Provisional Accounting Blog

Following a grueling hiring process, you’ve finally found an incredible new employee. You’ve been short-staffed for awhile now, so you’re eager for this person to hit the ground running as soon as possible.

Training is an essential step you wouldn’t think of passing over, but you’d like to complete the process in record time. Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing — a leading temp agency in Seattle — understands where you’re coming from, and offers these tips for success.

4 Ways Quick and Efficient Ways to Train New Hires

Prepare for Their Arrival

Training will go a whole lot faster if you’re ready to start on day one. You’ll probably have at least two weeks between the time the person accepts the job and their first day, so use them to prepare. Set their workstation up, request access for all software systems they’ll need, and create a training program. This ensures you won’t have to waste any time when your new employee is finally an official part of the team.

Use a Hands-On Training Program

Be practical when planning your new hire’s training program. Requiring them to read long, boring handbooks or complete irrelevant busywork won’t help them get to work faster. Instead, tailor the program specifically to their job, so they’re learning things they really need to know. Most people learn faster by doing, so give them hands-on assignments. Start with small tasks and allow them to gradually work their way up.

Assign a Buddy

It takes time for a new employee to get fully acclimated, but pairing them with a seasoned staffer can accelerate the process. This person can show them the ropes and answer their questions, so they’re not left to their own devices. Many people feel uncomfortable constantly going to the boss with questions, so having a designated buddy to rely allows them to figure things out much faster.

Keep Close Tabs on Progress

Check in with your new hire often to make sure they’re on the right track. Stay on the same page by creating a 30-60-90 day plan, so your expectations are clear. Schedule regular one-on-one meetings and make them feel comfortable voicing any questions or concerns. If they’re intimidated by you, they won’t speak up, which can slow their rate of learning.

Hiring new employees is a huge responsibility, so ease the pressure by partnering with Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing. We’ll find the right fit for your temporary, temp-to-hire, and direct-hire accounting and finance positions — and fast! Contact us today to connect with to Seattle area talent!

If you’re about to embark on a job search, you better make sure your social media profiles won’t hurt your image. Results of the 2015 Jobvite Recruiter Nation Survey revealed 92% of recruiters use social media in the hiring process. If yours depicts you in an unflattering manner, you’re probably not going to get the job.

Whether you’re trying to capture the attention of accounting temp agencies or a specific employer, don’t start your job search until your social presence is ready for scrutiny.

4 Tips to Polish Your Social Media Profiles

Separate Your Personal and Professional Presence

Consider creating social profiles strictly for professional use. This will allow you to use your personal accounts without having to let hiring managers into your private life. Plus, having an active professional presence can boost your candidacy, because it presents you as an industry expert and highlights your passion for the work.

Enable Privacy Settings

It’s okay to share personal content on social media, but control your audience by putting strict privacy settings in place. Potential employers don’t need to see pictures of your child’s birthday party or your summer vacation. Any company worth working for will respect your right to keep your personal content under lock and key.

Audit Your Content

Carefully review all content on your social pages to make sure it’s appropriate for the public domain. Even posts that aren’t publicly available should be evaluated, because while unlikely, they could get into the wrong hands. Anything containing profanity or otherwise depicting questionable choices — e.g., foul language, wild bachelor party pictures — should be removed. This might take awhile, but it’s time well spent.

Use Good Judgement When Posting

From this point on, think twice before sharing content on your social networks — even the private ones. It’s best to avoid controversial topics like politics and religion, because if posts of this nature get on a hiring manager’s radar, it can ruin your chances of getting the job.

If you’re ready for a new accounting or finance job in the Seattle area, count on Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing to help you find it. Whether you’re searching for a temporary/contract, contract-to-hire, or direct-hire opportunity, we’re here to connect you with the area’s top employers. Start your search today!

Right now, some leaders are only interested in working on their tans, but you’re better than that. You’re committed to sharpening your leadership skills, and like any talented professional, you’ve set an actionable deadline — the end of this month.

Being an effective leader takes hard work and dedication. The accounting recruiters at Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing understand guiding a team of people isn’t easy, so follow this advice to sharpen your strategy.

5 Tips to Become a Better Leader in July

Get to Know Your Employees

You have a great team of people, so take some time to bond with them this month. Ask them to lunch or for after-work drinks to get acquainted outside the confines of the office. It’s hard for people to respect a leader who doesn’t take any interest in them, so let them know you care.

Learn From Your Mistakes

No one is perfect, including you. Be humble enough to admit your mistakes, learn from them, and move on. Anything but of waste of time, failure is an incredible teacher that will make you a stronger leader. If you adopt this approach, others will follow suit.

Stop Trying to Do It All

You have a lot on your plate, so let your team pitch in. Delegating work to others allows you to focus on top priorities and helps employees expand their skillsets. It might be a little hard to let go of certain tasks at first, but when you see how well your team handles their newfound responsibilities, you’ll wonder what took you so long to start this practice.

Empower Your Team

Micromanaging does nothing but frustrate your team. Your way of doing things is great, but it’s not the only means to successfully complete an assignment. Show employees you trust their judgement by giving them the freedom to tackle projects on their own terms. They’ll feel empowered by the independence, and you might even learn something from their approach.

Lead by Example

As a leader, people look to you for guidance. Your attitude and behaviors set the tone for the team, so make an example of yourself. For instance, if you tell employees to stay off Facebook at work, send the right message by following your own rule. This will allow you to gain their cooperation and respect.

Your company deserves the very best accounting and finance talent, so team up with Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing to choose the right person every time. Contact us today to discuss your hiring needs!

Sometimes it’s not what you say, but how you say it that makes the largest impact. Employers read dozens of resumes with the same verbiage, so overhaul yours with power words that mean business. This sends the message that you’re a candidate ready to make an impact.

Unlike trendy buzzwords, these powerful terms won’t go out of style in a flash, so you can keep them intact for the duration of your job search. If there’s a certain employer you want to impress or just accounting recruiters in Seattle in general, these 10 authoritative terms will do the trick.

• Oversaw: Swap this verb in for “managed.”
• Launched: Choose this instead of “started.”
• Advised: This sounds more powerful than “told.”
• Clarify: A more polished choice than “explain.”
• Identified: Use this instead of “found.”
• Resolved: Substitute this power verb for “fixed.”
• Boosted: A more commanding option than “increased.”
• Merged: Use as a replacement for “combined.”
• Negotiated: A better choice than “settled.”
• Evaluated: Opt for this term over “researched.”

How to Incorporate Power Words Into Your Resume

Words that command the reader’s attention can be an incredible asset to your resume. However, their impact will be diminished if they’re not properly woven into the content. Make sure the word fits in place naturally, because anything less just sounds forced and awkward.

It’s also imperative that you’re fully aware of the power word’s definition. No matter how big and fancy a word sounds, you’ll be completely discredited if its placement doesn’t make sense. When in doubt, always err on the side of caution.

With that said, it’s time to give your resume a powerful revamp. Prepare to be amazed at how much different the same general content sounds when the right descriptors are in place. When you’re done, don’t forget to have at least one other person proofread it for you, to make sure it’s flawless before it reaches the desk of the person in charge of hiring.

Ready to take the next step in your accounting or finance career? Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing wants to help you find a fulfilling new position in the Seattle area! Get started on your job search today!