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record pre-season hiring surge: ready for biggest tax season ever?

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cpatrendlines jobs report tilt
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new jobs pace sets stage for record-high revenues – or disastrous disappointment.

who’s leading the charge?
join the survey. get the results.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

tax and accounting industry growth is on a tear with no signs of slowing down, according to 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 sources.

in most segments, people are working less and earning more, with payroll a notable exception.

and new data show the industry gearing up for a huge tax season, with tax prep employment leaping 22.5 percent over the same period last year.

here 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 reports on:

  • current hiring trends in each of the bookkeeping, tax, payroll and cpa segments of the industry.
  • average hourly wages for key segments.
  • typical hours worked per week.
  • and trends concerning women in the accounting workforce.

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what commitment really means for partners

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high angle view of business people stacking hands in a teamwork gesturebonus checklist: 13 steps to true commitment.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

rising from senior manager to partner often means being promoted ahead of our peers and contemporaries. it creates a gap in earnings, stature and influence compared to those who just yesterday were our colleagues on a level playing field.

more on the passport to partnership: how to build your pipeline | how well do you represent your firm? | communication can’t be overrated | how to read your firm’s cultural blueprint | sailing through the seven c’s to partnership

it can also mean that if we are coming into a firm from the outside, we are being promoted over people who have served at that firm for many years and understand the culture of the firm a lot better than we do right now. we may have to lead these people as the head of a department and if so, they’d better be on our side.
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how to build your pipeline

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man with pipe dollarphotobonus checklist: 5 questions to evaluate your network and skills.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

ask yourself and answer these questions when considering the current and future “conversion” tactics that you’ll employ.

  1. if i were to start today, could i name four businesses that i’d like to reach out to?
  2. what is our firm’s net fee growth goal this year and what can i do to contribute to it?
  3. what do i need to do to be able to handle the tough stuff like negotiation, pricing and handling objections? what start to learning these skills can i make today?

more on the passport to partnership: businesses place value on expertise | how well do you represent your firm? | 6 keys to the perfect proposal | the 4 winning communications habits of top accountants | gauge firm culture to move toward partner

building your pipeline

record the businesses you’d ideally like to work with or believe you can add value to below, for future inclusion in your personal pipeline.

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tax & accounting employment hits new highs

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cpatrendlines jobs report tilt
join the survey. get the results.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

the number of employees in the accounting industry keeps climbing and toppling old records. the latest data from 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 shows more than 40% of firms are hiring.

the 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 careers and hiring outlook

today’s bonus question: what’s the most important trait or skill needed to succeed in the accounting business?

join the survey. get the results.

in this report, 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 covers:

  • current hiring trends in each of the cpa, tax, payroll and bookkeeping segments of the industry, indicating growth and shrinkage among sectors.
  • average hourly wages for key segments, with trends in employee pay rates.
  • typical hours worked per week, showing utilization and productivity.
  • trends concerning women in the workforce, including hiring rates.
  • including 25 charts and graphs

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businesses place value on expertise

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woman's hand pressing words "ask an expert"shift thinking from “we” to “you.”

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

please start understanding, valuing and respecting your own value in the marketplace with clients who could not reach their goals without you.

businesses are in need – sometimes desperate need – of your technical expertise and caring approach.

more on the passport to partnership: how well do you represent your firm? | 6 keys to the perfect proposal | what conversion really means for partners | passport to partnership: new research shows wide gap between partners and partners-to-be

take that to them instead because, speaking as one who is looked after well myself, we love it and we are prepared to pay a premium without ever asking for discounts.

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how well do you represent your firm?

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angry boss in chair staring down at tiny businessmana cautionary case study.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

the passport to partnership study collated a number of responses in a conversational style. the main example that really stood out as the major indicator of a need for each future leader to be able to “convert” new business is showcased below and was repeated many times in various different ways.

if this person wants to be considered for partnership in the future, we look at how are they promoting the firm to potential clients now.

meaning: if you’re trusted enough to represent the firm publicly, what perception are clients and potential clients getting about the firm based on their interactions with you?

more on the passport to partnership: 6 keys to the perfect proposal | what conversion really means for partners | the 4 winning communications habits of top accountants | 12 ways to determine your competence | sailing through the seven c’s to partnership 

a case study

michael had done well. his profile was rising as he became one of the firm’s leading “rainmakers” due to his natural ability to engage and gain the confidence of business owners and influencers alike.

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6 keys to the perfect proposal

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six vintage keysbonus checklist: 7 things that trusted advisors don’t need to do.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

what makes a written proposal become accepted by the potential client – every time?

more on the passport to partnership: what conversion really means for partners | communication: putting it all together | the 4 winning communications habits of top accountants | what communication really means for partners | what culture really means for partners | what competence really means for partners | passport to partnership: new research shows wide gap between partners and partners-to-be

proposal writing is a micro-science in its own right but here are the proven principles that it takes to get proposals accepted. read more →

what conversion really means for partners

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businesswoman in wheelchair meeting with potential clientbonus checklists: 9 business development metrics you should be measuring, plus the 7 biggest errors when trying to win new fees.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

like it or not, the 21st century accountant is in the relationship-building business. when a qualified accountant learns the art of developing those relationships in such a way as they empower the practice to be able to forecast its new fee income each year, the accountant becomes a profit center and their value to the firm increases tenfold.

more on the passport to partnership: communication: putting it all together | the 4 winning communications habits of top accountants | gauge firm culture to move toward partner | 12 ways to determine your competence | passport to partnership: new research shows wide gap between partners and partners-to-be

our fourth “c,” conversion, has flirted with being the top answer from respondents in the passport to partnership study and has featured in over 80 percent of all firms interviewed as to what makes a senior manager stand out as a potential partner.

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communication: putting it all together

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confident businessman turning away from desk and smilingbonuses: exercises to define your worth and value, then communicate that message.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

an advisor is trusted when they can show that they

  • took responsibility for their end of the bargain in the client engagement,
  • educated the client of their responsibilities,
  • offered prompting and assistance throughout but then allowed the client to ultimately govern themselves in terms of following through on their commitments.

more on the passport to partnership: communication can’t be overrated | the 4 winning communications habits of top accountants | how to read your firm’s cultural blueprint | gauge firm culture to move toward partner | what culture really means for partners | 12 ways to determine your competence | passport to partnership: new research shows wide gap between partners and partners-to-be

this then empowers the advisor to make a commercial decision when the client now faces the consequences, as to whether they want to communicate even more assistance to make things all better for the clients and gain huge appreciation and emotional capital.

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today’s top six partner compensation trends

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money in hand

why so many pay-for-performance plans are a flop.

by august aquila
creating the effective partnership

many of us, including myself, thought that the right compensation plan would solve the answer to underperformance and motivation. over the last ten years or so, firms have moved from a formula-based plan to a pay-for-performance plan which takes into consideration, production, business development, value enhancement and behavioral factors. and, while this has helped place more emphasis on performance, it hasn’t been a magic bullet. why are so many firms still missing the boat when it comes to motivating partners and staff to perform at a higher level?

more on leadership: 5 questions about your firm’s direction | 6 reasons to keep partners from retiring | 6 reasons why cpa firms fail in innovation | 6 steps to handle staffing problems in a merger | 7 signs your firm is headed for an implosion | it’s not always about money: 16 tweaks for your comp system | eight key goal areas for partners | like herding cats: partners must ‘walk together’ | managing partners must remember partners’ needs | new times call for new cpa firm metrics | partners have love-hate relationship with leadership | 6 things leaders must do | 8 financial ducks to line up now| partnership is about persuasion

janice kaplan, in the new book, “the gratitude diaries: how a year looking on the bright side can transform your life,” refers to a survey on gratitude in which some 80% americans say that receiving gratitude makes them work harder, but only 10% of the survey respondents managed to express gratitude to others on a daily basis.

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communication can’t be overrated

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businesspeople in business fighting

bonus checklist: case study and 5 questions on how well you do.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

the passport to partnership study collated a number of responses in a conversational style. several examples really stood out as the first steps in effective communication:

would we put this person in front of a client?

meaning: the clients are our source of income; we don’t jeopardize that for anything. if we think that this person will do anything less than consolidate the perception of the firm and its people in the eyes of the client, we’ll keep them back in the office.

more on the passport to partnership: communication: it’s not about you | the 4 winning communications habits of top accountants | what communication really means for partners | gauge firm culture to move toward partner | what culture really means for partners | 12 ways to determine your competence | what competence really means for partners | passport to partnership: new research shows wide gap between partners and partners-to-be

how does this person deal with those in support roles?

meaning: let’s never forget where we came from or labor under the misguided belief that because someone has less authority in the firm or a lower pay grade, they are somehow inferior to you.

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communication: it’s not about you

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bissett
bissett

bonus: three outlooks from our exclusive expert council: pipe, dobek, grundy.

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

what does communication mean at the partner level?

more on the passport to partnership: the 4 winning communications habits of top accountants | what communication really means for partners | how to read your firm’s cultural blueprint | gauge firm culture to move toward partner | what culture really means for partners | firm culture is inevitable; make it work for you | 12 ways to determine your competence | what competence really means for partners | sailing through the seven c’s to partnership | passport to partnership: new research shows wide gap between partners and partners-to-be

ask yourself and answer these questions when considering the current and future communication tactics that you’ll employ.
read more →

the 4 winning communications habits of top accountants

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value your clients – and yourself.

component parts of how the other person perceives your in-person communication
component parts of how the other person perceives your in-person communication

by martin bissett
passport to partnership

i’ve had the benefit of meeting, speaking and observing hundreds of very successful and unsuccessful partners over the last two decades and there is indeed a set of differentiating factors that set a partner apart from the chasing pack.

more passport to partnership: what communication really means for partners | how to read your firm’s cultural blueprint | gauge firm culture to move toward partner | what culture really means for partners | firm culture is inevitable; make it work for you | 12 ways to determine your competence | what competence really means for partners | sailing through the seven c’s to partnership | passport to partnership: new research shows wide gap between partners and partners-to-be

here are the four “best-selling behaviors” that i’ve observed:

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