More women choosing accounting as a career

The accounting profession is attracting greater numbers of women, according to statistics released today by Australia’s peak accounting body, CPA Australia.

CPA Australia CEO Alex Malley said the ratio of women to men in the accounting profession had moved towards parity over the past decade or so – a trend that was reflected in CPA Australia’s membership figures.

The figures show 57 per cent of new entrants into the CPA program for 2010 were women and women now accounted for 43 per cent of CPA Australia’s 129,000 members.

In 2000, CPA Australia’s membership included just over 27,000 females. This figure has now reached 55,000 compared with nearly 74,000 men. Read more

Fall Back in Love with Your Job

The word ‘love’ is not a word most of us associate with ‘work’, as work is about function, purpose and necessity, while love is a blissful emotion associated with immense happiness. But like the personal relationships we have in our lives, our relationship with our job can often present the same challenges and play the same role in influencing our day-to-day happiness.

Fiona Webster, Head of Career Coaching & Outplacement at recruitment & HR services company, Randstad, believes we need to treat work more like a relationship to see its positive benefits.

If you were asked to rate ‘love’ and ‘work’ on life’s happiness barometer, it would be rare to find them on the same scale, but think about the 168 hours there are in a week and how many of those you spend working. So learning to love your day job is vital to achieving a happy balance both at and away from the office.

It takes two
Like love, work is a two-way street, if you don’t feel satisfied about what you’re getting out of your role, then it might pay to give more to your day-to-day activities. Sometimes, ‘you only get out what you put in’ and thinking of ways to improve your basic daily tasks can give you more satisfaction and provide more value to those around you. In the same way, contributing more to your team or getting involved in social activities at work might hold the key to a healthier two-way relationship in 2010. Read more

Employers in hot pursuit of Plug ‘N Play Graduates

With baby boomers cutting back on their hours, marketing industries including PR, event management and journalism, will struggle to fill the void.

“The alumni of 2009 and 2010 have large boots to fill as baby boomers start to step aside. As a result employers will be looking for graduates that ‘have it all’ and can hit the ground running,” says David McDonald, Head of College, APM College of Business and Communication.

“Employers are not looking for ‘technicrats’. They want graduates with practical experience behind them, who can apply that experience the moment they walk in the door. A solid knowledge of the industry, a can-do attitude and the drive to deliver immediate results is a must in this fast-paced industry,” he said.

“Star-graduates will always be in demand, but businesses are under pressure to identify those that can manage a number of different responsibilities. They want staff that adapt quickly, are flexible, multi-skilled and can wear the many ‘hats’ that come with their role.” Read more

How to work the office Christmas party to get ahead

While the office Christmas party is the time of the year when companies keep their promise of making work fun, the mix of Baby Boomers, Gen X and Y can create a formula for disaster for young up-and-comers, says a leading authority on Gen Y.

For the young and ambitious, the office Christmas party provides the perfect opportunity to network with those who can give you a leg up on the corporate ladder. But whether you’re there to work the room, or just want to have fun, never forget you’re still at work and as such, all the usual rules still apply.

Dominic Thurbon, leading authority on Gen Y from the Centre for Skills Development and a Gen Y himself, has 10 tips for his peers on how to make a Christmas party work for them.

Dominic Thurbon’s Ten Tips for Gen Y to work the Christmas party to get ahead are:

1. Have a plan and make it work
There are two main objectives. One is to have a good time and celebrate – let’s not forget it is a party! The
second is to meet people and network in a relaxed environment.

2. Work the room
Do it like you’re not working it at all. In organisations where senior management is dominated by Xers and
Boomers, there can sometimes be unfair perceptions about younger people at work. You do yourself no favours if you’re fake. Stick to genuine conversation and show interest in other people. Read more

Former Banker Leads Not for Profit Organisation

Some executives are climbing to the top of the corporate ladder only to find once they get there, they are unfulfilled. No longer content to spend their entire working lives chasing a bigger salary and the corner office, they are leaving the corporate world behind to take up roles in not for profit organisations.

After 25 years in banking, including her most recent role as a Vice President with Citibank, Kate Frost (pictured) joined a colleague in the not for profit sector six years ago. Today Kate Frost is CEO of the YWCA in NSW and despite earning only a fraction of what she use to earn in banking, Kate says she has never been happier. Read more

Insights from a Leading Female CFO

Gillian Larkins, Chief Financial Officer of Westpac Institutional Bank (pictured), features in the second instalment of the CFO Masters Series by specialist recruitment firm, Robert Half.

In the video of her interview with Stuart Cameron, Gillian Larkins offers open and honest insights into what it takes to become a leading CFO. She also talks about her own female role models; challenges that she faces as CFO; the importance of networking; the path towards achieving work/life balance; and the crucial role of mentors. Read more

Lifting the Lid on Australia’s Top CFO’s

Specialist recruitment firm Robert Half has launched the CFO Masters Series; an online video series that features personal and professional insights from some of Australia’s leading Chief Financial Officers.

The CFO Masters Series, featuring CFOs from Colonial First State bank, CSIRO, Procter & Gamble, Qantas, Westpac and more, gives viewers practical career advice and insights into the personalities that lead and shape the financial and strategic directions of some of Australia’s most important private and public sector companies.

“The program gives viewers unprecedented access to some of the most influential CFOs in Australia,” said David Jones, Managing Director of Robert Half Asia Pacific. “It uncovers their main leadership qualities, how they got to the position of CFO and what keeps them motivated in their roles.”

Designed especially for accounting and finance professionals, from graduates through to senior finance managers, the series offers aspiring CFOs the opportunity to hear some of their role models share strategic market insights and what they see as the main issues and opportunities in the finance sector.

The series begins with Mark Steinberg, Chief Financial Officer of Colonial First State Global Asset Management (pictured).

During the interview Steinberg gives candid advice to all levels of aspiring CFOs about how to strategically deal with financial issues; what learning approaches are recommended; and the importance of networking for career progression. “In terms of being able to progress career opportunities, it is very important to be well networked throughout your organisation,” he said. Read more

Adjusting to a New Boss

The market is changing, many companies are reassessing headcount and as a result we’ve seen mass redundancies in recent months.

With redundancy comes opportunity, many professionals will secure new work and will need to learn once again how to shine as the ‘new recruit’. James Nicholson, Managing Director of Robert Walters Australia offers some advice on how to survive a new job and inevitably, a new boss.

One of the most exciting challenges in a professional’s career is starting a new job but this can also be a very stressful and demanding time. Professionals must realise that the job will never be exactly as they expected although if you anticipate the challenges ahead, your transition can be much smoother. A new job means new relationships, new ways of doing things and new expectations.

Not only has your workplace changed but so has your boss. Many professionals will say that adjusting to a new boss is the hardest part about starting a new job; others will feel it to be the easiest. In order to ensure your new role starts well, it’s important that you let go of your old boss and accept that your new boss will have new priorities, a new focus and almost certainly, a new way of doing things.

It is important to figure out the communication style of your new boss, find out how they like to work and how they like things done. Be proactive and initiate a meeting with your new boss to discuss how they like to work and then adapt. This will help you get an understanding of what is expected of you and help set clear expectations.

Working under a new boss can be challenging, however it is an experience that should be embraced. Learn everything you can from the experience, try and empathise with the boss’ situation, this will ease the transition for you both. Ultimately it is just as important for you to manage your new boss, as it is for them to manage you. And remember – it’s up to the both of you to make the relationship work.

Robert Walters is a leading global recruitment consultancy, specialising in placing high calibre professionals into permanent, contract and temporary positions at all levels. For more information visit the website www.robertwalters.com.au

Source: Robert Walters

Call for Ambassadors for the Year of Women in Local Government 2010

Local Government Managers Australia (LGMA), on behalf of the National Steering Committee for the Year of Women in Local Government is calling for nominations for ambassadors for 2010.

The topic of women in local government and in particular women in management and leadership positions in local government has been around for a long time. Currently women in senior management roles represent only 20% of the local government workforce; a representation that has not changed since 1996. Only 5% of chief executives or general managers are women, and women represent less than 30% of all elected members.

In order to address this issue and promote the advancement of women in management and leadership roles within local government a national steering committee has been formed to facilitate the Year of Women in Local Government in 2010 to raise awareness and educate the local government sector on the value and contribution of women as leaders. The steering committee is made up of members from all levels of government, professional and elected member associations, peak bodies and local government representatives; and is supported by LGMA National. Read more

Career Management Services for Professionals and Executives at all levels

Kylie Hammond represents executive candidates via her exclusive Talent Agent Programs, manages a number of Executive Search engagements for her clients and coaches a range of clients across executive, leadership, sales, business, women’s issues and career development areas.

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A unique Resume Writing Service suitable for all aspiring talented individuals including First Line Supervisor, Administrative, First Line Technical, Clerical, Support and Graduate level applicants. Start off with a professional resume that achieves results. Delivery Time: 5-7 Working Days from booking. Service is delivered by a Kylie Hammond certified resume writer. Click Here to book online today! Read more

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