Office fun at Monroe Shine!

At Monroe Shine, we have a team approach that extends outside of the work we do everyday. We have fun activities during busy season, a family picnic, a holiday party, an after tax season celebration party, employee get-togethers, an employee golf scramble, and even a team in the CPA basketball league!! We are proud to say, in 2015 our team won the big championship tournament and brought home the trophy!! It is proudly displayed in our Louisville office!

The league begins right at the beginning of tax season, so we cannot wait to add our new intern recruits to the team!!

2014 Recruiting Tip #7: Have Fun - 25 Jokes Only Accountants Will Love!

May 19th is National Accounting Day, and it's the perfect time to celebrate the brave souls who balance our books, sort out our files, and lead the way through tax season.

To thank the pros who crunch the numbers so we don't have to, we polled accountants and auditors and scoured the web to round up 25 jokes that only accountants will love.

1. Welcome to the accounting department, where everybody counts.
2. What does CPA stand for? Can't Pass Again.
3. It's accrual world.
4. It's 4:04. Do you know where your auditor is?
5. Where do homeless accountants live? In a tax shelter.
6. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well.
7. How do you know you have a great CPA? He has a tax loophole named after him.
8. What do you call an accountant with an opinion? An auditor.
9. An accountant is someone who solves a problem you didn't know you had in a way you don’t understand.
10. Why did the accountant cross the road? Because she looked in the files and did what they did last year.
11. How does Santa's accountant value his sleigh? Net Present Value.
12. What do accountants suffer from that ordinary people don’t? Depreciation.
13. Why are accountants always so calm, composed, and methodical? They have strong internal controls.
14. Be audit you can be.
15. What do you call a financial controller who always works through lunch, takes two days holiday every two years, is in the office every weekend, and leaves every night after 10 p.m.? Lazy.
16. What do you call a trial balance that doesn't balance? A late night.
17. An economist is someone who didn't have enough personality to become an accountant.
18. Why do economists exist? So accountants have someone to laugh at.

19. What's the difference between an accountant and a lawyer? The accountant knows he's boring.

20. What do you call a group financial controller who's lost his job? Bob.
21. How can you tell when the chief accountant is getting soft? When he actually listens to marketing before saying no.
22. There are just two rules for creating a successful accountancy business: 1. Don't tell them everything you know. 2. [Redacted]
23. What's an actuary? An accountant without the sense of humor.
24. What do actuaries do to liven up their office party? Invite an accountant.
25. Four Laws of Accounting:
      1. Trial balances don't.
      2. Bank reconciliations never do.
      3. Working capital does not.
      4. Return on investments never will.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/jokes-for-accountants-2014-5#ixzz3CN53TU8G

2014 Recruiting Tip #6: Attend Firm Tours

Nothing prepares you to work for a firm like seeing what it's like behind the scenes!

Many firms offer special tours to students, providing them with valuable information they can use to guide their decisions and goals. While going on an office tour won't guarantee you a position, it will allow you to network with the firm and gain exposure to their staff members, which would greatly assist you in interviewing for a possible position. It also allows you the opportunity to really see what the culture of that firm is like so that you can see if this might be a good fit for you and your personality.

Who knows, you may even be shocked if they ask you to take a #selfie!

8/28/14 You better believe we got the Bellarmine Accounting Association to take a #selfie with us while they were out visiting our Louisville Office!

 

These tours are frequently offered in connection with the Accounting Club, or other student organizations, and may be difficult to find as an individual. If you hear that your Accounting Club is arranging a tour, make sure to sign up!

~ Mallary (Marketing & Business Development Manager)

 

2014 Recruiting Tip #5: Know Your Industry

Discover the differences between public, private, and governmental accounting. Each of the three different areas will attract different personality types.

Are you an aggressive, outgoing individual willing to work very hard early in your career? Public accounting may be for you! Or are you interested in a more stable environment with great benefits and job security, but willing to accept a potentially adversarial relationship with clients? If so, governmental accounting is a great option! Perhaps you'd thrive in a smaller business environment, working as an in-house accountant for a company with a goal of eventually getting into upper management? Private accounting could be your best choice!

Try to learn as much as possible about all areas of the industry before you decide which path to travel.

Here is an article about job outlook & career opportunities in accounting: http://blog.aicpa.org/2012/09/accounting-offers-more-career-opportunities-if-you-know-how-to-find-them.html

 

2014 Recruiting Tip #4: Understanding the CPA Exam

CPA requirements vary by state, but most require 150 semester hours of instruction, which is 30 hours beyond the typical four-year bachelor’s degree. That means you have to decide whether you will focus in another area or get a master’s degree.

The CPA exam consists of four separate exams, which are taken one at a time. Candidates may take the exams in any order however, once you pass the first exam, you must pass the other three within 18 months.

Audit and Attestation (AUD): This is the longest section, at 4.0 hours. It covers topics like performing audits, evaluating evidence, professional responsibilities, ethics and communicating audit findings.

Financial Accounting and Reporting (FAR): This section is 4.0 hours and covers topics such as typical financial statements, specific transactions, governmental accounting and non-profit accounting.

Regulation (REG): This section is 3.0 hours long and tests candidates on tax ethics, business law, federal tax procedures and more.

Business Environment and Concepts (BEC): This section is 3.0 hours and is still tough, covering things like corporate governance, information systems and strategic planning.

 

Candidates may sit for the CPA exam during the first two months of every quarter: January/February, April/May, July/August, October/November. Months when the exam is not offered are referred to as “black out dates.”

It’s important to plan ahead and decide how you will get your 150 credit hours before graduation. Most employers will want you to already have a plan in place to earn your CPA certification.

 

2014 Recruiting Tip #3: Make Sure You Come Prepared for Your Interview

A job interview gives you a chance to shine. What you say and what you do is going to either move you to the next round of consideration for employment or knock you out of contention. Be personable and connect with your interviewer during the interview. Give them a reason to remember you!

Here are a few interviewing tips: 

Practice Interviewing:

Take the time to review typical interview questions you will probably be asked during a job interview. This will help give you a framework for your responses and also calm your nerves. Practice interviewing with a friend or family member ahead of time and it will be much easier when you're actually in a job interview.

Research the Company:

Take the time before your interview to research the company you are interviewing with. By doing this you can stand out from the people that don’t take the job as seriously as you do. By showing interest in the company, you will make a positive impression and show understanding of what you’re applying to. 

Thank You Notes:

Taking the time to say thank you after a job interview not only is good interview etiquette, it reinforces your interest in the position. You can also use your thank you letter to address any issues and concerns that came up during the interview.

2014 Recruiting Tip #2: Don't Forget to Dress for Success!

It's not always what you know, or who you know… sometimes, it's what you WEAR that makes the difference. Learn how to make a great first impression by being well-groomed and professionally dressed. If you’re in doubt about how to dress for an interview, it is best to be conservative. Make sure your first impression is your BEST impression!

 Here a few tips for women’s and men’s interview attire:

Women's Interview Attire

·         Solid color, conservative suit

·         Coordinated blouse

·         Moderate shoes

·         Limited jewelry

·         Neat, professional hairstyle

·         Tan or light hosiery

·         Sparse make-up & perfume

·         Manicured nails

·         Portfolio or briefcase

Men's Interview Attire

·         Solid color, conservative suit

·         Long sleeve shirt

·         Conservative tie

·         Dark socks, professional shoes

·         Very limited jewelry

·         Portfolio or briefcase