Provisional Accounting Blog

Job hunting can be a very stressful activity ─ especially if you’re currently out of work. When you need a job badly, you’re often desperate for a hiring manager to choose you. However, being too eager isn’t often seen as desirable quality in a candidate. In fact, it can work against you.

Tips to Stop Looking Desperate During a Job Search

There’s a delicate balance between showing enthusiasm to a hiring manager and appearing overeager. Follow these tips to avoid the latter:

• Get to the Point.
  When writing a cover letter, resume, email or even during the actual job interview, less is typically more. Using long sentences distracts from your main point and causes a hiring manager to lose interest. Do yourself a favor and get to the point quickly, highlighting your strengths immediately.
• Don’t Share Your Sob Story.
  If you got laid off and are having trouble paying your bills or currently have a monster of a boss that you’re aching to get away from, it’s unfortunate, but these sad stories have no part in your job interview. While the hiring manager might feel bad for you, it also makes you look desperate to find a job ─ any job ─ which does not make for a strong candidate.
• Avoid Bringing Up Shortcomings.
  When you’re insecure about certain areas of your resume, it’s natural to feel the need to explain them. However, something that’s a big deal to you, such as a poor academic record or a few gaps in your resume, may not matter much to the interviewer. Unless you’re specifically asked about these issues, don’t bring them up, as it makes you appear insecure and unsure of yourself.
• Choose Words Wisely.
  Using desperate language such as “beggars can’t be choosers” or “I’ll do anything for work” is not attractive to a hiring manager. An employer wants to hire a candidate who is confident in their abilities and excited about the chance to work in that particular position, not someone who’s willing to take the first job they’re offered.
• Play a Little Hard to Get.
  Don’t make the hiring manager chase you down, but answering the phone on the first ring, returning emails immediately, and offering to drop anything to meet anytime is a bit intense. Respond promptly to inquiries, but not instantly, to make it seem like you’re in demand and not beyond desperate for work.

Are you an accounting professional looking for an exciting new challenge? Contact Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. Leaders at matching specialized accounting talent with top local companies, offering temporary/contract, temp-to-hire, and direct-hire opportunities, we are happy to help you in your next job search.

While temporary employees may only be around for a short period of time, the work they complete is just as important as that of your full-time staff. It’s certainly no secret that employees respond well to incentive programs and temporary workers should not be excluded from these programs.

When creating incentive programs for contract employees, it’s important to focus on short-term goals they can achieve during their time working at your company. Incentive programs can include individual contests, team challenges, and rewards for meeting specific goals. Not only does this entice workers to exceed expectations, it also shows them how much their hard work is appreciated.

Incentive Ideas for Temporary Accounting Staff
Need ideas for incentives to offer contract workers? Reward your temporary staff in the following ways:

• Gift Cards. Purchase gift cards for local restaurants and movie theaters to hand out when employees win contests or meet goals you’ve set for them.
• Cash Bonuses. Everyone loves a cash bonus. Offer bonuses for completing projects by a certain deadline or as a set percentage of sales made.
• Free Lunch. When contract employees put extra effort into a project, working late nights and weekends, show your gratitude by purchasing lunch for them.
• Team Rewards. Encourage teamwork by offering incentives based on group performance. This forces people to work together and be accountable to one another. When the goal is reached, offer a specific reward or opt to let team members vote on one together.
• Paid Time Off. Temporary workers often do not receive paid time off, so this is a very attractive incentive. Offer employees to the chance to take a few hours of paid time off after working a certain number of hours at your company. This creates greater job satisfaction, enticing people to do better work.
• Discount Program. If your company has an employee discount program, allow contract workers to take part. This won’t cost any money on your part, but will allow them to save money at local businesses.

Are you looking for hardworking, talented staff to fill open positions at your company? Contact Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. One of the top Seattle employment agencies, we have a network of skilled accounting and finance professionals eager to join your team.

Choosing the right accounting professional for the job can be a difficult decision ─ especially when you have your candidates narrowed down to the final two or three and they all seem like a great fit. One great way to choose the best person for the job is to contact the professional references of the final contenders. This gives you a chance to gain valuable insights on the candidates, from someone who has in-depth knowledge of their skills and experience.

According to the 2010 Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) Background Checking: Conducting Reference Background Checks, the following are good reasons to contact a candidate’s references:

• To assess past performance and predict future performance.
• To ensure that credentials such as education, position or skills are accurately represented by the candidate.
• To assess the trustworthiness of the candidate.
• To reduce legal liability for negligent hiring.
• To reduce or prevent theft and embezzlement or other types of financial crimes.
• To ensure a safe work environment for employees.
• To determine if salary history has been accurately represented.

While all references may not be willing or able to answer all your questions to your liking, it’s important to at least try to get answers. In some cases you may be able to get the response you want by rephrasing the question or listening between the lines to catch the tone of their voice.

Questions to Ask a Professional Reference
It’s important to prepare a list of relevant questions prior to calling a candidate’s references, so you’re able to discover key information. This is your chance to talk with someone who has first-hand knowledge of the candidate and can provide definitive answers regarding their past experience.

Ask these five questions to get a well-rounded description of the candidate and their suitability for the job:

1. What kind of duties and responsibilities did the candidate have?
2. Did the candidate regularly go above and beyond their duties to exceed expectations?
3. Describe the main tasks the candidate will be required to perform if hired for the new position and ask the reference to evaluate how they think the person will perform.
4. Was the employee a team player or more of a solo performer?
5. Did the employee have an acceptable attendance record and a history of arriving to work on time?

Need a little help finding the right accounting professionals for open positions at your company? Contact Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. Proudly serving the Spokane area, we provide companies of all sizes with quality, trained accounting personnel through various staffing programs.

The importance of not just creating a cover letter ─ but a high-quality, first-rate one ─ cannot be stressed enough. It’s the first impression you’ll give a potential employer, which will likely make or break your chances of scoring an interview with the company. In fact, many hiring managers will never even look at your resume if they’re not captivated by your cover letter.

How to Write an Exceptional Cover Letter

Now that you understand the value of writing a dazzling cover letter, it’s time to get to work. The more time and effort you put into your cover letter, the better results you’re likely to gain from it.

Follow these five tips when writing your cover letter:

• Make it Personal.
  Writing one generic cover letter and sending it to 50 different companies isn’t going to get your anywhere. Tailor each one to the specific position you’re applying for. This includes addressing it to the proper hiring manager, using the exact job title listed in the posting, and explaining exactly why you’d like to work for the company.
• Explain Why You are a Great Fit.
  Instead of simply listing your own accomplishments and skill set, use the requirements listed in the posting to explain the value you would bring to the company if hired. Focus on what you can do for the company, not what the company could do for you.
• Proofread, Proofread, Proofread.
  The importance of making sure your cover letter contains no errors cannot be stressed enough. Misspelled words, awkward phrasing, and grammatical mistakes make you look sloppy. Most employers will automatically disqualify you if your cover letter contains these, so proofread and if at all possible, ask someone else to review it too.
• Get to the Point.
  Your cover letter is likely one of many the hiring manager must read to narrow down the candidate list. It’s important to make your main points immediately, so the person doesn’t simply get bored and move on to the next applicant. Keep your cover letter brief at two to three paragraphs and use bullet points to highlight your main points.
• Close Effectively.
  Wrap your cover letter up by very briefly explaining why you’re the best candidate for the job. Do this in one or two sentences to avoid rambling and repeating yourself.

Are you in the market for an exciting new challenge in the accounting field? One of the top Washington temp agencies, we are the leaders at matching specialized accounting talent with top local companies, offering temporary/contract, temp-to-hire, and direct-hire opportunities. Contact the expert Seattle recruiters at Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing today!