Provisional Accounting Blog

You’ve just accepted a job offer for a position you’re really excited about, so congratulations! Whether you worked with Seattle recruiters or happened upon the position by chance, a new job is a major life change.

There’s just one thing standing between you and your glossy new position — quitting your current job. Unless you’re leaving a seriously toxic work environment, you’re probably feeling nervous and a little bittersweet about delivering the news to your boss, but it must be done.

Five Tips to Tell Your Boss You Got a New Job

Make Sure They Hear It From You

By now you’ve already told your loved ones about your new job, but avoid shouting your big news from the rooftops until you’ve informed your boss. No matter how you feel about your manager, you owe them the courtesy of being the first at the office to find out about your impending departure.

Don’t Waste Any Time

The longer you wait to let your boss know you’re leaving, the more stress you’ll cause. Deliver your resignation as promptly as possible, because you want to be able to give two weeks’ notice. If for some reason you are unable to offer the standard period of notice, you better have a good explanation ready.

Be Gracious

Thank your boss for all the opportunities they’ve given you to learn and grow during your tenure with the company. Even if you can’t wait to get out of there, it’s always best to leave on a positive note. The business world is smaller than you think, so you never know who you will run into at another job in the future.

Briefly Explain Why You’re Leaving

Keeping with the tone of gratitude, this isn’t a time to air your grievances with the company. Your boss will almost definitely ask why you decided to leave, but keep your answer short and sweet. Simply say you’re sad to leave, but the new job is a better fit for your skills and interests.

Offer to Assist in the Transition

Keep bridges intact by volunteering to help your boss find your replacement. Chances are, the new person won’t be in place before your last day, but you can assist with writing the job description and sorting through resumes. In the interim, offer to help divide your tasks up among the team and provide training before your last day.

Ready to take the next step in your accounting or finance career? Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing is here to assist in your search for a new job in the Seattle area. Contact us today to find a find the right temporary/contract, contract-to-hire, or direct-hire position for you!

By now, you understand the importance of providing a thorough onboarding process for new hires, but there’s always room for improvement. Whether your new employees come from accounting recruiting agencies or are hired internally, their first few days on the job set the tone for their tenure with your company.

If they’re made to feel valued and put at ease from the beginning, they’ll feel confident in their decision to join your team. However, if they’re largely ignored or thrown into the mix with little-to-no training, they’ll be begging their former employer to take them back.

You already have a robust orientation process in place, but keep it fresh by working these three best practices in.

Go Easy During the First Week

Starting a new job is incredibly exhausting. New hires want to impress, but with information coming at them all day from several directions, it’s hard to keep up. Minimize their stress levels by easing them into their new job. During the first week, give them one task at a time to complete, and don’t have them do anything too complex.

Even if the rest of the team is working late on a project, dismiss new employees at standard quitting time. They won’t be in a position to offer much help yet, and information overload coupled with the pressure to please a new boss is a lot to take on.

Standardize the Welcome Process

All employees deserve a warm welcome to your company, but different managers aren’t always on the same page about what this constitutes. Consequently, some managers probably just send an email announcing the new person’s arrival, while others plan a team lunch on their first day. Give everyone the same experience by requiring managers to complete specific introductory activities.

Create a Key to Translate Internal Jargon

Your company probably has a language of its own. This suits existing employees, but makes it hard for new hires to understand what anyone is talking about. Many will be too shy to speak up and admit they’re lost in the conversation, so make a cheat sheet they can use for reference. Include all acronyms, words, and phrases used within the walls of your company, but not so much anywhere else.

Searching for top accounting and finance talent? Team up with Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing to find the best fit for your temporary/contact, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire positions every time. Contact us today to get started!

When filling an open position at your company, you want to find the right fit just as badly as candidates want to be the right fit. Your side of the hiring process can get pretty hectic, so it’s easy to forget you hold these candidates’ future in your hands.

As Seattle accounting recruiters, Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing knows how much stock most candidates put into the interview process. Therefore, those who aren’t selected deserve to know why they were passed up.

The key to providing honest feedback is to put yourself in their shoes. You might not want to dedicate any more attention to candidates you’re not hiring, but if the situation was reversed, you’d want them to give you this respect. Take the time to talk to them and give honest feedback that can help them learn and grow, so they’re better equipped to get the next job.

How to Give Honest Feedback to Candidates You’ve Eliminated

Be Gentle

There’s a big difference between being honest and just plain brutal. Sometimes the truth hurts, but you don’t have to make it sting even harder. Be cognizant of your delivery, because the manner in which you relay a message can make a world of difference. Mix positive feedback in with the negative, so you don’t break the person’s spirit.

Get Specific

The more detailed your feedback the better. You want to help the candidate make positive changes, so you need to provide specific examples of things they did right and wrong. A vague critique might be easier to deliver, but its effectively pointless, because it won’t give the person any takeaways to learn from.

Offer Tips to Improve

Feedback in itself is helpful, but take it a step further by accompanying it with a few suggestions to turn things around. As someone who has interviewed the candidate, you’re in a unique position to provide advice tailored specifically to them. If you don’t point them in the right direction, some people will inadvertently make the same mistake in their next interview, so cover all the bases.

Need to fill an accounting or finance position on your Seattle area team?

Allow Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing to assist. Get in touch today to find the best temporary/contract, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire professionals for the job every time.

It might sound a little cheesy, but your morning routine largely affects the rest of your day. Accounting jobs in Seattle — and everywhere, really — require a great deal of concentration, so you need to start the day strong.

If you’re operating like a walking zombie or rushing around like a maniac, you’re starting the morning on a poor note. A few simple adjustments to your standard routine can make a world of difference, so find out how to set yourself up for success.

Five Ways to Change Your Morning Routine for the Better

Stop Hitting Snooze

Some people jump out of bed without an alarm, but that’s not your style. You tend to hit the snooze button several times each morning, which seems like a win in the short-term, but really offers no benefits. When you’re woken up every five or 10 minutes, you’re not getting quality sleep, but you are making yourself late for work. By the time you finally get up, you’re forced to rush around in a frenzy to get out the door on time.

Eat Breakfast

If you don’t eat anything until lunchtime, you’re not doing your body any favors. You need fuel to get you through the morning, because without it, you’ll crash. Find a breakfast that works for you and make it part of your routine. This can be as simple as a protein shake, as long as it’s filled with nutrients that will keep you going strong until your lunch break.

Make Time for a Workout

Exercise always leaves you feeling energized, so switch your evening workout to the morning. Starting your morning with a sweat session will get your blood flowing and encourage you to be more active throughout the day. This is also a great way to boost your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories with the same amount of exercise. Most importantly, getting your workout out of the way early will make you feel accomplished and proud, which is a great start to the day.

Create a Plan for Your Day

Make the most of your day by starting the morning with a planning session. Do this at home, on the way to work — only if you take public transportation — or as soon as you get to your desk. Write down everything you need to accomplish by the end of the day and prioritize it from most to least important. This will help you focus on top goals, so you don’t get sidetracked.

Tackle Your Hardest Task First

There’s always one item on your to-do list that is notably less appealing than the rest. Instead of having to dread this task all day, get it done first thing in the morning. Lifting this weight off your shoulder will boost your mood and fill you with a sense of relief. This will improve your focus, so you’ll be better equipped to complete the other responsibilities on your plate.

Thinking about looking for a new accounting or finance job? Accountingpros Recruiting + Staffing is here to assist. Get in touch today to find exclusive temporary/contract, contract-to-hire, and direct-hire opportunities with top Seattle area employers!