Robert Half International

Avoiding Poor Hiring Choices

By:
Published March 29, 2013, in Career Update

Robert HalfWhat’s the cost of one bad apple? About one day per week, if you’re a manager.

Financial executives surveyed by Robert Half found that supervisors spend 17 percent of their time, on average, overseeing poorly performing employees. In another recent survey, nearly one-quarter of executives reported that a bad hire can cost their business more than $50,000 (£33,000) — enough to give any employer indigestion.

Taking care to pick the “good apples” among candidates can create many positive returns for your firm, including greater productivity and higher morale for your whole team. While the hiring process is never perfect — it involves human beings, after all — there are ways to improve your chances of selecting someone who will be a strong fit for the available position as well as your work environment. Here are some strategies for success:

Gather input from relevant parties.

Before you even post an ad for employment, ask colleagues what competencies and attributes they believe the professional will need to succeed in the role. Be sure to ask for input from those who would work directly with the candidate; they’re likely to have especially good insight on what a new hire needs to bring to the table in order to complement the team.

Be on-target with details.

One critical mistake many employers make when hiring is matching professionals to outdated job descriptions. Asking others in the organization for their input is only part of the updating process, however. You’ll also want to study leading employment sites to see how other businesses are advertising similar positions.

Think critically, too, about what you want the candidate to deliver to the firm over the long term. For example, is the available role one that could be a stepping-stone to a management position in the organization? If so, make sure you’re considering a candidate’s leadership potential in addition to her current skill sets and abilities. (See Robert Half’s website for some additional tips on creating effective job descriptions.)

Go deep with interview questions.

Ask candidates to tell you what they know —and what appeals to them — about the firm, its industry and clients, and its culture. The last item is especially important. A candidate who truly wants to be employed by your organization will have done his homework about your work environment and researched what employees, past and present, have said about their experience working for you. (Another tip: Before you conduct interviews, give potential hires a quick tour of the office so they can see your team at work; their impressions will be an important factor in whether they decide they’re a good fit for the organisation.)

Lack of proper attention to the hiring process is often the root cause for a bad personnel decision. If you know you simply don’t have time to evaluate candidates thoroughly, you may want to consider committing a dedicated resource, such as a specialized recruiting firm, to the task. This can help to ensure your firm has a bounty of good apples for consideration.

ROBERT HALF GLOBAL ACCOUNTANTThis article is provided courtesy of Robert Half, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

No Sweat: Tips for Overcoming Presentation Jitters

By:
Published February 27, 2013, in Career Update

You’ve been asked to give an important presentation at a company-wide meeting. You don’t like speaking in public; in fact, you’ve never before faced an audience as large as this. So, you’re feeling very nervous — and frankly, wondering if there’s some way you can get out of the gig.

PRESENTATION

Hold on

Before you try to bail out, consider the potential impact that doing so may have on your career. Today’s employers expect accounting and finance professionals to possess more than just stellar technical and financial abilities — solid “soft” skills are also essential, and that includes oral communication. (Check out the recent webinar from the American Society of Women Accountants and Robert Half that discusses this trend.)

Yes, you have “the jitters.” But begging your boss to let you off the hook could limit further opportunities at your company. For example, it could earn you a reputation for not being a team player. It also may undermine your value to the organization because your lack of confidence could cause others to view you as a person who can’t rise to a challenge. The best course is to steel up and start preparing. Here are some tips for overcoming your nervousness:

Embrace your role as an authority

First, stop and think: If you’ve been asked to speak on a particular topic, it’s likely because you’re considered to be a subject-matter expert in that area. You’re responsible for imparting information and insights to the audience that perhaps only you are qualified to provide. Now, doesn’t that knowledge give your confidence (and ego) at least a little boost?

Plan out your “story”

If you’re nervous about presenting, you might be tempted to just “wing it” and hope for the best. However, if you don’t prepare, more than likely you’ll be setting yourself up for a speaking disaster. The number-one tip for overcoming nervousness about public speaking is to know your material. Even though you may be considered an authority (see previous point), you have to organize your information and present it in a compelling way. It may help to think of your presentation as a form of storytelling. Start by figuring out what your audience should take away from your presentation. Then, build the “backstory” and the “plotline” that will help give the audience historical perspective on your topic, what it means to them right now, and how it might impact them in the future.

Find your voice

Rehearsing your presentation thoroughly is essential to helping you keep jitters in check on the big day. When you practice, speak aloud and in a strong and clear voice. Figure out the best places in your presentation to pause and take a breath. This will help you to relax once you’re in front of the real audience — and will prevent you from rushing through the information. Consider practicing in front of a trusted colleague to get feedback on your delivery. You may even want to engage in a mock Q&A session with that person, so you’ll be prepared to speak off the cuff in case your real audience has questions.

Lastly, remember that your audience doesn’t want you to fail because they’re eager to be informed — and to a degree, entertained. Their expectations do add pressure on you, of course, but they can also can help to give you purpose. And even if you never grow comfortable with public speaking, knowing how important it is to your audience — and perhaps, to your career — can give you confidence to face the crowd every time.

ROBERT HALF GLOBAL ACCOUNTANT

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

Proactive Recruiting

By:
Published January 31, 2013, in Career Update

Always being on the lookout for talent helps ensure your firm will have quicker access to skilled candidates when the need arises.

ROBERT HALF GLOBAL ACCOUNTANTAs more businesses expand their accounting and finance teams to help support growth objectives, many are regretting that they didn’t maintain a pipeline of talent in previous years when they were not in a hiring mode. If they had, they’d likely be able to fill key positions sooner. They’d also have an edge over their competitors in a market where more than half of employers report they’re encountering challenges recruiting skilled candidates.

Waiting to locate and evaluate talent until your organization has a job opening can touch off a negative cycle of events. First, the more time it takes your firm to fill critical roles, the longer you must lean on existing personnel to cover staffing shortfalls. And if workloads continue to increase at a rapid pace, your core team will soon become overburdened. You then may feel pressure to quickly extend an offer to the first promising candidate you find. However, snap hiring decisions can lead to a poor choice that ultimately creates more work for you as a manager — and further erodes your team’s morale.

While you can’t anticipate every future hiring need, you can probably identify several roles in your organization that may need to be filled sometime soon. For example, are there certain positions or departments prone to turnover? Are any employees taking on different roles or planning to retire? Are large projects or expansion plans on the horizon? Are you thinking about creating new positions to support specific business initiatives?

Once you determine where your firm might need to add or replace personnel in the coming months, start searching for potential candidates. Even if you’re not ready to hire just yet, you can start making connections. Some strategies include:

Leveraging professional networks

Online or offline, your professional networks can yield leads to both active and passive candidates. LinkedIn, for example, is a convenient way to research professionals’ abilities and experience, and find out which of your contacts may be able to make an introduction. And don’t overlook your “network” in your own firm — your team members and colleagues can be a great source of referrals.

Agreeing to informational interviews

If a talented professional reaches out to your firm when you’re not hiring, take time to set up a quick phone call or in-person meeting so you can learn a little more about them. (Just be sure to make it clear up front that no positions are currently available.) Fielding applications and inquiries year-round and keeping detailed notes on each person you speak with lets you build a “go to” file that you can reference when a position needs to be filled.

Reach out to a staffing specialist

Reputable firms will have access to a wide range of talented financial professionals in your local market — including candidates not actively seeking a job, but willing to consider a new opportunity. Building a relationship with a staffing specialist will also provide you with a source for temporary talent when workloads demand extra support for your core team, but not permanent hires.

A final tip: When you do need to add staff, try to take a long-term view of your company’s needs. Strive to hire candidates with transferable skills and flexible attitudes that may allow them to take on additional responsibilities or move easily into other roles should the need arise. That way, you can ensure you’ll have a pipeline of talent to tap within your organization as well.

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

Five Quick Ways to Spruce Up Your Profile for 2013

By:
Published December 22, 2012, in Career Update

LINKED IN Global AccountantHave you let your LinkedIn profile grow stale? Or do you feel it’s not yielding the connections you most want to make?

Now is an ideal time to re-evaluate your presence on the professional networking site because LinkedIn has started rolling out its next-generation user profiles. But you don’t have to wait for the new format to make improvements. Here are five things that you can do right now:

Change your profile photo

Admit it: When you get an email alert from LinkedIn announcing that a contact has changed his or her profile photo, you make a point to check out that person’s page. Well, your contacts are likely to do the same if you update your photo. It’s a great way to channel a little traffic to your profile and remind those contacts you may not interact with regularly that you’re still out there. Another reason to change your photo now: LinkedIn’s user profile changes include larger profile photos — so make sure to use a high-resolution, professional-looking image.

De-clutter your data

Give a critical eye to what you’ve posted on your profile. Is all the information relevant to the work you’re doing now, and your professional goals? Remember, a LinkedIn profile is not a resume; you can list all of your previous jobs, but don’t devote too much real estate to describing those that aren’t relevant to your current career track. Your profile should offer a clear snapshot of what you have to offer and some insight into what you hope to achieve in the future.

Customise your professional headline

One of the most important steps to getting the most from your LinkedIn profile is something many people overlook: crafting a relevant professional headline. This is the line that appears directly below your name on your LinkedIn profile. Usually, people just feature their job title. That’s fine. But if you want potential contacts to find you easily through their LinkedIn searches, you’ll want the 120 characters you’re allotted to be relevant keywords and phrases. As an example: “Forensics and valuation expert open to new opportunities in Minneapolis area.”

Share your story. The summary section of your LinkedIn profile is where you have the most flexibility (and space) to offer details about who you are as a professional. Information you might include could be the specific value you’ve created for the employers and clients you’ve worked for, awards you’ve earned, or the career goals you’re working toward now — for instance, earning a new certification or deepening your specialization in certain area. If there are things about you that don’t relate directly to your field, but add even more dimension to who you are as an individual — such as “I run in three major marathons annually” — feel free to add that, too.

Add relevant external links

Use a Twitter or Facebook account for business? Have a blog or a website? Is there a paper or article you’ve written or contributed to that’s posted online? Don’t fail to include these links in your profile. You can post up to three and change them as often as you’d like. Including external links allows your contacts to learn even more about you and provides more ways for them to keep in touch with you.

So, before you leave the office for the holidays, don’t just tidy up your desk: Spruce up your “space” on LinkedIn, as well, so you’ll be ready to take your professional networking to the next level in 2013.

ROBERT HALF GLOBAL ACCOUNTANT

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

Hiring in 2013? You’ll Need Patience

By:
Published November 30, 2012, in Career Update

If “Hire more accounting and finance staff” is on your to-do list for 2013, you might find it will take a while before you can mark this task as “Done.” Locating skilled talent could be a challenge, depending on the roles you need to fill.

While general unemployment remains high, college-educated workers with specialised skills are experiencing much lower jobless rates.

When you’re able to hire top talent, you’ll likely need to offer a higher level of starting compensation than before — at least 3.3 percent more than in 2012, on average, according to research conducted for Robert Half’s 2013 Salary Guide.Positions that are expected to be in particularly high demand include:

Accountants

Staff, senior, manager — it doesn’t matter the experience level because accountants are in demand, period. And those with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation and at least three years of experience will likely find they have their pick of job offers. According to the 2013 Salary Guide, many firms will increase average starting salaries by as much as 4.4 percent for general accountants with one to three years of experience —

and also look to groom these professionals for future leadership roles.

Financial analysts

Companies want business-savvy analysts who can help identify trends in financial data and offer timely input for decision making. And while research for the latest Salary Guide shows many firms will raise starting compensation for financial analysts at all levels, those with one to three years of experience and managers can expect the greatest increases — 4.2 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

Business systems analysts

To further support their decision making as well as pursue new growth opportunities, many firms plan to upgrade their financial systems. In turn, this will continue to fuel demand for skilled business systems analysts. The 2013 Salary Guide reports that professionals who possess a solid mix of finance and technology expertise are particularly sought. Business systems analysts working at large firms (over $250 million in sales) are likely to see the biggest bump in average starting compensation — over 4 percent for most experience levels.

Move quickly to secure top talent

To avoid hiring mistakes, it’s crucial to properly evaluate candidates and manage the decision-making process in a disciplined way. Employers often engage temporary professionals so the company can devote the necessary time to the hiring process while also easing the burden on current staff. But once you make up your mind about a candidate, advance the offer immediately. Wait too long and you may find that the potential hire has decided for you — by accepting a position elsewhere. Delaying the hiring process also puts your organisation at risk of losing existing personnel who may be overloaded and in need of reinforcements.

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

Re-Hiring Former Employees: Tips for Making It Work

By:
Published November 1, 2012, in Career Update

It’s a competitive world out there for companies seeking talent at higher skill levels. More than half (57 percent) of employers interviewed for the latest Robert Half Professional Employment Report say they’re having difficulty locating skilled candidates. Shortages are prompting some firms to re-hire former staff members who left the organization on good terms. But there are pros and cons to weigh before using this strategy.

Former employees are likely to be familiar with your operations and culture. They also may know many of your current employees and clients. And they may require little or no training to start making contributions. But if your firm has been through a lot of the change since they left, a transition back into the fold may not be so easy. People change, too — so there’s some risk these individuals will have a different attitude toward work, and your organization, than before.

Another consideration: How will your current staff feel about a former colleague rejoining the team? Make sure you’ve fully evaluated your existing resources first. Are you certain there’s no one already in-house who couldn’t learn the open job or assume the duties — and more importantly, would appreciate the opportunity?

If the best answer is to re-hire a previous employee, be sure to explain to your team why you’re pursuing that avenue. Here are some additional tips to help ensure success:

Be thorough

You want to ensure you’re hiring the most qualified people, so approach potential re-hires as you would previously unknown candidates. Ask for and check their professional references. Administer skills tests, if needed, to ensure their knowledge and abilities are up to date. Find out what they’ve been doing since they left your organization. Still working in the industry or field? Pursuing a degree? Also, don’t be afraid to ask them tough questions such as, “What do you think you can offer our firm now that some of our priorities and service goals have changed?”

Debrief returning staff

Depending on how much time has passed since they last worked for your organization, re-hires may need to be brought up to speed on the new status quo. For example, who will they be reporting to? If they’re being hired for a position they’ve held before, how have the responsibilities changed? How will performance be evaluated? Encourage questions, and provide them with a “go-to” person in the department who can offer assistance navigating the work environment during the first few weeks on the job.

Monitor progress

Even if you take the time to formally onboard re-hires, they may be reluctant to ask for assistance out of worry you’ll question your decision to bring them on again. Make a point to check in regularly to ask how they’re adjusting, what they’re enjoying about being back to work at your firm, and what concerns they may have.

Even though “boomerang” employees may be familiar to you, they still need you to show sincere interest in their progress. Transitioning back into your organization may be somewhat uncomfortable for these workers at first, especially if there’s been a lot of change since they left. Being sensitive to their needs can help re-hires adapt more quickly, and feel even more positive about beginning a new chapter at your firm.

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

Recruiting challenges through the end of 2012

By:
Published October 3, 2012, in Career Update

How Firms Are Stemming the Loss of Baby Boomer Experience

According to a new survey, most employers looking to expand their workforce in the months ahead expect it won’t be as easy as they’d like. Fifty-seven percent of executives across industries — including the accounting and finance industry — who were surveyed for Robert Half’s latest Professional Employment Report said they anticipate recruiting challenges through the end of 2012.

With U.S. unemployment still above 8 percent, it may seem puzzling that employers are facing hiring challenges. The truth is, two separate job markets have emerged in the post-recession economy. Robert Half’s recent Special Report: The Demand for Skilled Talent reveals that “high general unemployment is obscuring the fact that specialised talent is in short supply, leading to candidate shortages — especially in technology and finance.”

So, when they can find it, where are companies locating skilled talent? Many are tapping a well of experienced professionals that’s sometimes overlooked — workers who are in or near retirement.

Leading employers recognise that the wealth of real-world know-how and broad skill sets these seasoned professionals possess can translate to important benefits for their firms: workers who can start contributing quickly, likely with minimal training, and who make ideal mentors for up-and-coming leaders.

Most firms already have a multi-generational workforce, which includes Generation Y, Generation X and baby boomers. But as more and more baby boomers reach retirement age, employers are at risk of losing skills and knowledge that will take years to redevelop within their organisations. As a result, many leading companies are now being more proactive about not letting seasoned workers slip away. The fact that experienced financial talent is generally hard to come by in today’s hiring market is only helping to fuel the trend toward encouraging older workers to postpone retirement.

In Workplace Redefined: Shifting Generational Attitudes During Economic Change, Robert Half examined the challenges and opportunities of the multi-generational workplace and found that many employers also are expecting older workers to transfer their knowledge to Generation X and Generation Y employees. And according to the SHRM/AARP study, more formalised succession planning has become a priority for employers that recognise they have limited time to facilitate knowledge transfer between generations.

Firms that take action to invest in the recruitment and retention of seasoned talent to help meet their staffing needs today are also likely to realize many positive returns in the long term.

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

Check the Connection on Your Staff Communication

by Robert Half International

By:
Published September 4, 2012, in Career Update

How would you rate the quality of communication between you and your staff?

Like many managers, you’re probably confident that the ongoing dialogue you have with your team is, for the most part, constructive. After all, you’re exchanging information with them constantly through emails, texts, memos, phone calls and meetings, and things are getting done.

But since quantity is not always a measure of quality, the connection you have with your employees might be more tenuous than you think. In a recent survey by Robert Half, more than 40 percent of senior-level financial executives said that lack of communication is the most frequent misstep they make in managing their teams.

To check the strength of the connection between you and your team, consider these questions:

Do I discuss the “big picture” with my team often enough?

The hectic pace of business and the distraction of 24/7 electronic communication can prevent you from focusing on anything more than whatever message is popping up on your computer/tablet/smartphone screen at a given time. But it’s important to slow down and unplug occasionally to inform or update your employees about major initiatives the company (or the department) is involved in.

Do I need to check in more often with my employees individually?

Group meetings are more efficient in the sense that you have to communicate something only one time, but meeting one-to-one with each staff member regularly — and not just for an annual performance review — can make all the difference in enhancing the rapport between you and your workers.

Interacting with employees in this way can give you valuable insight into the communication preferences and personalities of each individual, so you can adapt your management style accordingly. When you meet with staff members for a check-in session, ask them:

Do you have what you need to succeed? Verify that they have the resources necessary to perform their work effectively.

What challenges are you facing? Workers are often hesitant to voice concerns when problems arise at the office — especially to their manager. It’s essential for you to be proactive about asking if there are any issues and how you may be able to assist.

Do I praise my team as often as I should?

Professionals want to know that their contributions add value to the firm — and are appreciated. Praise should be given to an employee soon after his or her accomplishment and, if appropriate, other staff members should be made aware of the achievement. Calling attention to your workers’ successes will show you’re highly attuned to what’s happening in the office and can help to further enhance communication between you and your team.

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

Star Performance: Conducting a Video Interview with Style

By:
Published August 2, 2012, in Career Update

Given the cost of travelling long distances to the premises of the prospective employer, more companies are conducting video interviews using Skype and similar technology.

Internet-based video-conferencing tools allow employers to reach out to candidates virtually anywhere in the world easily and cost-effectively. While use of the technology is becoming increasingly commonplace in business, for many hiring managers, this is still unfamiliar territory.

Setting the stage for a positive video interview experience for both you and the candidate requires some planning and practice. Here are some tips for delivering a star performance:

Don’t let go of best “offline” practices

Video-conferencing services like Skype allow you to schedule a meeting from almost anywhere — your home computer, your cubicle, even from a smartphone or tablet computer. However, no matter where you conduct an interview, don’t let your surroundings interfere with maintaining a professional atmosphere. For instance, if you’re working from home, dress as you would if you were conducting a formal, face-to-face interview with a candidate — after all, that’s what you’re doing, albeit virtually.

Also, if you’re doing the video interview from your employer’s office, remember that your webcam is the candidate’s window into the company. Take care to select a location that is tidy, quiet and free of distractions. To ensure privacy, you may want to consider reserving a conference room. Let your colleagues know you’ll be interviewing a potential hire and must not be disturbed — just as you would if you were meeting the candidate in person.

Treat your small screen like the big screen

When preparing to conduct a video interview, approach the process like a film or TV director and think about how to make the experience more “natural.” For example, ensure there is ample natural light at your location and that it’s directed onto your face, rather than from behind you, reducing shadows and glare.

Also, avoid leaning into the webcam because it can create visual distortion for your audience. However, look directly into the webcam, and not at the screen, when speaking to the candidate. In a face-to-face interview, maintaining eye contact is essential to making a positive connection with a potential hire — and it’s no different in a video interview.

Account for technical difficulties and time delays

Video-conferencing is a convenient but imperfect technology. Its effectiveness depends on the speed of your broadband or DSL connections and how much network traffic is being carried on both your company’s and candidate’s systems at the time.

Even under the best of conditions, delays and “choppiness” in video and voice are common; work around these issues by speaking slowly and trying not to move around too much. Allow for a second or two of “dead air” to pass after a candidate finishes speaking before you deliver your next question or comment (think of TV news anchors conducting interviews via satellite). This will help to avoid awkward and confusing overlaps in the conversation.

If you’ve never conducted an interview via videoconference, don’t risk making a poor impression by jumping into the process cold turkey. Practising with a colleague can help you to build confidence and polish your skills before your debut. And always be prepared to rise above technical problems: Keep the candidate’s contact information handy just in case you have to grab an old-school tool, the phone, to complete your conversation.

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf

Small Firm = Big Opportunities

by Robert Half International

By:
Published July 12, 2012, in Career Update

Five benefits of working for a small business you should be emphasising to candidates

It happened again:

Just when you thought you were about to seal the deal on a great hire, the candidate decided to take a job offer from a larger firm. What gives? You know your small business has a lot to offer, but you just can’t seem to convince top talent of that.

Competing for candidates with the big guys can be tough, especially when it comes to compensation packages, perks and sometimes, brand name cache. But you may have more “woo power” with potential hires than you think. Here are five positive benefits of the small business work experience that you should be emphasizing to interviewees:

1. We can offer you more job flexibility — and autonomy.

At small firms, job structures are usually less formal than they are at larger organizations. Candidates need to handle basic responsibilities according to their job descriptions, of course. But let them know they’ll also be encouraged to explore other work that interests them — and can benefit the firm. Also explain how they’ll have more opportunities to spearhead initiatives and work on solo projects.

2. You will have direct access to our senior management team.

Small businesses have less bureaucracy and fewer layers of management than big firms. Company leadership not only knows every employee by name, but likely interacts regularly with almost every person on staff. This is a big selling point for many professionals: Instead of taking years to get on senior management’s radar, relationship-building can begin on the very first day of work.

3. You will have more opportunities to make a difference.

There’s no room to hide in a small firm, and for ambitious professionals, that’s a good thing. Talented employees want to know they can share ideas freely and will be taken seriously. They also want to understand how their specific contributions make an impact on the business, as a whole. In a large organization, it can be harder for individuals to have a voice and know whether what they’re doing provides value.

4. We will help you connect with professional development opportunities faster.

Even if you pay competitively, a bigger firm will likely pay at least a bit more — especially if they want to make sure no one else hires a candidate they’re serious about. But money isn’t everything. If your firm takes steps to develop talented workers as soon as they show potential or initiative, then say so during interviews. You might have an edge on larger employers that may have more complex and lengthier processes to follow before investing in this much-sought-after benefit. Let candidates know that your firm can move very quickly to provide employees with professional development opportunities.

5. We will support your need for work/life balance.

Many companies, large and small, make this pledge to potential hires, but not all follow through on their promise. Not surprisingly, lack of work/life balance is a key reason many professionals decide to leave an employer. If your firm promotes flexible scheduling and telecommuting so staff can better juggle their professional and personal responsibilities, make it known to candidates. Better yet, back it up with testimonials from current employees.

While big firms can offer many things that small firms can’t, the reverse is true as well. In fact, many talented professionals who work in the small business environment find the experience to be unmatched. So the next time you interview a promising candidate, help them to see the “big picture” of your small firm — and how they’ll enhance the landscape.

This article is provided courtesy of Robert Half International, parent company of Accountemps, Robert Half Finance & Accounting and Robert Half Management Resources. Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized staffing firm placing accounting and finance professionals on a temporary, full-time and project basis. Follow Robert Half on Twitter at twitter.com/roberthalf
« Older Entries