We were standing in “The Archives”, looking at twelve-foot high shelves mounted on rollers so that they could be crammed together. Each one was filled with row after row of filing boxes. I had just asked the silly question of …
Downsizing, right-sizing, layoff, restructuring, whatever word you use, accounting departments have been consistently trimming staff for decades. Computers are taking on more and more of the daily routine. While this is good news for cost control and efficiency, it’s not …
Early in my consulting career, an Accounts Payable (AP) Supervisor set me straight. She told me that AP is all about routine. Expense reimbursements go out on Monday. Domestic vendors on Tuesday. International on Wednesday. If this new system that …
What are some of the biggest headaches in accounting? I’m sure you have your favorites, but let me tell you about Doug. I called him last week to see if he wanted to go for a drink, but he was …
The case you are about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent. Dear Bill, XXX Insurance Company is pleased to provide you with this desk calendar for your home or office. You’ll notice it …
Question from the editors of Forbes: Recently, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a jump in the unemployment rate to 10.2%.Some economists think we could be looking at 10.5% by early next year. Given these grim forecasts, how do …
In a blog post about hiring leaders, Wayne Floyd asks, “How would you describe the most important skills or qualifications that you bring to the position of leadership?” He then gives the standard list: “experienced, responsible, reliable, organized, competent, skilled, …
You, the software vendor, are making your pitch. It breaks down into three sections: Microsoft has amazing software, You are an amazing Microsoft representative, and Here’s how you would address my needs. It’s very logical, isn’t it? The problem is …
Reading all the resumes was depressing. We’re hiring a new manager and I was going through a stack of them with the human resources consultant. The resumes looked remarkably similar and there wasn’t a decent cover letter in the pile. …
My son is in the throws of selecting a university (no, he has no intention of studying accounting!)We are doing the usual rounds of visits to campuses, going to the university fair and my son is attending the events sponsored …