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Make Small Talk Your Strength by Shifting the Conversation Here

In the ‘information age,’ communication is the key to a successful office career. While lucid communication has always been a desirable attribute in a professional, especially for those in delegating and leadership or management roles, it has become much more quintessential today. Why? Companies are seeking professionals who are adept and comfortable in all forms of communication, including making small talk that leads to better working relationships.

How to improve the conversation by shifting the focus to small talk

When developing communication skills, it’s important to first focus on mutual interests demonstrated in initial small talk. Take the attention off “me” and put it on “we,” so that you can discuss a topic that you and your colleagues enjoy. It’s effective when relating to co-workers, talking with subordinates or managers, and building rapport with clients.

To be viewed as a true office professional, it’s important to establish or showcase your prowess in communication. That can be achieved by speaking decisively, confidently and in a manner that is understandable, convincing and engaging. Since communication is a two-way process and both or all parties must feel engaged, it is quite possible that what you talk about might not entice the other person enough. That is where small talk becomes your strength. Whether it is your interview or your first interactions with your fellow colleagues, small talk can give you the impetus you need.

What does small talk have to do with things?

In many ways, small talk is considered a normal part of any job. Unfortunately, there are some people who don’t like such conversations. When you speak about topics that matter to you and the other person, you can easily guide the conversation. At a more basic level, you get to establish a connection that will work in your favor. Small talk is also necessary if you wish to switch the topic of a conversation or you simply wish to steer the whole correspondence in a certain manner. Use open-ended questions to get the conversation going and invite people to tell stories instead of one word responses. Here are some conversation starters at the office:

What do you enjoy most about your weekend?
What is the most interesting thing that happened at work today?
If you could be anywhere in the world, where would you like to be?
What is the best way to accomplish our target for the week?

As Dale Carnegie stated, “Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely.”

Using small talk during an interview to improve your career

Communicating better and more lucidly will become easy when you master the strength of small talk, especially on topics of mutual interest. For example, while being interviewed for a job, a candidate can use small talk to build a common ground with interviewers and appear to have the right personality for the job. This will present a candidate as having a confident, interesting and asserting personality. Use these tips during an interview:

Don’t ramble on. Keep small talk interesting and brief
Realize the interviewer is asking questions initially to see how easily you can engage in conversation
Answer the questions you are asked
Look at the interviewer and look interested in the conversation
Listen more than you talk

These are attributes that any company in any industry would want to have in its employees.

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, a winner of Inavero’s Best of Staffing® Client Award for the second consecutive year, focuses directly on your area of expertise. Contact us today to work with a leader in finance recruitment.

2016 Salary Survey

Happy New Year! 2016 is upon us, and with that, there are updates to salaries in finance and accounting. The compensation trends change every year and with the fluctuating economy, you need to be on top of your game when negotiating salary numbers.

Looking to learn more about what salary expectations should be? Casey Accounting and Finance Resources can help! We have compiled our salary survey list with updated facts and figures including job descriptions for Finance and Accounting positions for the Chicago metropolitan area.

Contact us today and we will be happy to share this with you. In the “YOUR MESSAGE” section, please enter “2016 Finance Salary Survey”. Best wishes to you in 2016!

Be a Better Teammate – How a Positive Attitude Affects You and Those Around You

Be a Better Teammate – How a Positive Attitude Affects You and Those Around You
by Gregg Gregory

Many people believe that, with a positive attitude and positive thinking, you can do anything, including be a better teammate. I have an amazingly positive attitude, but if you needed surgery tomorrow, would you really want me to perform that surgery? Of course not.

While I do possess a positive, can-do, attitude, I don’t possess the skills to perform any kind of surgery. I believe that, with positive thinking, you can do everything (that you do) better than with negative thinking.

After a long week of travel and crossing the country twice in just eight days, an exhausted Jose was going through airport security late one night when an airport security woman said, “Hi, how are you?” Now let’s be clear, when the average person says, “Hi, how are you?” they really don’t care and are not even listening to your response.

Jose, being almost always in a positive frame of mind, quickly said to the security woman, “I am having an awesome evening and I am getting better.” In a very raspy and sarcastic tone of voice the security woman said, “Well somebody’s in a good mood.” Jose responded, “Why would you ever choose to be in a bad mood?” The woman looked like a deer caught in headlights and responded genuinely saying, “You know, you are right, and thank you for reminding me it is my choice. Have a great evening.”

Did Jose change the attitude of the woman? No. All he did was to provide an open atmosphere where the woman could freely and comfortably make a decision to change her attitude. Jose walked around the corner and watched for several minutes as the woman greeted the next few passengers with an entirely different and positive attitude. This, in turn, had a positive effect on the passengers as well. The real question is: how long did the attitude of the woman stay in a positive state? Quite probably until a passenger with a very strong negative attitude came by and yelled at her.

Bottom line, nearly 90% of the people you meet can be affected by the attitude you present at any given time, so why not impact the world in a positive way?

Here are five things to remember about having a positive attitude:

The average person comes in contact with 10 different people a day, either on the phone or in person. This means that your positive attitude not only impacts the 10 you come into contact with, but it can impact up to two or more generations down the line. If you are positive to the 10 people you come in contact with, and they do the same for just one more generation, that means that your positive attitude impacted 100 people. What if that carried out just one more generation? You have now impacted 1,000 people with your positive attitude. Unfortunately, a negative interaction works the same way.
Your attitude drives your work behavior. If you are positive, you will do your work faster and at a higher quality than if you have a negative attitude. Think back through the last three or four days. What kind of attitude did you have when you got to work? Now how was your production for that day? Do you see any correlation?
Remember, your attitude is not just in your words, it is demonstrated in the way you stand, your facial expressions as well as the tonality of your voice. Non-verbal cues can be even more devastating than the words you selected.
Your attitude has a dramatic impact on your health. This does not mean that positive people will never get sick or have problems. It does mean that they usually use their attitude to get through the problems more quickly. The same applies to laughter. How often do you get a gut wrenching belly laugh? How do you feel after such a laugh?
Remember, like the airport security officer, your attitude is your choice. When you feel like you are headed in the wrong direction, do one of the following:

Think about a time when things were clicking just right.
Call a friend and let them pick you up.
Make a change in what you are doing at that moment to something you know will help create positive energy.

The bottom line is, when you are thinking positively you will be more effective in every aspect of your life and, in many cases, the endorphins released can reduce pain and anxiety, which perpetuates a greater positive attitude.

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A diverse, twenty-year background in real estate, mortgage banking, event planning, and production, as well as radio and television broadcasting, created a perfect storm that put Gregg Gregory where he is today. Gregg works hard to ensure that different personalities can work together successfully to accomplish your organization’s mission, goals, and objectives. To learn more about Gregg’s powerful teambuilding programs and events, visit www.Teamsrock.com or call 301-564-0908

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!

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