Finance job prospects on the up

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:06:13 +0000

Organisations across the UK are increasingly willing to sign up additional finance professionals as the economy shows signs of recovery, with London being the place most likely to pick up a new job.

How to ask the right questions

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:00:23 +0000

Communicating effectively with prospects, clients and colleagues relies on asking the right things in the right way, advises Alison Hartley.

If I had a pound for every time my children asked me ‘why?’, I’d be a millionaire. The question belies a curiosity and genuine desire for understanding but when it forces me to explain my sometimes beleaguered adult logic, I have to think differently.

Five myths of good time management

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:05:00 +0000

The need for good time management never goes away. This 2005 AccountingWEB.co.uk contribution from training professional Viv Cole challenges some commonly held assumptions about time management.

Always have a tidy desk

The secrets of the perfect meeting

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:50:52 +0000

Patrick Bird outlines how accountants can make a good first impression in meetings with prospective clients.

Communicating effectively and making a message memorable can be a challenge, especially in face-to-face situations. Whether it's with a client or prospect, the pressure of delivering information in the right tone and style requires careful planning.

What accountants have learnt from the recession

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:29:08 +0000

The global credit crisis has been the toughest kind of CPD for accountants and shifted focus from short-term wins to long-term economic health, says CIMA's Eileen Roddy.

Five hottest finance jobs of 2010 revealed

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:20:20 +0000

Businesses may be eyeing economic recovery with caution, but key finance staff will continue to earn competitive salaries.

While earnings for many finance professionals remain stable, there are some areas where skilled staff are in high demand, says specialist recruitment firm Robert Half.

According to the firm’s Salary Guide 2010, the top five finance positions this year will be:

Recruitment: KPMG increases graduate intake

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:27:25 +0000

KPMG has upped its graduate intake for this year from 600 to 760 on the back of ‘signs of improvement in the marketplace’.

The 25% increase will bring its graduate numbers back to 2008 levels, and the firm will also be taking on summer interns, bringing the number of students and graduates being taken on this year to 900.

The extra graduates will be drafted into the firm’s audit and advisory practices.

Review : TAXtv

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:23:30 +0000

Do your colleagues deserve an award?

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:37:05 +0000

Time is running out to nominate your fellow bookkeepers, accountants and payroll professionals for a SFEDI award.

If any of your colleagues provide a quality of service to small business clients that is ‘over and beyond expectation’, why not show your appreciation by nominating them for a SFEDI UK Enterprise Support Award?

Graduates shy away from finance roles

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:47:46 +0000

The banking scandals of recent times seem to have taken their toll with the finance sector now seen as the least enticing career option for graduates.

That's one of the conclusions of an online poll undertaken among more than 300 recent graduates and current undergraduates by recruitment outsourcer, Alexander Mann Solutions. Nearly a third of respondents ranked the public sector as their preferred choice. In contrast financial services and banking fared much worse, being ranked lowest by 28% of respondents.

Holdover relief for successive generations

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 13:12:19 +0000

If Bill uses holdover relief to pass assets to his daughter Jane, can Jane then subsequently utilise holdover relief to pass assets to her son Bob and so on down the generations? I have assumed so, but cannot find an answer or example anywhere.

VAT on mobile phone applications

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:38:15 +0000

I have a client that has developed a mobile phone application and is selling it through Android (owned by google) so every 2-3 days he will get a receipt from google checkout for say £180 being the sales less their commission.

Top tips for better time management

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:44:56 +0000

What type of worker are you? If you’re struggling to manage your time, it could be because you haven’t mastered your own work style.

Are technical skills enough?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:10:01 +0000

Many accountants assume non-technical skills can be developed on the job but is this really the case? Mark Lee makes a case for soft skills training.

Most accountants are justly proud of their technical skills. It is also common to find that firms rarely invest time and money in ensuring that partners and prospective partners have all the business skills they require to be profitable in the short-term and valuable in the longer term.

Recruitment slows in financial services

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:01:52 +0000

Job offers in the financial services sector were down 38% in 2009 on the previous year, according to figures from pre-employment screening firm Powerchex.

The decline stretched across all industry sectors, with investment banking the worst affected, suffering a 56% decline in offers. Stockbrokerage firms handed out 21% fewer offers last year, while hedge funds saw a 23% decline and insurance company offers were down 28%.

Careers advice: Ten steps to getting hired

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:20:22 +0000

Thinking of your next career move? Max Messmer reveals the ten key strategies to help you land that dream job.

There’s no question that the jobs market has got tougher over the last year and applicants have to work harder to seek out those golden opportunities. A successful job search often depends on who you know, which means candidates need to make sure their efforts are as far-reaching as possible. Below are the ten essential tactics you can use to gain an edge during your job search.

CPD: Top tips for juggling work with studies

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:13:14 +0000

Accountants studying for qualifications on the job have lots of demands on their time, but you can juggle it all if you manage your time correctly, says Marc Kirsch.

As a part qualified accountant, studying while also holding down a full time job isn’t easy. One of the most important things is learning how to manage your time efficiently. Getting the balance right can be tricky but it’s crucial if you are going to be able to work, study and keep your sanity.

Careers: 14 Habits of successful job hunters

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:01:36 +0000

Recruitment experts Robert Half International share the secrets of successful job hunting.

There is considerable evidence to suggest that candidates are over-dependant on just two job search avenues – responding to job advertisements and using recruitment consultancies.

Audit and risk professionals to score top earnings in 2010

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:00:06 +0000

Salaries in the accounting and finance sector will rise steadily this year, with audit, risk and financial control leading the charge of top earners.

Given last year’s economic turmoil you’d be forgiven for thinking that earnings in the accounting and financial services sector were headed for a dip in 2010, but this isn’t the case according to the Recruitment & Employment Confederation.

Cautious optimism for accountancy jobs in 2010

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:35:25 +0000

The post recession business environment will offer new opportunities for skilled finance professionals to shine, but political pressure to cut costs will affect the jobs market.

While 2009 was a year of economic disruption, 2010 is set to be year of political upheaval with a general election coming up and campaigning already underway by both leading parties. The key campaign issue, unsurprisingly, is how the £178bn public sector deficit can best be reduced, but what effect will this penny pinching have on the jobs market for finance professionals?