Blog
Browse thoughtful views and opinions about staffing topics from KBW’s perspective.
Nailing the Interview: How to Not Over Prepare
Ever heard of those pesky little things called behavioral interview questions? You know, the questions that start out with, “Tell me about a time when…” or "Give me an example of…” These questions are meant for the interviewer to get to know how your experiences match...
Your Job Descriptions Could Be the Reason You Aren’t Getting the Right Candidates
If you are not attracting the right candidates for your accounting and finance positions, it may be because of your job descriptions. The best descriptions combine essential role responsibilities, core skills and experience sought, and company culture elements. They...
Using the Rules of Improv at Work
The rules of improv aren’t just for comedy scenes on a stage. They’re a great guide for moving ideas forward and creating an environment that fosters listening, respect and innovation. As Robert Kulhane of Duke’s Fuqua School of Business said, “Improvisation isn't...
Fired? How to talk about it in an interview
Heading into a job interview knowing you’ll be asked a question that reminds you of a bad time in your work life can add an extra degree of difficulty to an already stressful process. There are ways you can prepare, though, that will help you frame the issue as a...
Goals Setting Obstacles
Once you’ve moved on from outside considerations, fear may kick in. That number is way too high...What if I fail? What if my co-workers resent me? What if… Sometimes, fear just is. And when you’re looking at a big, end-of-year numbers, it can be overwhelming. So...
What Certifications Should You Add to Your Accounting Resume?
Accounting is a field that requires a great deal of training. Even with an extensive educational background, however, your resume might not stand out in a sea of qualified candidates. To truly demonstrate your industry-specific knowledge, skills, and experience, you...
To Tell or Not to Tell: Salary History
It turns out that one of the most stressful things for Americans to talk about isn’t politics or religion or even death – it’s personal finances. So when a prospective employer asks for a salary history, you may find your blood pressure rising. If you are comfortable...
Better Employees
One of the things managers often struggle with is how to get their employees to perform at a higher level. Not because their people aren’t doing good work, but because they can do better work. And getting better work is part of a manager’s job. It’s easy to chalk it...
Happiness at Work
We spend more of our waking hours at our jobs than doing any one other thing. So being happy at work matters - a lot. And what makes us happy at work is in our control. The results of a recent CareerBliss survey of ‘happiest’ jobs may surprise you. Database...
How to Manage Generation Z Employees
Members of Generation Z are expected to make up approximately one-quarter of the global workforce in 2020. As Baby Boomers continue to retire over the next decade and millennials enter senior management roles, Generation Z is anticipated to make up one-third of the...
Helpless vs. Resourceful
Over the last several years of hiring people for our company we have tried to come up with some profile or some marker to look for how to determine who has a better chance of success. We have used traditional hiring methods, behavior analysis, evaluations and multiple...
Terrible Job, Great Career
One of the first things I ask candidates is, “Do you want a job, or do you want a career? Because this can be a terrible job, but a great career.” There’s no right or wrong answer to the question. But the paths are considerably different and it’s important to know...
7 Soft Skills All Accountants Need to Be Successful
In the accounting industry, your soft skills are as important as your hard skills. Your soft skills are the reason you effectively communicate, appreciate, and work with others. They help you lead a meeting, put clients at ease, and make yourself heard and valued....
Five Traits of a Top Analyst
As a financial analyst, you work in a highly competitive field. Along with having the required education, skills, experience, and certification, you need to demonstrate the most important traits employers are looking for to be among the industry’s top professionals....
The War for Talent…
If you're in a hiring position then you have likely realized that the war for talent has been fully waged. Whether you are the winner or loser of this war is probably yet to be seen but before gearing up for a full scale battle, it's critical to understand the value...