How to Get Ahead in Digital Marketing

by

When working in digital marketing, you need to stay ahead of the competition. Because the industry is rapidly evolving, it is important you take steps to remain updated and continue providing value to your organization. Here are five ways to get ahead in digital marketing:

  • Set Career Goals

Set and achieve goals for your digital marketing career. Focus on what you want and what steps you can take to get there. Determine what skills and experience you need to secure your dream job and what roles you need to take on first. Continually seeking opportunities to improve yourself and move forward in your career path.

  • Create a Portfolio

Build a portfolio showcasing your work and achievements. Include tangible examples of projects you worked on and ones that resulted in successful results. For example, you may have increased website traffic, conversion rates, or followers on social media pages. Also, ensure you include a link to your online portfolio every time you apply for a position. Even if your work does not directly relate to the role, it demonstrates your transferrable skills. In addition, save your statistics, feedback, email correspondence, and other documentation showing you are making a difference for companies. You can use the information during interviews to show you can grow a brand and connect with target audiences.

  • Build Your Presence

Create your profile to show hiring managers what you have to offer. For example, utilize social media to participate in industry conversations and comment on articles or blogs. Also, actively participate in professional conferences and events to network with other professionals and stay current in your field. In addition, volunteer as a speaker, sit on a panel, or conduct a workshop to demonstrate your knowledge and leadership abilities.

  • Participate in Self-Directed Learning

Determine which are the most sought-after skills in digital marketing and teach yourself to master them. For example, you can study blogs, magazines, books, and video tutorials or participate in clubs and classes to teach yourself coding. Because of the significant skills shortage, you will face less competition and have a variety of career options to choose from.

  • Network

Always network. For example, join local clubs about coding, web design, and development or a different topic that interests you. Participate in digital round table discussions about the latest marketing techniques or other topics. In addition, you can participate in LinkedIn Group discussions related to your industry by sharing your knowledge and learning from others. You should also take part in seminars, conferences, and professional associations in your field. You will make new connections and uncover opportunities while remaining current with industry news and trends.

  • Partner with WinCorp Solutions

These are five ways to get ahead in digital marketing. For assistance with moving your career forward, contact WinCorp Solutions today.

Questions to Ask Accounting Job Applicants

by

When interviewing accounting candidates, are you asking the right questions? Candidates’ answers can reveal insight into their background and uncover their hard and soft skills to help determine which candidate is the best fit for the role. Here are five questions hiring managers should be asking accounting job applicants:

  • What Are Three Top Skills Every Accountant Needs?

This question determines what a candidate believes their three best attributes are. Candidates’ answers should include a mix of hard and soft skills, such as understanding big data concepts and displaying strong communication skills. Candidates should also provide examples of how they developed and used these skills in previous positions.

  • How Do You Remain Updated on Accounting Legislation, Rules and Policies?

This question tests a candidate’s knowledge of the industry and critical thinking skills. Although no candidate can be completely updated on every new development, the top candidate will describe the methods they use to remain as current as possible with major industry news. For example, a candidate may actively read accounting magazines, attend seminars or conferences, or participate in professional organizations such as the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). Also, note whether a candidate provides a specific example of a recent change to accounting standards, especially as it relates to the position, to determine the authenticity of the candidate’s answer.

  • What Criteria Do You Use to Evaluate the Reliability of Financial Information You Are Given?

This question tests a candidate’s relevant skills. Candidates should mention generally accepted standards for evaluating the reliability of data, such as standards offered by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Look for terms such as “neutrality,” “verifiability” and “materiality” and how candidates describe how those terms work. For example, “Neutrality is choosing accounting alternatives that are bias-free.”

  • Which Enterprise Resource Planning System Have You Used?

This question determines a candidate’s relevant skills. The top candidate should describe the brand or system they used and how it specifically benefitted the company. For example, the ERP system may have helped produce the annual financial statements 30 days sooner than before. Keep in mind that some companies are switching to cloud technology rather than using an ERP system, meaning a candidate may need additional training. Also, candidates with experience working for smaller companies may have used a more customized or hybrid ERP solution.

  • How Do You Handle Urgent Accounting Deadlines?

This question determines whether a candidate can effectively organize their work to ensure everything is completed on time. For example, a candidate may record all deadlines on a calendar, prioritize projects according to importance and how much time they may take, and complete the most important and less time-consuming projects first. If multiple projects have the same deadline, the candidate may come in early, work through lunch and/or stay late to complete their work. Also, the candidate may mention that they avoid answering phone calls or talking with colleagues unrelated to the project. In addition, the candidate may ask for help from their colleagues or manager or request more time if the deadline cannot be met.

  • Partner with WinCorp Solutions

These are five questions to ask accounting job candidates. For help with securing top accounting professionals, contact WinCorp Solutions today.

Encourage Employee Growth and Development

by

Investing time and money in employee development is important to a company. Employees who focus on developing their knowledge, skills and experience help the organization move forward. Here are six ways to encourage employee growth and development:

  • Provide Resources

Ensure employees have a variety of resources to enhance professional development. For example, maintain a database of professional seminars or conferences employees can attend, classes they can take or organizations they can participate in. Employees will stay current on industry news and trends as they develop. Consider providing tuition/expense reimbursement for these professional activities/memberships. Also, provide as many online, on-demand learning opportunities as possible to accommodate employees’ schedules. In addition, offer coaching and mentoring programs for employees to increase their knowledge base and skill set, develop as leaders and help your company remain competitive. Furthermore, ensure different learning options cater to employees’ different learning styles for maximum results.

  • Develop Specific Skills

Encourage employees to focus on specific skills that need enhancement. For example, employees may take a class to develop their writing skills or participate in a local Toastmasters club to enhance their public speaking skills. Employees who pursue professional growth will increase their level of contributions to the company, perform better in teams and help the organization stay competitive.

  • Implement Cross-Training

Let employees cross-train in departments that interest them. For example, provide a lunch and learn or job shadowing program where employees can learn about job requirements in different departments and decide whether they may be interested in filling a different position or collaborating with different departments. Being able to take on different roles within the organization will result in a better understanding of company operations and potentially uncover ways to save time and money by streamlining systems. Employees may also remain loyal to the company longer because they’re staying engaged in their tasks.

  • Promote Networking

Encourage employees to constantly be networking. Developing relationships with industry professionals helps employees gain new insights, skills and perspectives to excel in their roles. Networking also increases employees’ visibility and builds their reputation as being knowledgeable and supportive. In addition, employees learn industry developments, best practices and ways to handle common challenges. Furthermore, networking helps employees contribute more and help the company move forward.

  • Encourage Regular Feedback

Ensure managers and employees provide each other with regular feedback to ensure their work is adequately challenging and their needs are being met. Managers and employees can also ask and answer questions, discuss problems and find solutions. In addition, managers can praise employees for achieving desired results and discuss ways they can work on areas that need improvement.

  • Lead by Example

Ensure all managers and executives lead by example. When staff see higher-level employees actively engaged in professional growth and development, staff are more likely to participate as well. Because workers crave transparency from leaders, workers typically are more willing to engage in behaviors that leaders request of them when they see those behaviors being modeled. This helps build a trusting, collaborative culture within an organization.

  • Partner with WinCorp Solutions

These are six ways to encourage employee growth and development. For assistance with finding top industry professionals, contact WinCorp Solutions today.

Four Tips for Advancing Your Accounting Career

by

Moving forward in your accounting career involves careful planning. By gaining the necessary skills and experience, you set yourself up for success in your field. Follow these four tips for advancing your accounting career.

  • Earn Additional Qualifications

If you are just starting out, you may want to earn the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) qualification. This will advance your understanding of financial performance and may help you earn promotions. If you would like to move into management positions, you can complete the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) qualification. In addition, you can earn advanced degrees such as a Master of Science in Accounting. This degree will help you prepare for the certified public accountant (CPA) exam, leading to another qualification that can help you move forward. Furthermore, becoming a CPA prepares you for specialized qualifications such as a Certified Management Accountant (CMA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) or Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).

  • Enhance Your Soft Skills

Strengthen your communication skills by joining a local Toastmasters club. Improve your leadership skills by participating in related workshops and seminars. In addition, increase your collaboration skills by joining a sports team. Because your ability to understand, relate to, and serve clients is a vital aspect of working as an accountant, developing your soft skills helps you perform at a higher level and shows you are the best candidate for a promotion.

  • Find a Mentor

A mentor can provide you with inside information about your company and/or the accounting industry to help you be more productive in less time. A mentor can also help you create and achieve long-term career goals so you progress professionally over time. Furthermore, a mentor can connect you with contacts and opportunities that you may not have found otherwise.

  • Network

Daily connecting with new professionals and cultivating relationships increases your influence in and out of the accounting field. You increase your chances of finding new ways to advance your career. Because the majority of desirable jobs are filled by word-of-mouth rather than advertising, you may be able to interview for roles you would not have had access to otherwise. Therefore, you need to participate in accounting events such as seminars, conferences and professional association meetings.

Partner with WinCorp Solutions

For help securing your next position, contact WinCorp Solutions today.

Regularly Meeting With Your Staff Is a Must

by

As a manager, you need to help move your company forward. To do so, you need a great team in place. To maximize your team’s productivity, host regular meetings with them. Here are five reasons why regularly meeting with your staff is a must.

  • Keep Team Members Informed

When a member discovers something new, completes their part of a project or has an issue arise, they can ensure others are aware of the new development and how it affects their project. Team members can ask questions or provide their input accordingly. Also, if a significant amount of information needs to be discussed, a staff meeting is the perfect opportunity to share the information and answer questions.

  • Solve Problems

When your team gets together, they can voice their problems and concerns, share what solutions worked in the past and collaborate to find new ones. Because your members most likely come from different generations, have different life experiences and hold different values and beliefs, you will receive a variety of viewpoints on how to best handle the issue. Your team will work more cohesively when members know they have the information and support necessary for completing their work.

  • Innovate

Your team members can suggest methods to more efficiently and effectively complete processes to save the company time and/or money. Members can share their visions for the organization, such as new products/services that may be offered to stay competitive, along with ways to implement those ideas. When team members play a role in moving the company forward, they feel greater job satisfaction, stay engaged in their work, and remain loyal to the company longer.

  • Provide Feedback

You can discuss company policies and operating procedures to determine whether they’re being adhered to and/or need altering. Additionally, you can discuss your team and company goals, ensure each member understands their role in helping achieve those goals and provide feedback on how well your team is working toward the results. In addition, if your company is making substantial changes, your team can remain informed on what’s happening and why.

  • Recognize

Participating in regular staff meetings helps your team recognize their accomplishments. When each team member’s contributions are acknowledged, they feel appreciated and want to work harder to increase their performance. Teams then form stronger bonds, work more collaboratively, and help move the company forward.

Partner with WinCorp Solutions

These are five reasons why regularly meeting with your staff is a must. For assistance with finding the right professionals for your company, get in touch with WinCorp Solutions today.

Tips for Successful Employee Recruitment

by

Recruiting employees is a necessary part of managing a company. Due to the time and expense involved with hiring, training and retaining top talent, hiring managers need to find candidates with the required skills and experience who will fit best with the company culture. Fortunately, there are steps managers can take to improve the process. Here are five tips for successful employee recruitment.

Be Perceived as a Top Employer

Ensure employee practices for involvement, motivation, accountability, recognition, reward, promotion and retention make the business attractive. Also, encourage employees to discuss why they enjoy working for the organization and what benefits it may provide job candidates.

Use the Company Website for Recruiting

Make sure all information on the company’s vision, mission, values, goals and products/services is prominently displayed to attract candidates with similar interests and beliefs. Also, include employee interviews that provide insight into what it is like working for the organization. Include an employment section detailing open positions and what skills and experience the best candidate will possess.

Improve the Candidate Pool

Cultivate relationships with recruiters and staffing firms. Encourage employees to participate in industry conferences and professional associations so that they can network with potential job candidates. In addition, monitor job boards for active or passive candidates who may be looking for a new role. Place job postings on websites and in magazines of professional associations. Search for candidates on LinkedIn or other social media as well.

Involve Employees in Recruiting

Encourage employees to recommend candidates for open positions. Provide a monetary incentive if the candidate is hired and stays for a set time. Ask employees to review resumes and potential fit with company culture for candidates interested in working in their department. Employees know what their jobs entail and what company culture is like, making them perfect for that task. In addition, request that top employees meet with candidates during interviews to discuss their role within the organization and what they enjoy most about working there.

Increase Compensation, Benefits and Perks

Offer compensation, benefits and perks that are greater than what your competitors offer. For example, research what the average salary is for a position in your industry and offer a slightly higher salary. Also, find out what the average benefits package is within your industry, beyond health insurance and a retirement plan, and add in other benefits your company can afford. In addition, determine what perks your employees value most, such as working remotely or setting their own schedule, and offer what you are able to. Furthermore, educate candidates on the value of your compensation, benefits and perks so that they understand they are highly valued and want to work for you.

Partner With WinCorp Solutions

For assistance with securing professional workers, get in touch with WinCorp Solutions.

The Importance of Staffing Firms

by

Staffing firms recruit, train and manage workers who help with companies’ production on an as-needed basis. Whether providing qualified workers for a few days or months or on a potentially permanent basis, utilizing staffing firms’ services can provide advantages for employers. Here are five reasons why staffing firms are important.

Expertise

Staffing firms’ employees are experts in their field. Because they typically have higher levels of education, skills and work experience, the employees are highly knowledgeable about companies’ job requirements, employment trends and best recruitment practices. Firms’ employees also remain current with news and trends in their industry, especially if they specialize in a specific niche, which provides additional value when sending workers to a company. In addition, because firms’ employees collectively have a larger network than a typical company does, firms can quickly provide qualified workers to fill job vacancies when needed. Furthermore, firms’ employees are well-trained in prescreening job candidates to fill an organization’s needs.

Flexibility

Working with staffing firms provides flexibility.  For example, if a company’s employee is absent due to a planned event such as a vacation or unplanned circumstances such as illness, using an employee from a staffing firm can replace the employee for as long as necessary. Also, if an employer is looking to fill a long-term position, they can offer a temporary-to-permanent position that allows the employer to observe a worker’s qualifications, personality and job performance before deciding whether to hire the worker as a permanent employee.

Productivity

Mixing temporary workers with employees helps improve productivity. For example, bringing aboard temporary workers during busy times can help reduce employee workloads, decrease work errors, lower absences and prevent burnout. Also, because staffing firms invest the time and money needed to recruit, train and retain temporary workers, hiring managers can focus on other production responsibilities.

Lower Cost

Partnering with staffing firms typically results in lower costs. For example, because temporary workers are the firm’s employees, the firm covers costs related to pre-employment testing, background checks, drug screens and other parts of the employment process. The firm also handles payroll processing and benefits administration, further reducing an employer’s labor costs. In addition, having the firm quickly provide workers when needed results in continued productivity rather than an open position that results in an employer spending time and money to do their own search. Furthermore, because workers are brought aboard only when needed, companies again save on labor costs.

Reduced Risk

Because there are many legal responsibilities involved with owning a company, bringing aboard temporary workers reduces risk. For example, being an employer involves paying payroll and different types of taxes; providing health, unemployment and other types of insurance; and complying with labor and employment laws. Also, employers face financial and operational risks such as hiring and firing employees or filling unexpected job vacancies. Since temporary workers are the staffing firm’s employees, the firm assumes associated risks.

Partner with WinCorp Solutions

Partnering with WinCorp Solutions will help fill your staffing needs. We ensure every candidate entering your office meets all your job requirements. Contact WinCorp Solutions today.

How Following Up Can Help You Get the Job

by

Following up after an interview is a vital part of your job search. Not only do you remain foremost in the interviewer’s mind, but you also provide reasons why you are the best candidate for the role. Here are four examples of how following up can help you get the job.

Thank the Interviewer for Their Time

Sending a thank-you note within 24 hours of your interview shows appreciation for the interviewer’s time. For example, email a quick note expressing gratitude for the interviewer taking the time to talk with you. Mention two or three main points you discussed so that you stand out in the interviewer’s mind. Close by expressing your interest in talking with the interviewer again soon.

Check in with the Interviewer

Following up lets you check in with the interviewer. If you have not heard from the interviewer within four or five days after your interview, send the interviewer a quick email. Thank the interviewer for meeting with you and ask for an update on the hiring decision. Also, ask whether the interviewer has any additional questions for you or needs more information. Chances are interviews are still being conducted, the hiring manager is out of the office or another work commitment took priority, which is why you have not heard anything.

Demonstrate Value to the Company

Following up shows additional ways you can add value to the company. You can mention a helpful idea you thought of after your interview, a question you should have asked or another example that highlights your abilities. Send a follow-up note to show you are still thinking about the interview and want to help the organization. Ask for an update on whether a hiring decision was made, then mention your suggestion or ask your business question. This shows you are still interested in and excited about the role and shows why you are the top candidate. Also, offering a business solution sets you apart from the competition and demonstrates you taking the initiative to solve problems.

Move Forward with Other Opportunities

Following up helps you more forward with your job search. For example, if you received a job offer from Company B but you truly want to work for Company A, you can send a quick email letting Company A know you were offered a position elsewhere but may turn it down to work for Company A. If Company A does not extend you an offer, you can either work for Company B or continue your job search.

Partner with WinCorp Solutions

Following up after an interview can help you get the job you want. For help securing your next professional position, contact WinCorp Solutions today.

The Biggest Problems Recruiters Face and How to Overcome Them

by

Recruiters face many issues each day. Whether it’s a shortage of talent or the market being too crowded, there are always challenges to defeat. Fortunately, there are steps recruiters can take to resolve those issues. Here are three of the biggest problems recruiters face and how to overcome them.

Hiring Managers May Not Collaborate Well

Hiring managers may not be as collaborative as they should be in the recruiting process. For example, managers in highly technical fields often believe sharing information with, or providing feedback to, recruiters is not worth their time because recruiters may not understand what is being said. However, without additional information and feedback, recruiters cannot provide the most qualified candidates for a position.

To encourage hiring managers to collaborate better, recruiters can work on strengthening relationships with them. For example, during the initial meeting, recruiters and hiring managers can set clear expectations for each other. Recruiters may use data to show managers the size of the hiring pool so managers can adjust their expectations accordingly. Both parties can agree to hold each other accountable for meeting the agreed-upon expectations. Also, recruiters and managers can regularly meet to discuss how many candidates applied, where the hiring manager is in the hiring process, whether a manager turned down a candidate or the role has been filled.

Qualified Talent Is Limited

Many fields may be facing a lack of qualified talent. As a result, many job openings remain vacant, and recruiters lose out on filling those opportunities.

To alleviate the lack of candidates who possess the skills and experience required for a position, recruiters can use data to determine the best places to focus their search. For example, LinkedIn’s Talent Pool Reports show where talent supply exceeds demand and provides more recruiting advantages.

Top Candidates Have Many Job Offers

Because highly qualified candidates may be actively pursuing opportunities through more than one recruiter, candidates may be deciding among multiple job offers. If a candidate accepts an offer that originated with one recruiter, despite all the time and effort invested in presenting the candidate with other opportunities, the other recruiters do not get paid.

To help reduce the frequency of losing candidates to another opportunity, recruiters should ensure each candidate has an exceptional interview experience. Ensure candidates have all their business questions answered during an interview. Also, because the interview that candidates care most about is the one with the hiring manager, recruiters can coach the candidate to make the interview more of a two-way conversation rather than an interrogation. In addition, because candidates appreciate meeting a company’s senior leader, recruiters can ask one to briefly talk with a candidate during the interview.

Partner with WinCorp Solutions

Partner with a staffing firm that provides answers to recruiters’ problems. Contact WinCorp Solutions today.