Although
intimidation of the business world may turn away the timid, the confident and
resourceful candidates for these positions within Big 4companies will
exponentially benefit from the experience. Firstly, the education gained from
working in a Big 4 company is unequal to any other business experience. The
knowledge gained will give an employee insight into a well-oiled corporate
machine. Your familiarity of such an entity will only benefit your adaptability
in business world as well as your future marketability.

Secondly,
as an employee of a Big 4 company, you will gain an important attribute in the
business world: toughness. The work environment is built for those with a
“survivor” mentality. The long hours and frequent challenges render short term
sacrifices for long term rewards. The necessary dedication for employees of Big
4 companies is acknowledged by others in all industries. By not being phased by
challenges presented in the workplace, you will obtain a trust by not only your
coworkers, but future employers. This immediate respect gained by working in a
challenging atmosphere will enable each employee to use these experiences as a
career stepping stone.

Third,
is the always-present necessity and backbone of business: Networking. It is an
integral part of the business world, but through working in a Big 4 company,
the connections are nearly handed to you. Working on projects, connecting and
collaborating with others who have different skill sets will aid your
professional future, regardless of your field.

Fourth,
is what attracts some while leaving others running for the hills. Big 4
companies have a “Steep Learning Curve”. You learn on your feet, working with
your client. There is gratification in solving problems independently and
taking on new responsibilities. The necessity of problem solving independently
and within a team is present in every business, Big 4 or not. The speed in
which its employees are expected to learn and take initiative creates a
challenge for many, but is accomplished by these workers, giving them more
confidence and improving their professional mind.

Lastly,
in most cases, the Big 4 companies will aid you in obtaining a CPA
qualification quickly. The certifications Big 4 endorse, aid future employment
opportunities and create a marketable skill set.

The
benefits of working for a Big 4company are numerous. The pure size of the
company offers opportunities all around the world. Its wide range of careers
cater to those who are looking for travel, local work, connections, gained
expertise, or simply a career stepping stone.

Works Referenced:

“Why You Should Work for the Big 4.” Narrowing the GAAP.
1 Aug. 2009. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://www.narrowingthegaap.com/recruiting/why-you-should-work-for-the-big-4/>.

“Big 4 Accounting Vs Regional CPA Firms: Pros
And Cons.” Accounting Dream: How to Get, Upgrade & Quit Your
Accounting Job for Something Better. Web. 14 May 2012.
<http://www.accountingdream.com/big-4-accounting-vs-regional-cpa-firms/>.

By Yahoo! HotJobs

The Recruiter Roundtable is a recurring feature that collects career and
job-seeking advice from a group of recruiting experts throughout the US. The
question we put before our panel this month is:

What is your biggest pet peeve about job seekers today?

The Price of ‘Perfection’

My biggest pet peeve is perfect candidates. They only had successes, are
perfect and can’t see any improvement to make on themselves — except maybe to
“work a little less.” People who are too insecure to admit their shortcomings or
even their mistakes make me feel that they lack good emotional intelligence. In
all the reference checks we reviewed at Checkster, none were 100 percent
positive, so be realistic. If not, you will be seen as either not daring enough
to perform difficult things, or stuck in a myopic belief that you are
perfect.

– Yves Lermusi, CEO, Checkster

Clueless Candidates

As a recruiter, there have been countless times when job seekers have asked,
“What position is this for?” Job seekers shouldn’t just apply to any job. They
need to spend their time effectively finding jobs that are a match for their
skills and interest.

– Nga Nguyen, Technology & Operations
Group Recruiter at Wells Fargo

Short-Cut Introductions

With more people looking for work in today’s economy, I’ve been seeing an
increase in what I call “lazy introductions” come across my desk. It goes
something like this: “I’m writing you to introduce myself. I live in New York
and I’m looking for a job,” and in the signature is a link to a LinkedIn profile
or possibly a resume. A brief introduction should come with a background,
highlights and reason for connecting. A job search is a job in itself and
requires some personalization and effort for each and every
introduction.

– Lindsay Olson, partner, Paradigm Staffing

Can’t Connect the Dots?

My biggest pet peeve is receiving resumes or applications that describe
background and work experience wholly unrelated to the position being applied
for. Also there is either no supporting material or a generic cover letter that
fails to connect the dots between what’s on the application and what’s in the
posted job listing.

– Noah Apodaca, lead recruiter for staff at the
University of California, Irvine

Don’t Go Generic

Job seekers hurt their own cause when they don’t focus on specific ways they
can help potential employers and instead simply mass distribute their resume.
Individuals need to show hiring managers what they can do for the organization,
not the reverse. Thoroughly research companies where you want to apply,
customize your resume and cover letter for each opportunity, and in your
communications with employers highlight your accomplishments and skills that
demonstrate how you can positively impact the firm’s bottom line.

–
DeLynn Senna, executive director of North American permanent placement services,
Robert Half International

The compensation experts
at online salary database PayScale.com used US Department of Education data to identify
the 20 most common college majors, then determined the top-paying jobs for each
major, five to eight years into each job. What did the research show? When it
comes to salary, not all majors are equal.

The majors fall into two
general categories, says PayScale’s lead analyst, Katie Bardaro: those that
train students for a specific field and those that teach analytical and
critical-thinking skills, which can be applied to a variety of fields. For
example, physical science degrees train students for specific jobs like chemist
and physicist, whereas social science degrees can lead to jobs as varied as
editor or social worker.

Jobs in technical fields like physical science
tend to pay better, according to PayScale’s research. But lower-paying jobs,
such as social work and education, benefit society and can pay back in other
ways, Bardaro says.

If you’re considering a major that might lead to
lower-paying job, an expensive college might not be your smartest choice
financially. And it’s more important than ever to consider the cost of college.
In March 2012, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported that
student-loan debt had hit a record-high $1 trillion. That’s now more than
Americans owe on their credit cards.

“You can’t go into these
[less-lucrative] majors, pay a lot for your education and then expect to make a
lot of money,” Bardaro says. “Remember that just because you go to college, you
don’t [necessarily] get a high-paying job.”

Take a look at PayScale’s
list of the best-paying jobs by major to discover what you could earn with a
particular degree, roughly five to eight years into your career.

Accounting

• Internal Auditing Manager: $85,900
• Financial Controller: $77,700
• Certified Public Accountant: $59,900

Business Administration

• Sales Director: $122,000
• Pharmaceutical Sales Representative: $84,400
• Account Manager, Sales: $63,500

Chemistry

• Senior Chemist: $59,500
• Research Scientist: $51,900
• Analytical Chemist: $44,600

Civil Engineering

• Field Engineer, Construction: $68,200
• Project Engineer, Construction: $65,700
• Senior Civil Engineer: $65,600

Communications

• Senior Account Executive: $57,000
• Public Relations Specialist: $43,600
• Event Coordinator: $41,000

Computer Science

• IT Program Manager: $97,200
• IT
  Consultant: $74,700
• Embedded Software Developer: $71,700

Construction Management

• Senior Estimator: $73,100
• Construction Manager: $63,900
• Construction Estimator: $56,700

Criminal Justice

• Intelligence Analyst: $68,000
• Detective/Criminal Investigator: $55,100
• Police or Sheriff’s Patrol Officer: $48,900

Economics

• Portfolio Manager: $88,300
• Management Consultant: $79,100
• Data Analyst: $49,600

Education

• Assistant Principal: $52,300
• Program Management Director, Education: $42,400
• Secondary School Teacher: $41,600

English

• Technical Writer: $49,100
• Web Content Editor: $46,200
• Copywriter: $45,000

Geology

• Senior Geologist: $61,900
• Hydrogeologist: $54,700
• Geologist: $49,200

History

• Secondary School Teacher: $42,000
• Elementary School Teacher: $41,300
• Customer Service Representative: $28,000

Mathematics

• Actuary: $85,900
• Data Analyst: $57,400
• Secondary School Teacher: $44,300

Mechanical Engineering

• Program Manager, Aviation/Aerospace: $99,700
• Manufacturing Engineer: $66,200
• Mechanical Engineer: $63,400

Physics

• Physicist: $69,200
• Research Scientist: $68,000
• Secondary School Teacher: $42,400

Political Science

• Intelligence Analyst: $67,500
• Legal Assistant: $34,500
• Customer Service Representative: $29,700

Psychology

• Nonprofit Executive Director: $54,500
• Academic Advisor (College/University): $40,700
• Admissions Counselor: $38,900

Social Work

• Social Worker, Hospice: $40,421
• Social Worker: $39,000
• Case Manager, Social Services: $33,200

Sociology

• Executive Assistant: $43,700
• Nonprofit Program Coordinator: $36,700
• Retail Store Assistant Manager: $35,400

Source:
Salary data provided by online salary database PayScale.com. Salaries listed are median annual salaries for
full-time workers with five to eight years of experience and include any
bonuses, commissions or profit sharing. The most popular majors were compiled
from US Department of Education data.

If you’ve ever watched those TV blooper shows, you know how funny
slip-ups, gaffes and blunders can be. But while laughter may be good for the
soul, it’s certainly not the response you want your resume to produce.

Baby Boomers (or Gen-X and Gen-Y fans of Nick at Nite) will recall the often
hilarious pronouncements of Archie Bunker, the patriarch of the popular 1970s
sitcom “All in the Family.” With just a slight slip of the tongue, Archie’s
intended meanings frequently became completely convoluted (e.g., “consecration”
instead of “concentration” and “mental pause” instead of “menopause”).

If
your resume contains any such Archie-like malapropisms, it’s sure to be
memorable, but it won’t leave the lasting impression you’re shooting for.
Proofread your resume meticulously, and share it with trusted friends and
colleagues to make sure you haven’t inadvertently substituted one word for
another. Keep in mind that your computer’s spell-check function often will not
catch these errors, since the problem is one of incorrect word choice rather
than misspelling.

To help ensure that your resume finds its way to the
interview pile and not the circular file, avoid these 10 classic resume
bloopers, culled from real-life resumes of job seekers from all levels,
industries and career fields:

1. “Revolved customer problems and
inquiries.”

Just what every employer is looking for — an
expert in passing the buck.

2. “Consistently tanked as top sales
producer for new accounts.”

Sales managers aren’t likely to be
impressed with this self-proclaimed underachiever.

3.
“Dramatically increased exiting account base, achieving new company record.”


If customer accounts were leaving in droves as this statement
implies, it’s probably fair to assume that this candidate also tanked as a top
sales producer.

4. “Planned new corporate facility at $3 million
over budget.”

Every hiring manager is searching for employees
who exceed budgets by millions of dollars.

5. “Directed $25
million anal shipping and receiving operations.”

This person is
either showcasing compulsively stubborn management qualities, or he has a
challenging product packaging/storage problem.

6. “Participated
in the foamation of a new telecommunications company.”

This job
seeker was also in charge of bubble control.

7. “Promoted to
district manger to oversee 37 retail storefronts.”

This is a
common resume typo. There must be literally thousands of mangers looking for
jobs in today’s modern world. Here’s a tip: Use your word-processing program’s
find/replace feature to correct this common mistake. You can also modify your
application’s spelling dictionary so it won’t recognize the word
“manger.”

8. “Experienced supervisor, defective with both rookies
and seasoned professionals.”

Many of us have had a boss like
this at some point in our careers, but you usually don’t find them being so
frank about their leadership inadequacies.

9. “I am seeking a
salary commiserate with my training and experience.”

There are
a couple problems with this statement. To begin with, salary requirements don’t
belong on a resume. Secondly, a salary should be “commensurate” with experience
(meaning proportionate to), not “commiserate” with (meaning to express sympathy
for).

10. “Seeking a party-time position with potential for
advancement.”

Sounds like a fun job.

In the current job market, you’d better have your act together, or you won’t stand a chance against the competition. Check yourself on these 10 basic points before you go on that all-important interview.

1. Do Your Research

Researching the company before the interview and learning as much as possible about its services, products, customers and competition will give you an edge in understanding and addressing the company’s needs. The more you know about the company and what it stands for, the better chance you have of selling yourself in the interview. You also should find out about the company’s culture to gain insight into your potential happiness on the job. 

2. Look Sharp

Select what to wear to the interview. Depending on the industry and position, get out your best interview clothes and check them over for spots and wrinkles. Even if the company has a casual environment, you don’t want to look like you slept in your outfit. Above all, dress for confidence. If you feel good, others will respond to you accordingly. 

3. Be Prepared

Bring along a folder containing extra copies of your resume, a copy of your references and paper to take notes. You should also have questions prepared to ask at the end of the interview. For extra assurance, print a copy of Monster’s handy interview take-along checklist. 

4. Be on Time

Never arrive late to an interview. Allow extra time to arrive early in the vicinity, allowing for factors like getting lost. Enter the building 10 to 15 minutes before the interview. 

5. Show Enthusiasm

A firm handshake and plenty of eye contact demonstrate confidence. Speak distinctly in a confident voice, even though you may feel shaky. 

6. Listen

One of the most neglected interview skills is listening. Make sure you are not only listening, but also reading between the lines. Sometimes what is not said is just as important as what is said. 

7. Answer the Question Asked

Candidates often don’t think about whether they are actually answering the questions their interviewers ask. Make sure you understand what is being asked, and get further clarification if you are unsure. 

8. Give Specific Examples

One specific example of your background is worth 50 vague stories. Prepare your stories before the interview. Give examples that highlight your successes and uniqueness. Your past behavior can indicate your future performance. 

9. Ask Questions

Many interviewees don’t ask questions and miss the opportunity to find out valuable information. The questions you ask indicate your interest in the company or job. 

10. Follow Up

Whether it’s through email or regular mail, the interview follow-up is one more chance to remind the interviewer of all the valuable traits you bring to the job and company. Don’t miss this last chance to market yourself.

It is important to appear confident and cool for the interview. One way to do that is to be prepared to the best of your ability. There is no way to predict what an interview holds, but by following these important rules you will feel less anxious and will be ready to positively present yourself.

http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/interview-preparation/ten-interviewing-rules/article.aspx

In the job search, there’s nothing like performing well at the interview. And after researching the company, practicing your interview presentation and answering the interview questions with confidence, you want to follow up with something impressive. You want to thank the employer with a gesture that makes the company want to hire you — or at least bring you back for another round of interviews.

This is the point when some people come up with what they believe are clever ways to thank people for the interview. Sadly, these attempts at being memorable can leave the wrong impression with the interviewer.

So be sure to avoid these three unconventional post-interview thank-you strategies in your job search: 

• Don’t Say It with Plants or Flowers: A candidate for a communications position thought sending a plant would be a nice way to say thank you after her interview. What it really said was that she did not know that doing so was unnecessary and inappropriate. It is never proper to send a gift after an interview. The interviewer is doing his job by interviewing you, and sending a gift of any kind can be interpreted as a bribe to move your candidacy forward. Rather than helping your cause, this move could hurt your chances of getting the job.
   
• Don’t Friend the Interviewer on Facebook: Trying to connect with an interviewer on Facebook crosses a boundary that should not be broached. It tells the interviewer you don’t know how to draw the line between employer and employee, and you would likely have difficulty with that distinction if you were hired for the job.
   
• Don’t Follow Up with a Call the Day After the Interview: If you follow up by phone too soon after the interview, the interviewer will interpret the action as too aggressive. A follow-up call the next day will signal that you lack good judgment and that you would probably act inappropriately on the job. At this point, the ball is in the prospective employer’s court. Any follow-up by phone on your part should reflect what you and the interviewer discussed.

What Should You Do? Send an Interview Follow-Up Letter

The best advice is to follow up with a short thank-you letter after the interview, thanking the interviewer for his time and reiterating your interest in and qualifications for the job. The more succinct, the better. An articulate post-interview follow-up letter or email can only strengthen your candidacy.

http://career-advice.monster.com/job-interview/following-up/inappropriate-interview-follow-up/article.aspx

You may be the perfect fit for a job — but a hiring manager is never going to find that out if he trashes your resume after a mere glance. Even in this age of online professional networking, a great resume is still the foundation of a successful job search.

It’s common knowledge that spelling errors and grammatical bloopers are trash triggers (and these simple mistakes top many recruiters’ lists of resume pet peeves). But is there anything else that job seekers are unwittingly doing wrong? We asked some recruiting managers and career experts about the resume errors that cause them to crumple and toss a resume at first look — and some of their answers may surprise you.

1. Your Resume Is Badly Formatted

Looks matter. Career expert Abby Kohut lists misaligned indentations and double spaces as a couple of the things that make a resume start to look like it belongs in the garbage. The fix? Use tabs for indents, and search your document for stray double spaces.

Also beware of being too creative. “I don’t like it when I receive resumes with funky fonts,” says Mona Abdel-Halim, co-founder of the Web-based resume tool Resunate, who echoed other experts we spoke to. “It is not professional and it makes the resume harder to read.” When choosing resume fonts, opt ones that are widely used and readable, such as Calibri or Arial, and use no more than two fonts with their associated bold and italic styles.

2. Your Resume Is Immature

Other hiring managers we talked to said they had immediately trashed resumes with pictures on them — for example, of cartoon character Bart Simpson (in the case of one applicant for a technical writing job) or of a kitten (an applicant for a customer service job). Cute resume additions like these are for kids — not professionals.

3. Your Resume Is Too Templated

Longtime recruiter Mike Monroe says that unaltered, familiar resume templates from word-processing programs annoy him. “This won’t automatically put you in the trash, but it tells me that you have put less thought into your resume than your competition,” he says.

Jessica Campbell, an HR manager for talent agency Voices.com, says one of her pet peeves is “when a candidate has used a template resume,” but hasn’t updated it before sending it. (And if you use Word’s Track Changes feature to edit your resume, make sure to accept all changes in the final version before submitting it.)

To prevent your resume from ending up in the trash for this reason, customize your resume for each job you apply for using the language of the job ad and highlighting your most relevant experience.

“When the resume is not tailored to the position, it shows you don’t really understand what the employer is looking for and are just hoping your resume fits some of the criteria,” says career expert Heather Huhman, author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships: The Truth About Getting from Classroom to Cubicle. “To avoid this mistake, show the employer how you fit those [criteria] through your previous experience, skills and expertise.”

4. Your Resume Is Sneaky

Kohut says she immediately distrusts people whose resumes have no dates on them. “Gaps are not a problem,” she says. “The problem is when you try to be deceptive.”

David S. Williams, founder and CEO of salary consultancy SpringRaise, agrees, saying that if you are or have been unemployed, don’t try to hide it. “You may be doing yourself a disservice because you may be a strong candidate for a position, but you tried to hide your current status,” he says.

A better tactic is to be straightforward on your resume, and then use your cover letter to tell the story of your career’s progress — including information about how you maximized your time away from the 9-to-5 routine. And do remember to write a cover letter — not doing so is another guaranteed way to get your resume thrown into the trash, according to the experts.

http://career-advice.monster.com/resumes-cover-letters/resume-writing-tips/resume-mistakes-pet-peeves/article.aspx?HPS=4_5C3ResumeTrash