Provisional Accounting Blog

Leaders are made, not born, so it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to earn the respect and admiration of others. Knowing that your colleagues look to you for guidance, advice, and direction is a great feeling. However, accounting leadership skills can never be perfected, so it’s important to always be looking ahead for ways to further develop your abilities.

5 Ways to Improve Your Leadership Skills
Ready to become a better leader in your office? Use these five tactics to enhance your leadership skills:

1. Take Responsibility: Everyone likes to accept credit for a job well done, but people are much less eager to take responsibility for failed projects. Demonstrate your leadership skills by being accountable for both wins and losses.
2. Be a Team Player: While you should definitely take responsibility for your part in wins and losses your team realizes, it’s important not to dominate the spotlight. If you’re praised for a project you worked on with others, be sure to share the credit. No one wants to follow a leader who takes all the glory for themselves.
3. Think Outside-the-Box: Anyone can implement tried-and-true business solutions, but only a leader is willing to invest the time and energy needed to come up with innovative ideas. This dedication makes you stand out from the crowd and it helps your company achieve a competitive advantage.
4.  Accept New Challenges: While there’s nothing wrong with employees who enjoy the satisfaction of doing the same old tasks each day, these people are not leadership material. Improve your leadership skills by always being the first to accept new challenges, even when they scare you a bit. As long as you’re confident in your ability to succeed, you have what it takes to excel in any situation.
5. Welcome Criticism: Nobody’s perfect, but if you’re willing to listen to feedback, you can improve on your weaknesses. Instead of brushing off critiques from colleagues, clients, and management, take them to heart and make a change.

Looking for an exciting new position where you can put your leadership skills to work? Contact Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing today. Our team of expert Seattle accounting recruiters will work with you every step of the way to help you find your ideal new job.

It’s not always easy to know how to achieve your career ambitions. Each day you’re faced with decisions that take you one step further down your career path ─ sometimes in the right direction, other times veering off course.

A career mentor is an invaluable resource helping you to achieve your professional goals. These trusted advisors understand exactly where you’re at in your career and want to help guide you in the right direction.

3 Reasons to Have a Career Mentor
Not sure you really need a career mentor? These three reasons explain why you definitely do:

1. Learn from a Seasoned Professional: A mentor understands where you’re at in your career because they’ve been there themselves. These professionals have worked their way up the ladder, so they’re able to give you solid advice to further your own career. Working with them can help take your career to the next level ─ and fast ─ as you won’t have to waste time making (the inevitable) big mistakes along the way.
2. Make Valuable Connections: In business, who you know can often be the key to success. A mentor is established in their position. They’ve made many powerful connections and if you impress them with your hard work and diligence, there’s a good chance they’ll be willing to help you out. Whether they groom you for success at their own company or praise your potential to their associates, these relationships can provide you with the starting point you need to excel your career.
3. Have a Trusted Advisor to Count On: It’s always comforting to have someone you trust to turn to with questions about your career. Whether you’re having trouble at work or need a little confidence boost to ask for a promotion, a mentor can help you find solutions to challenging problems. Having a mentor means you never have to navigate you career path alone.

Want to elevate your career to the next level? Contact Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. We are the leaders at matching specialized accounting talent with top local companies, offering temporary/contract, temp-to-hire, and direct-hire opportunities. Our talented team of Seattle recruiters look forward to assisting you in your job search!

Salary is one of the most important topics to discuss in a job interview, but it’s often swept under the rug until an offer is made. After taking time off work, going through rounds of interviews, and getting your hopes up for an exciting new position, it can be incredibly disheartening to receive a salary offer much lower than what you were expecting.

It’s important to discuss your salary requirements early in the interview process, to ensure you’re not wasting your time on a company that isn’t going to pay up.

4 Steps to Getting the Salary You Deserve
As a talented, hardworking individual, you should be paid a competitive salary. Use these four tips to approach topic of money with a prospective employer:

• Know Your Worth: It’s important to research the position to see what other similarly qualified professionals in your area are earning. Obtain data to support your requested salary from as many different companies as possible.
• Don’t Ask too Soon: There’s a proper time and place to discuss salary and the first interview isn’t that place. Going in for this conversation too soon can make you appear presumptuous, which isn’t the way to impress an interviewer.
• Get on the Same Page: When the company calls to invite you back for a second interview, this is your big chance to start the salary discussion. Ask the recruiter who you can talk to about your salary requirements. They’ll likely take the question themselves, which is your time to give the salary range you’re expecting. They’ll either agree that your number is reasonable or you’ll find out early that the position isn’t the right one for you.
• Don’t Settle Until You’re Satisfied: If the company attempts to play hardball in negotiations, don’t give in to an offer you’re not entirely pleased with. If they truly value you, they’ll give you what you’re worth. If not, the company probably isn’t the best place to grow your career anyway.

Want to take your career to the next level? Contact Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. We understand your special skill requirements and place you with companies that meet your career goals. Satisfying your needs is just as important as satisfying the needs of the companies that pay us for our services. Let our team of experienced Seattle recruiters assist you today!

Preparation is essential for succeeding in a Seattle job interview, as questions aren’t designed to be easy. One of the most nerve-wracking topics an interviewer can touch on is questioning why you left or are planning to leave your current position. While you always want to be honest, it’s important to find a way to package the truth in a positive manner.

3 Tips for Answering Tough Interview Questions
Don’t let a challenging interview question like “Why did you leave your last position?” ruin your chance of getting the job. Prepare a winning response to this tricky question using the following three methods:

1. Tell the Truth: It’s not always fun to tell the truth about why you’re planning to leave or have already left a position, but honesty is essential in this situation. Interviewers respect candidates who are honorable enough to tell the truth, even if you were fired. This says a lot about your character and shows you can be trusted. There’s obviously a reason you’re looking for a new job, so find a way to make it work for you ─ not against you.

 

2. Speak Highly of Your Employer: While you should be honest about why you’re leaving, it’s important to put a positive spin on the situation. You absolutely cannot reveal any dissatisfaction with your current employer to the interviewer. No one wants to hire someone who speaks negatively of their employer, as there’s a good chance you’ll end up doing the same to their company down the road. It’s important to turn your job hunt into something positive. For example, saying you’ve really enjoyed your current position but feel it’s time to move onto another job with more responsibility, is a great response.

 

3. Keep it Short: There’s no need to provide a long, rambling response to this question. In fact, the more you say, the more likely you are to reveal unnecessary information. Make your response short and to the point and if anything is unclear, the interviewer will ask follow-up questions.

Do your job interview skills need a little sharpening? We’re here to help! At Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing, we have access to top professional accounting job opportunities. Contact our team of experience Seattle recruiters today to get started.