Chicago Accounting Recruiters Archives

Interview Skills You Should Brush Up On to Succeed!

As companies move forward during The Great Resignation, they need to hire the right employees. This requires effective interview skills.

It takes a significant amount of time for a hiring manager and HR to discuss the job requirements, source and screen candidates, and conduct interviews. It also takes time to conduct background checks, finalize the candidate selections, and wait for candidates to accept offers and begin working.

As a result, hiring managers should participate in training now to refresh their interview skills. This helps build candidate pipelines for current and future hiring needs.

Discover some benefits of hiring managers brushing up on their interview skills and topics to discuss during training.

Advantages of Refreshing Interview Skills

Proving a refresher for hiring managers’ interview skills training lets them practice in a safe environment. Because these managers may not have conducted interviews for a significant time, a mini session would be advantageous.

Refresher training ensures hiring managers and HR are on the same page regarding interviewing. This increases success in hiring the best candidates.

Topics to Discuss When Refreshing Interview Skills

Intake meeting: Talk about the meeting between the hiring manager and HR to discuss the job requirements and sourcing strategy. For instance, emphasize the importance of the candidate experience throughout the hiring process. Also, discuss specific ways to show commitment to diversity and inclusion so candidates feel they are welcome and can be themselves at work.

Discussing the intake meeting ensures the hiring manager and HR are following the same policies and procedures for interviewing. This speeds up the hiring process, increasing the likelihood of hiring top candidates.

Interview questions: Emphasize the importance of asking effective, compliant behavioral interview questions. These questions provide insight into a candidate’s experience.

You may want to use the STAR method to create interview questions. This involves asking a candidate about a situation they encountered, the task they needed to accomplish, the action they took, and the results they attained.

Ensure the hiring manager asks follow-up questions to gather enough detail for a complete picture of the situation, task, action, and result. This helps provide the necessary information to make a hiring decision.

Candidate selection: Remind hiring managers to look past their unconscious biases when choosing the best candidate. This can be accomplished through an online training program that may be included in your diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.

Need Help with Hiring?

Refreshing hiring managers’ interview skills ensures managers and HR are on the same page throughout the hiring process. Sharing details about the intake meeting, interview questions, and the candidate selection process increases the likelihood of hiring the most qualified candidates.

For additional help with hiring, partner with Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. Get started today.

How Setting Short and Long-Term Goals Can Improve Employee Experience

Employee experience involves how and why things get done at work. This includes every touchpoint your employees have throughout their time working for your company.

A positive work environment, meaningful work, and supportive management contribute to a great employee experience. Trust in leadership and growth opportunities are important as well.

One way to elevate employee experience is through collaborative goal-setting. This provides your employees a say in what they work toward and the targets they aim for.

Collaborative goal setting encompasses the aspects mentioned above that contribute to an attractive employee experience. These are reasons why you should begin setting goals with your employees today.

Discover how collaborative goal-setting helps improve the employee experience.

Goal Setting Impacts Career Success

Helping your employees understand what they are working toward and why it matters impacts job satisfaction.

Having clear reasons to reach their goals gives your employees motivation, especially during difficult times.
Establishing the steps needed to reach their goals maps out which actions employees should take and when.
Setting milestones lets your employees know how successful they are in making progress toward their goals.
Celebrating your employees’ successes provides encouragement to continue moving forward.

Achievement of Short- and Long-Term Goals Improves Retention

Employees usually need to achieve a series of short-term goals in order to reach their long-term goals.

Short-term goals typically take 6 months to 3 years to attain.
Long-term goals typically take 3 to 5 years to achieve.
The more short-term goals your employees reach, the more encouraged they are to build on their successes.
The more long-term goals your employees reach, the more likely they are to remain with your organization.

Creation of SMART Goals Impacts Accomplishments

Work with your employees to develop specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound (SMART) goals.

Clarify exactly what each employee is working toward, so they know when they successfully reach it.
Include numbers or other hard data to measure success.
Make sure each goal can be obtained through the steps created and within the given timeframe.
Tie each goal to your company goals.
Ensure each goal can be achieved in the established time period.
Schedule regular check-ins with your employees to determine their progress. Talk about where they are at and where they should be.
Give praise when appropriate. Provide guidance to get back on track when necessary.

Looking for Accounting and Finance Talent?

Helping your employees set and attain short- and long-term goals enhances employee experience. When your employees understand the reasoning behind the targets they are working to reach, your employees are more likely to continue making progress toward their objectives. This helps increase engagement and retention rates.

If you are looking for accounting and finance talent, talk with Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. Reach out to find out more today.

Tips for Reducing Employee Conflict on Your Team

As a manager, you are responsible for overseeing the work and interactions of your employees. Because your staff members have different personalities, they will not always agree on everything. This is why you need a plan to help them listen to and learn from each other. Such actions can lead to greater productivity and team cohesion.

Implement these tips to lower the amount of conflict on your accounting and finance team.

Talk About Conflict Resolution

Let your team know they are expected to professionally resolve their disagreements. For instance, clarify how you will and will not get involved with conflicts. Also, explain that you are available to coach your employees through a disagreement, but they need to resolve it together. Further, encourage discussion about your staff members’ working styles and communication preferences. Understanding and respecting these characteristics can resolve potential problems in the future.

Encourage Independent Discussions

Let your employees resolve their issues as much as possible. Otherwise, they will expect you to step in as a referee. If a conflict becomes noticeable but is not being recognized or solved by the involved staff members, you should step in. For instance, separately and privately let them know their conflict is noticeable and affects the workplace. Then, think about how you can serve as a source of support and coaching without becoming overly involved in the resolution. This may involve helping both employees develop empathy for each other. For instance, consider asking what they think could be going on with their teammate and what they might want from the situation. Then, help each staff member brainstorm potential solutions to the problem. Keep in mind that if harassment, lying about work, or another inappropriate action is involved, you must discuss why the behavior cannot recur.

Hire Solution-Oriented Employees

Bringing aboard diverse staff members who focus on resolving problems helps keep the peace among your team. During interviews, you may want to ask candidates to describe a conflict they had with a coworker and how they resolved it. This provides insight into how potential hires think about conflict and move past it.

Partner with a Recruiter

Because conflicts will happen among your team members, you need a plan to resolve them. Although it is best for the involved parties to resolve the issues, you may have to step in at times to coach them through the process. Setting expectations for professional conflict resolution is an effective way to reduce the number of disagreements among your team.

When you need help hiring solution-oriented accounting and finance professionals, turn to Casey Accounting & Finance Resources. Get started with us today.

Celebrating 20 Years!

We are excited to be celebrating the 20^th anniversary with our sister company, Arlington Resources, this month!

With this upcoming celebration, we look at the role of flexible staffing in the work force and where it is today. The temp penetration rate — temp jobs as a percent of total employment — rose to 2.069% in July 2017. “The temporary penetration rate continues to increase at a solid pace, even at record levels, giving more evidence of a secular shift,” said Tony Gregoire, Director of Research, The Americas, at Staffing Industry Analysts.

As more workers in America look for alternative work arranges and additional opportunities to supplement their incomes, temporary and contract staffing services can fulfill their needs. With nearly thirty-one percent of workers within the United States currently employed as contingent workers, companies are granted access to a more diverse, and affordable, group of employees. Thus this rise of the role of temp jobs in today’s workforce can lead to a competitive edge for companies throughout America.

We look forward to helping you with your recruiting and staffing needs!

Why We Love Millennials in the Workplace!

Millennial are often associated with negative terms including entitlement, poor communicators and technology reliant! But, we have found that it is actually a joy to work with millennials! Some of the attributes we enjoy about working with millennials include:

Focuses on Collaboration

Millennials are very collaborative to work with. They are very communicative, which is great when you work in an environment that has a lot of moving parts.

Purpose

Millennials share a sense of purpose with their teammates and work together on meaningful projects. They bring a creative spirit to new initiatives introduced within the workforce. Start an internal social group in your company and see what amazing benefits arise from it!

Technology

Millennials are tech-savvy and like to help others by offering solutions that support innovation. They are very good at leveraging technology! They want information fast since they often will be on their smart phone and working on their tablet/computer while viewing a program – and can switch easily between devices. Make sure you have multiple monitors for their desks!

Want to Make a Difference and Contribution to Society

Millennials are always looking for ways to better themselves and the community. Having a community spirit helps companies develop programs for the good of others. What better way to bring meaning to work!

Tolerance

Millennials are by far the most accepting of gender equality and LGBTQ rights. They are a generation of change and progression. They care about the issues and will help to make changes. They accept and celebrate their differences including breaking the stigma around mental illness. Having a tolerant workforce helps to lift everyone up!

Highly educated and they love to learn and be developed

Millennials are on track to become the most highly educated generation in the history of the United States. They want to be mentored and coached, and be the best employee they can be!

As you can see, there are many reasons that millennials are an asset to the workforce. From collaboration, purpose, technology, making a difference, tolerance and education, companies will have a new set of challenges that will bring meaningful change and growth to their organization.

Source: http://www.smartceo.com/zimmerman-millennials-in-the-workforce-what-they-want-and-how-to-manage-them/; https://www.theodysseyonline.com/6-reasons-millennials-awesome

Top Candidates – March 2017 Newsletter

Senior Financial Analyst
Areas of expertise: Budget and Modeling and Analysis, Financial Planning and Analysis, Corporate Reporting and Analysis, Cost Benefit and Product Analysis, Operations Modeling and Process Review, Procedural Development and Review.

Noteworthy: 15 years of experience within the manufacturing arena. In the last three roles they held sole responsibility for Financial Planning and Analysis as well as closing out all of the books.

Position Interest- Sr. Financial Analyst or Finance Manager
Available for: Direct Hire Placement
Location: Northwest Suburbs.

Treasury Operations Manager
Areas of Expertise: MBA and pursuing his CPA. Banking consolidation projects, FX hedging and netting, Compliance reporting, Prepare quarterly Board Meeting reports for the CFO, Implemented e-payment solutions, Implemented new treasury and banking platforms including foreign currency, the treasury workstation and bank fee analysis portals. Certified Treasury Professional

Noteworthy: MBA and pursuing his CPA with experience within manufacturing Fortune 500 Companies.

Position of Interest: Treasury Manager
Available for: Direct Hire Placement
Location: Northwest Suburbs

Sr. Credit Analyst
Areas of Expertise: 10+ years of working with SAP FICO and customized SAP programs. International credit analysis for Mexico, Australia, Canada and South America. Has handled a portfolio up to $350M.Deduction experience includes: shortages, discounts, promotions, damaged goods and spoiled product. Full DSO responsibility.

Noteworthy: SAP expertise as well as International Credit Analysis expertise.

Position of Interest: Sr. Credit Analyst
Available for: Contract, Contract to Hire or Direct Hire
Location: Western Suburbs

Staff Accountant
Expertise includes: Advanced Excel (pivot tables, lookups, formulas), G/L Accounting, Fixed Assets and Bank Reconciliations

Noteworthy: This person is only looking for temp work over the next 6 months while finishing a Master’s Degree and studying for the CPA test.

Position of Interest: Staff or Senior Accountant level
Available for: temporary
Location: West Suburbs

Senior Accountant/Analyst
Expertise includes: Month-End G/L close, sales forecasting, budgets, Analysis of SG&A expenses

Noteworthy: CPA and MBA with manufacturing industry experience.

Position of interest: Senior Accountant or Financial Analyst
Available for: Temporary, Temp to Hire and Direct Hire
Location: North Suburbs and NW Suburbs

A Season of Thanks! What We Are Grateful For!

As Thanksgiving is upon us, we reflect on how fortunate we are and what we are grateful for in our everyday lives as we work to place our great candidates in outstanding jobs with great companies!

I am grateful for the CUBS world series! Go CUBS Go! And to work for a great family oriented company that has allowed me to purchase World Series gear! Erika

I am grateful for being able to assist candidates in finding their dream job and making an impact in their life! Jessica

I would like to give thanks to all the amazing people I get to work with! This is by far the best company I have worked for and I can’t wait to see where the next year brings us! Elizabeth

I am grateful for my health and for the passion that I have to live a healthy lifestyle. Cheryl

I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with such wonderful people: co-workers, clients and candidates! I’m also grateful for my old horse that still likes to go out on trail rides. Freedom is a wonderful thing! Denise

I am grateful for having found my calling with such a great team and how positively it impacts me, my clients, my candidates, and my family. Noori

I’m thankful for the clients and candidates who’ve trusted me to help them. Pete

I’m thankful for having the opportunity to experience the world of staffing. I work with a great group of people who have taken the time to guide and teach me in this industry. This opportunity has given me the chance to see how rewarding staffing truly is. Erin

I am grateful to be part of a team that is so passionate about what they do, as well as, supporting each other. Renee

I’m grateful for the relationships I have been able to build with both my clients and candidates. The trust someone places in you when looking for a new career is something we take very seriously and I’m grateful that many people have put that trust in me this year. Adam

I am thankful for my freezer because it keeps my frozen pizzas preserved day in and day out. Jake

I’m grateful for the organization that I work at. It allows me the freedom and independence to utilize my own unique means of developing meaningful relationships with my clients, prospects and candidates. I am also grateful for both my partnering director and myself to have been on this ride for over 20+ years together. Eileen

I am grateful to be a part of Arlington Resources and work with amazing people! Brooke

I am grateful to be able to maintain a strong work/life balance. Health and happiness to all this upcoming holiday season! Rob

The Cubs, our social committee, and our wonderful team have made 2016 one of the best years ever! I am grateful to have such meaningful work, a great team that makes it happen every day, and being able to help others along the way. Happy Thanksgiving! Patty

Common Mistakes to Avoid when Filling out an I-9 form

It’s more important than ever that you have strong Form I-9 procedures. On average, about half of all I-9 forms have some sort of errors. Most errors are fairly common and easily avoidable, including the most common:

Late completion of the I-9 form. Section 1 must be completed on or before the first day of hire. Section 2 must be completed by end of the fourth day of hire.
Using an incorrect version of the form. The newest I-9 version is dated 3-8-2013.
No signature or incomplete document information, such as missing the date employment began, missing the name and of employer or date of employee’s execution of the form. For electronic versions of this form, Section 1 cannot populate from other areas (like candidate software). The most common error in Section 2 is failure to complete the Document Title Issuing Authority, Document Number and Expiration Date (if applicable).
I-9 form not produced in its entirety — both sides of the I-9 must be reproduced.
Instruction sheet is missing.
Documents are accepted that contain deletions, like an unsigned social security card.
White-out is used on the form. White-out is not permitted. If a mistake is made, place a line through the incorrect information, place your initials next to the incorrect information and provide the correct information.

To avoid mistakes — as well as fines during audits — we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you have a strong I-9 procedure in place:

Don’t be afraid to help employees fill out Section 1. You can avoid a lot of errors by questioning employees if you see them filling out something incorrectly in this section.
Purge and destroy I-9s after the proper timeframe: after three years or one year after termination, whichever is longer. By keeping old I-9s, you are opening yourself up to additional liability and possible fines if you are audited.
Be sure to document your hiring procedure as it relates to the use of the I-9 form.
Do not keep I-9 forms in the employee file. This makes it harder to purge forms as they are no longer needed.
Be sure to make copies of supporting documentation.
For remote employee, oftentimes people hire an agent to complete Section 2 of the I-9. The person signing Section 2 must be the person who physically reviewed the supporting documents.
Do NOT ask for immigration status.
You cannot ask for a green card or social security card. Nor should you accept more documentation than is necessary or tell the employee which documents they are to provide.
You must treat each person the same: ask the same questions in the same way to everyone.

Thank you to Tricom (www.tricom.com) for providing this very helpful guide to avoid common mistakes when filling out an I-9 form.

2016 Mid-Year Salary Survey for Accounting and Finance Available Now!

Casey Accounting & Finance Resources has compiled updated salary data for the fields of accounting and finance. In this job market featuring a shortage of qualified job candidates, this information on salary ranges helps job seekers and clients to find a fair pay range

With compensation trends changing every year, both sides need to be well-informed when negotiating job offers or even pay raises.

Arlington Resources can help human resources professionals who want to learn more about what salary expectations should be. We have compiled our salary survey list with updated facts and figures including job descriptions for more than 100 accounting and finance positions for the Chicago metropolitan area.

Email us today at FinancialSalarySurvey@caseyresources.com and we will be happy to share this with you. In the “YOUR MESSAGE” section, please enter “2016 Mid-Year Accounting & Finance Salary Survey”. Enjoy the rest of the summer!

5 Tips for Working with a Recruiter to Find a Great Hire When Time is of the Essence

Need to hire a great employee, like yesterday? It’s a candidate-driven market, which means it’s getting harder and taking longer to hire talent than ever before. At the same time, company human resource teams are shrinking and there are less people to conduct the tasks needed to recruit suitable candidates. What’s a company to do that needs to hire people right away? The solution is to partner with a staffing firm in Chicago.

A staffing agency has many advantages, including:

The ability to reduce costs of hiring new employees because the agency absorbs all the upfront fees. From advertising and interviewing to background checks and drug screens, the temporary staffing agency you work with can handle all these details. Staffing agencies will screen the candidates originally and keep a database of options to pull from when your job opening meets the profile of their job candidates. Staffing organizations have dedicated recruiters spending 100 percent of their time recruiting candidates! When you are ready to hire, they are ready to provide candidates.
The speed and efficiency at which talent can be found. Have a special hiring need? Staffing agencies can easily work with your company to get a profile of your ideal employee; then start the process of finding the right person for the job. All candidates are carefully screened and ready to start work on the day promised.
An increased pool of talent for your company. Instead of hiring people just to replace others all the time, a staffing agency can support long-term growth of the company by bringing in talent that matches the culture of your organization. This network of talent is much larger than one a company can build alone. It can be in the best interest of a company to cast its net wide to find the best job candidates and employees.
Increased flexibility of staffing options. If your company needs immediate hires for a short-term project, a busy season or just to cover a large contract, the good news is that this is possible. Bring on some employees in a temp-to-hire position. Then you can choose to hire the best after a few weeks or months.
Job Market Conditions. Not sure your salary expectations for a position are accurate? A recruiter specializing in accounting and finance positions can quickly tell you if your salary is in the correct range for the person you are trying to hire. This feedback alone can save you time and energy when recruiting candidates.

These are just a few of the many reasons a temp-to-perm staffing agency and a team of recruiters can help support speedy hiring while providing your company with quality talent and cost-effective services.

Work With a Leader in Financial Recruiting in Chicago

At Casey Accounting & Finance Resources, we can help your financial company find the right job candidates for your job openings. Contact our award-winning team of recruiters today to learn how we provide great candidates who bring value to your organization.