview. They may even cut you off while you speak. They may challenge you. This is an attempt to see if you will fight for the opportunity or walk out.

Find a support and job networking group.

If you are having the blues after a poor interview, be kind to yourself and reach out to others for support. Don’t go it alone. A job search is a long and frustrating process, so find a support network as you go through this experience. Share your story and listen to others talk about their bad interviews. Learn from it and move on to the next one!

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources is a dedicated team of professionals that provides superior value. Contact our great team of recruiters today to help you in your career search for finance careers in Chicago.

Six Keys to Being Happy

According to the Topgrading Professionals, the keys to being happy have been summarized below after asking executives: “How would you live your life or manage your career differently, if you could start over?” This question answers the question, “What might you have done differently in order to become a happier person?

They have heard similar responses over and over again, so here is a summary of the six keys to becoming a success in your career and life, a truly HAPPY “A” Player.

1. Fix broken pieces in your life now, or they will get worse.

Life components include the following: Relationship with Spouse/Significant Other, Relationships with My Children, Wellness, Career Success, Financial Well Being, Giving Back, Being Creative, Fun Hobbies, and Spiritual Satisfaction. Look at any that you would rate Fair or Poor since these items are detracting from your happiness and fix them!

2. Invest time, energy, and love in your family.

You can’t go back in time. Spend the time with your family and loved ones now.

3. Pay attention to wellness.

Half the people, particularly during their 30s and 40s, said their exercise, eating, sleeping and stress-relief habits could be improved.

4. Live within your means.

If you are financially living out of your means, then poor choices happen especially when considering job changes. Save and invest, so you have the money you need during the down times.

5. Plan your career early.

85% of the high achievers were self-made, so get mentors early who can help you think long term for your career plans. Get needed training early on in your career.

6. Topgrade.

“A” players work 50 rather than 70 hours, and get a lot more done in the process. Having these additional hours each week give them time to devote to family, exercise, or anything else that is important to them. High achievers achieve balance through Topgrading.

For additional information www.topgrading.com/

Employee Retention: Best Practices to Keep Your Employees Engaged

Employee retention is a big talking point at companies in every industry, with HR managers and other department heads trying to find new ways to keep employees – especially their most talented ones – from jumping ship. Part of employee retention is keeping employees engaged in what they are doing. If you are perplexed by poor employee retention and grumbling unhappy workers, your organization could be in trouble without prompt action.

Here, we will discuss the best practices to keep your employees engaged so they stick with your company and stay productive.

Commit to Open Communication

Let employees know what their jobs require and why their jobs are important to the success of the company. Make sure employees know that collaboration is welcome, especially when it comes to completing projects. Your company’s leaders must also encourage employee feedback and listen to it. Treat your temporary employees the same way and respect their ideas and contribution to the company goals.

Take Advantage of Social Media

Your company can create a safe place for employees to discuss issues within the industry with their co-workers by taking part in debates and other discussions. You could also create a Facebook page for new additions to your company where they can interact with each other prior to their first day on the job. They can also use the group to discuss how their first couple of months have gone at the company.

Create a Culture That’s Intentional

Creating an intentional culture is actually a good way to make sure that employees know how they are expected to act at the office and how the company wants them to fit in with others when it comes to their values. There is no reason to hide the corporate culture from employees. Hang posters, send newsletters, discuss it in meetings and write emails that explain the culture and the company’s values.

Support Employee Career Development

Employees want to know that they can climb the corporate ladder without having to switch employers multiple times. They do not want to get stuck in a dead-end job. If you want to keep your employees engaged, and in-house, make sure they have a defined career development path. Create learning opportunities and have a mentoring system in place for skills transfer.

Take one or two of the tips outlined above and put them to work for your company so you can keep employees engaged. The effort will be well worth it because of higher productivity and employees who will be more loyal to your company.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources is a trusted staffing firm that provides innovative and creative solutions. Contact us today and see how we will exceed your expectations as one of the top finance recruiters in Chicago.

Yearly Archives: 2015