Diversity Inclusion at the Big 4 Accounting Firms

Diversity Inclusion at the Big 4 Accounting Firms The history of discrimination and male-dominance is evident within the accounting industry, but times have changed. Today, according to Catalyst,  more than half (61.3%) of all accountants and auditors are women. This is a staggering increase from the 39% they had in 1983, which at that time was considered a giant step forward. But while this is brilliant,  only 24% of partners at accounting firms are women. And about women of color? Or men of color? The stats are limited, so we decided to take our own  look. We used our proprietary methodology, the  Employer Brand Index, to collect all the diversity and inclusion user-generated data available about  Deloitte,  PWC,  EY  and  KPMG  from platforms such as Twitter, Glassdoor, Quora and more in Q2 of 2018. Heres what we found: A clear commitment to female inclusivity What is apparent is that there is a real commitment to empowering women at the Big 4, a consistency we also found studying the  Top 10 Tech Companies  using our Employer Brand Index methodology. The findings, especially regarding females is staggeringly similar between the accounting industry and the tech industry. One the one hand we found plenty of comments regarding the female-friendly environs being created at the Big 4, the flexibility of schedules for working mothers and more. On the other hand, both industries lack women in leadership positions and a gender disparity in pay. But the overall outlook on women at the Big 4 is positive, and we look forward to seeing females flourish in accounting as time goes on! The evolution of the traditional accountant The stereotype that accounting is only for men, specifically heterosexual men, is now laughable. It just isn’t the real representation of the accounting industry, at least at the Big 4. Over time we’ve seen super positive increases in the number of females earning accounting degrees at college, as well as the evident excellent balance of men and women in accounting roles. But that gender inclusion we see, based on our findings, is evolving and we see far more LGBTQ-inclusion at the biggest accounting firms in the world, as well as a mission to hire more and more people of color. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s evident that the Big 4 firms are supportive of diversity efforts and contribute a significant amount of time to improve areas of diversity within their workplaces. The inevitability of positive discrimination A consistent theme throughout the commentary on EY, Deloitte, KPMG, and PWC, was this issue of positive discrimination or even reverse racism. Something we see not only in the accounting industry but also the tech, FMCG and more. This issue of, mainly, favoring a specific set of individuals over others, such as gender, sex, age or race. We’ve seen it mentioned in almost all of the big companies we have worked with.  An example of this specifically regarding the Big 4, is the hiring policies people believe are occurring, that favor woman and people of color over males, specifically white men. And while you should always hire the best person for the role, regardless of gender, sex, race, religion or age, the moral case for building a more inclusive and diverse workplace is indisputable. So battling between these two aspects is a challenge for the biggest companies in the world, and because of that diversity at work can never be perfect. But you can do a good job of it and actively try to improve it, and as the scores show for the Big 4, they seem to be doing just that. Interested in how your company measures up for DI and other attributes? Check out the  Employer Brand Index  today.

How Important Is a Resume Edge?

How Important Is a Resume Edge?To excel in your career, you need to learn how to write a resume edge. This is something that a lot of people forget. They should remember that the entire resume process should be meticulously designed and everything should flow smoothly from start to finish.You would be surprised to know that a resume can be used to get a prospective employer interested in your skills and interests in a person's life. You may think that this is just a good excuse to include a lot of irrelevant details in your resume. Well, no! In fact, this is very important and it could actually help you land a job.Most people think that writing resumes for prospective employers is too difficult and that it takes years of experience in order to be effective. They think that if they do not have the technical knowledge about the job market then they should not bother to write resumes. Well, this may be true at first but this does not always work out well. After all, what we do is primar ily focused on getting our resume noticed. It is through these skills that you stand a chance of landing a job.A resume edge is defined as an effective way of promoting yourself. The better you are at writing, the more effective your resume edge will be. A resume edge can either be you talking about your skills and interests in your personal life or it can be you being hired by a company. A little research and self-promotion can help you achieve your career goals and be noticed.The easiest way to get a resume edge is to keep things simple. Instead of writing a fancy and specific resume that will be detailed and specific, you should write an overview of what you can offer a company. If you want to become an entrepreneur, a recruiter may ask you for a short description of yourself. A simple outline will give you an idea of what to put in your resume. You can then build up on the summary and add more information in the body of the resume.There are a lot of resume edges that you can use . You can highlight the positives of your experience in your resume or you can simply put a link to your experience in a company. Do not hesitate to be creative; sometimes the best way to find out about something is to show off the magic behind it. Simply put your experience in a company in an interesting way. You will get a better response by going beyond the confines of the job description.You can also use a resume edge that will attract the attention of the readers of your resume. Sometimes, there are people who look up the resume of people who they are interested in so that they can find out more about them. If you have a personal statement, you can also include a link to it so that the reader can read it before they consider hiring you. The same goes for your references.There are a lot of reasons why it is important to use a resume edge. The answer is pretty simple: it will help you secure a job. If you apply for the same job over again, you will simply lose your chances of get ting a job. Your resume edge will help you be noticed so that when you are called for an interview, the company will be interested in you.

Going back to grad school 5 Must Read Tips For Your Significant Other

Going back to grad school 5 Must Read Tips For Your Significant Other Todays post, written by Erica Moss, is for those of us who are married or dating a student in grad school.  Erica Moss is the social media outreach coordinator for Georgetown University’s online  Masters in Nursing  program, which has one of the nation’s leading  online nurse practitioner programs. She loves exploring New York City, photography and meeting new people. When my husband received his acceptance letter from a top MBA school in New York City, I was ecstatic. All of his hard work was finally paying off, and we would be starting a new adventure in one of the greatest cities in the world.  But it’s not always unicorns and rainbows, and my husband tried to mentally prepare me for the grueling class schedule, intense recruiting period, and happy-hour-a-day culture that we would encounter. But it’s tough to truly wrap your brain around the express train that is But it’s not always unicorns and rainbows, and my husband tried to mentally prepare me for the grueling class schedule, intense recruiting period, and happy-hour-a-day culture that we would encounter. But it’s tough to truly wrap your brain around the express train that is business school until you’re in the thick of it, holding on for dear life. So for those who are just starting the process and wondering what to  expect â€" and for those who have been through it and need a good laugh â€" here  are a few nuggets of wisdom I’ve gathered along the way. If you are the spouse or partner of someone going back to grad school, these tips  will help you navigate the waters: During orientation week, life will feel like a never-ending frat party. Like the mother who fosters a connection with her newborn in the first month of its life, the week before school starts is a crucial bonding period for new b-school students. As such, his or her every waking hour will be occupied by pep rallies, cluster/block (groups of students) competitions, pre-happy hours and more. As the student’s better half, you’ll be encouraged to attend any event you can, and you’ll soon find yourself wondering how you’ll ever be able to keep up with their schedule and yours. It gets better (somewhat), but it can be exhausting to push through that first week. Expect to get less help with chores around the house. My husband is recruiting in banking, which is notorious for being one of the biggest time-suck processes for any b-school student, including countless hours of schmoozing, informational interviews and writing thank-you notes. So when he leaves the house at 9 a.m. and doesn’t get home until 11 p.m., it can be tough to ask him to do something like taking out the trash. It is not, however, a Get Out of Jail Free card for the entire two years, and it is OK to still expect them to be a productive member of your household.  My advice: Pick your battles, and keep reminding yourself that your b-school student is also sacrificing a lot for the greater good of your future together. All business school students suffer from FOMO. It’s the fear of missing out, and most are powerless against it. The thought of not being able to talk about that crazy (insert ridiculous story here) thing that happened at Jake’s Dilemma the following day in your Corporate Finance class is almost unbearable. And it’s important to understand that while attending each and every event isn’t feasible; there is value in the relationships they are building at these social events. They are, arguably, more important than anything they’re learning in class, because it’s helping to build the foundation for a network that will be fostered throughout the rest of their career. It’s OK to push back if it’s becoming too much, because your life as a couple is important, too, but keep in mind: It really is about much more than drinking and casual conversations. They’ll welcome you with open arms. I may as well be pursuing my MBA at this point because I have become fully entrenched in the community. My husband’s fellow students are Facebook friends of mine, they offered to connect me with their former colleagues when I was job hunting, and they usually ask where I am if he attends an event without me. This isn’t me tooting my own horn; it’s simply to illustrate the idea that these people have embraced me as one of their own, and helped make the transition to business school student’s wife a bearable â€" and enjoyable â€" one. With all they have going on, it would be easy for them not to make an effort, but that just isn’t the case. Communicate till you’re blue in the face.   In general, my husband and I have always had open lines of communication. We swap work frustrations, family drama, celebrity gossip, and more. But something happened as soon as he went back to grad school. Soon he was coming and going, not knowing which way was up, and certainly not organized enough to let me know whether he’d be home at 1 p.m. or 1 a.m. It felt chaotic, it felt out of control, and I felt like, God forbid there was an emergency, I’d have no sense of where on the island of Manhattan he might be. So we started talking more about his schedule. In the morning, I’ll often ask him what’s on his plate for the day, and not only does it give me a general idea of where he’ll be, but it also shows that I’m interested in what he’s got going on. We even ended up sharing a Google Calendar that I can pull up and see, “Oh, that’s right, I shouldn’t expect him for dinner tonight because he has an event in Midtown.” I don’t need to know where he is every second of the day, by any stretch, but by keeping those lines of communication open, it helps things run more smoothly. I’d love to hear about the experiences of other significant others: Was your transition back to grad school a challenging one? Did anything surprise you? Let us know in the comments.

Maximizing Crunch Time Five Tips for those about to Graduate

Maximizing Crunch Time Five Tips for those about to Graduate Here are five “tips” for those of you out there about to enter the “real world”. The following is a guest post by Matt Cheuvront. Matt is an Internet Marketing Developer/Designer and master of ceremonies over at Life Without Pants. Follow him on Twitter to keep in touch! You’re about to enter into the “real world”. Pretty scary stuff, I know. So far you’ve had it all planned out for you â€" go to class, work your part time job, out to parties on Friday, Saturday, and (sometimes) Sunday night. Life’s much easier when the road is paved ahead. And now, in a couple months, you’re going to have to take a turn off the beaten path and start “figuring it out on your own”. To say the least, it’s no easy task. Maybe you’re like I was when I approached graduation â€" I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life â€" and it terrified me. I felt like I had done all of that school and it had provided me with no real sense of direction. In fact, I feel more confused than ever. Or maybe you DO know exactly what you want to do, but don’t know how to get there, don’t know who to talk to or how to get your foot in the door… In either case, this is it…Crunch time. One of those defining moments that requires a lot of hustle, a lot of dedication, and some tough skin â€" it’s not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, you’re going to get denied, but you’ll also, if you stick with it, find whatever it is you’re looking for. Here are five “tips” for those of you out there about to enter the “real world”. Don’t jump right back into school I am not against higher education â€" not at all. But what I have seen time and time again is people turn to school as an escape route â€" not ready or willing to see what the career world has in store for them, they decide they “have to” go back for their Masters. My plea to you is simple. Think about it. Think before you take the leap and make sure that’s the direction you want to go in. Don’t assume that more school will figure everything out for you, and don’t use it to delay working a full-time job. There’s a lot to be said for self-education and life experience. Start a blog You will not find a bigger advocate for starting a blog â€" not only from a personal standpoint, but a professional one as well. Regardless of the field you are looking to get into â€" a blog can be your ticket to three VERY important things: Learning, networking, skill building. By starting a blog, you put your ideas out there, and hopefully, you maintain an open mind and surround yourself with other people who are smarter than you. Learn from them â€" network with other bloggers â€" ask questions â€" and work on adding skills and experience to your own “resume”. Even if you don’t think you’re a great writer or think you have nothing to say â€" you’d be surprised what happens when you start having faith in yourself and take even a small step out of your comfort zone. Network with everyone, everywhere This one is simple. If there’s a networking event in your city â€" go to it. Grab a friend so you don’t have to feel awkward not knowing anyone. Whether it’s a professional event or a group getting together for beers, there’s never harm in getting out there and meeting new people. Go buy yourself a box of cheap business cards (or hell â€" make some of your own) and hand them out. Exchange e-mails, phone numbers, blog URL’s â€" whatever. Knowing a lot of people from diverse backgrounds is extremely important â€" and you never know when someone can help you out, or point you in the right direction of someone else. Apply for jobs you are unqualified for You’re scouring job boards, rifling through Craigslist, and everything you see is asking for 3-7 years of experience, right? Man do I know what that feels like â€" it’s tough to find something that’s in line with what you want, and what you think you’re worth (even coming straight out of college). The bottom line: Don’t sell yourself short â€" apply for jobs you aren’t technically qualified for. If nothing else, a few HR reps will probably be impressed that you’d be so bold as to even send in your resume. “Requested Experience” isn’t set in stone, and you don’t have to limit yourself to ONLY entry-level work. Don’t be afraid to “settle” Settling is an ugly word, isn’t it? I can’t stand it really, but I think it makes the most sense here. You’re probably reading a lot of books and blogs, talking to a lot of people like me who have “been there” recently â€" and they’re telling you to shoot for the stars, and accept nothing less than the absolute best. I’m not a dream-zapper. Quite the contrary actually â€" I’ll be the first one to tell you that you should go out and get exactly what you want. BUT, there are also “real life” things that come into play. You’re out on your own, you have to pay the bills, and you may be supporting other people. It’s OK to take a job that isn’t 100% ideal. It’s OK to work a position that’s essentially a “just a paycheck”. Just remember these three things: 1. Money is money â€" and unfortunately, it’s a necessity. Never discount a good old fashioned paycheck. 2. Attitude is everything. Approach EVERY opportunity with a positive attitude, open mind, and a desire to learn SOMETHING from your experience. 3. It isn’t forever. That job you “settled” for doesn’t have to be forever â€" in fact, you and I know it won’t â€" because eventually you WILL find that amazing job you always wanted. Maybe you’ll figure out you want to be your own boss and you’ll start a company. Take the experience for what it’s worth and do everything you can to hustle and find something better. God Speed and good luck to you my soon-to-be real-worlders. It can be a scary place out there, but luckily, there are a lot of people out there who are more than willing to help.

Los Angeles - The Best Professional Resume Writing Services

Los Angeles - The Best Professional Resume Writing ServicesThe best professional resume writing services in Los Angeles are in great demand today. Since the recession has become a serious issue, more people have realized that they do not have any other option but to hire professional writers to write their resumes.If you have never considered hiring a professional resume writer in Los Angeles before, then you must really think about it. Most of the recent graduates who are contemplating a career change have probably already hired a professional resume writer in their locality. If you are currently looking for the best professional resume writing services in Los Angeles, the following list of recommendations should get you started.First, find a company that is certified by the American Association of Professional Resume Writers (AAPRW). There are several other organizations that you can choose from, but they do not have a perfect certification. Make sure that you get the highest degre e of professionalism from the company that you hire. This certification is an essential step in determining if you are hiring a good resume writer or not. The AAPRW credential guarantees that the person is a professional in the field of writing resumes and would therefore be competent enough to deliver a quality output.Second, talk to your potential resume writer and ask him about his previous experiences. This will help you find out how many resumes he has done for different clients and what were his chances of success.Third, when you interview your potential resume writer, tell him straight out what you want in your resume. You should also ask him about the format of the resume. Finally, be very specific about the requirements you want from the resume.Fourth, do a background check on the company that you are thinking of hiring for the best professional resume writing services in Los Angeles. This will not only help you check whether the company is authentic, but it will also provi de you with vital information about the professional writers who work for that company. You can look up the member's only forum of the association to determine the track record of the company. You can also look up reviews written by clients to see if the writers can deliver on their promises.Finally, choose a company that can handle the particular needs of your resume writing project. Look at their past projects and the records of past clients to find out if the writers can really make the promised results. A long-term client should be able to produce a quality resume at least once per month.With these tips, you should be able to choose the best professional resume writing services in Los Angeles. The professionals that you hire will surely be able to deliver the expected results.

Beauty Therapy Apprenticeship A Fast Guide To A New Career

Beauty Therapy Apprenticeship A Fast Guide To A New Career If you are looking for a career in the beauty industry, then you might decide to apply for a beauty therapy apprenticeship. This involves going straight from school, into the workplace, and learning on-the-job. By the end of this process, you will have achieved exactly the same results as you would have from a standard college course, but on top of this you will also have valuable workplace experience.Some salons will have a training scheme, whereby a member of staff will spend 1 day a week of your beauty therapy apprenticeship, teaching you the same anatomical material as you would learn in college. Others may require you to spend 1 day a week in college, and the rest of the time performing practical theory as a junior member of staff. At the end of your apprenticeship, you will sit a very similar examination/series of tests to those we listed in the previous chapter.Many salons work directly as partners to local schools or colleges, in order to make this transition as smooth as pos sible. Salons generally look for candidates between the ages of 16-19, with C grades in both Maths and English. If the candidates do not have these grades, they will be required to take part in a separate course alongside their training, to get them to the required level.There are both advantages, and disadvantages, to choosing a beauty therapy apprenticeship instead of enrolling in a college course. Advantages to a Beauty Therapy ApprenticeshipYour learning group will be much smaller than at college, which means you will have more one-to-one time with whomever is teaching you.You will earn money, while you learn.You will gain crucial industry experience from the frontline of a beauty salon.You will increase your employability, both by working with a potential future employer of the salon you are training in; and if you do have ambitions to work independently, will gain contacts and potential clients.We asked our salon expert, who regularly takes on apprentices at her salon, what sh e feels the biggest advantage is:‘I feel that the apprenticeship option makes for a more confident therapist, both socially and professionally. College leavers are very nervous, very slow at treatments and often need training before they can work on clients. I have also found that therapists who took the apprentice option are far more comfortable in retailing products, and don’t feel as if they are pressurising the client to buy.’ Disadvantages to a Beauty Therapy ApprenticeshipWorking straight after leaving school leaves no time for ‘growing up’.Often a small group dynamic can cause social issues.Our resident expert elaborated on what she thinks is the biggest disadvantage of taking on apprentices:‘I believe the only disadvantage is that after a few months they can be overconfident. You sometimes have to pull them back, as they think they can do more than they are capable of. If they make a mistake, then the salon has to fix it.’ Beauty Therapy Apprenticeship Intervie wIf your application is successful, you will be invited to an interview with the salon. For apprenticeships, this will take the form of an informal chat, where the salon owner gets to know you and decides whether you are a suitable candidate as an apprentice. If are a younger candidate, you may not have any relevant experience with interviews. The process may be unfamiliar, and extremely daunting. We asked our resident expert, who trains apprentices in her salon, what she thinks makes a good and bad candidate:‘A good candidate is someone who is on time, well spoken, meets the educational entry requirements, maintains good eye contact during the interview and is well presented. I look for candidates who maintain obvious care of their nails, wear light day make-up and have good personal hygiene. I also love candidates who ask questions, as this shows an interest in both me and my business.A bad candidate, on the other hand, will have poor time keeping, appearance and communicational skills. Chipped nail polish is a big sign of this. I don’t mind candidates who are shy, but if they can’t hold a conversation with me then they won’t be able to hold a conversation with clients, and that’s fundamental to working in the industry.’This statement should give you a great idea of what you should, and shouldn’t do, during an interview. But what about what you should, and shouldn’t say? Here’s a few examples:1. Why are you interested in doing an apprenticeship, instead of going to college?This is a question you should expect to see in almost every apprenticeship interview you attend. The interviewer is asking for confirmation of the fact that you understand, on a basic level at the very least, the differences between working as an apprentice and taking a college course. The interviewer is also asking you to elaborate on what you feel the benefits of working as an apprentice are, and how this is more suitable for you personally as opposed to going to these to construct your answer.Sample response:I’m interested in doing an apprenticeship for a number of reasons. Firstly, I’m someone with a hard work ethic, who is really interested in working within the beauty industry. I feel that learning on the job would be much more beneficial and interesting than attending college. I want to be on the frontline so to speak, and the opportunity to learn directly from professionals such as yourself would be hugely advantageous to my future career prospects. I’d like to work in a salon full time, and the experience this could provide me surpasses anything I believe I could learn within college. I’m really keen to further my employability skills, and I think this is the best way to do it.2. Why do you want to work as an apprentice for this salon?This is another, very popular question. Just as they would in a regular job interview, the salon is looking for some confirmation of the fact you have researched them beforehand, and that they have qua lities that are attractive to you. Don’t be afraid to flatter the salon here. Use the internet to research particular products, services and treatments that the salon offers, which you can then mention in the interview; ring the salon prior to the interview and enquire as to what services they offer (if they don’t have a website) or even go in and have a treatment. Mention the atmosphere of the salon and the friendliness of the staff as positive reasons for your decision to apply.Sample response:Well, there are a number of different things that attracted me to this salon. Aside from the location, as it’s just five minutes away, I know you perform Rose Body and Facial treatments. From doing internet research, and hearing friends and family talk about these treatments, I’m really interested to give them a go. I’m also excited about the idea of performing Electrolysis and Reflexology, both of which I know are offered here at this salon. I’ve been into this salon before, and the staff were always so friendly and helpful; I’d love to be a part of that atmosphere, and hopefully I could bring some new ideas and lots of enthusiasm to the team. My Mum and I are huge users of their products, so it would be great to promote and sell these in the future.3. What makes you a unique candidate?This question is essentially asking you to sell yourself, as you would a product in the salon. The asker wants to know the reasons why they should consider you, over other applicants. It is a great question, as it allows you to talk about your strengths as a candidate and why the salon should take you on as an apprentice. Take a deep breath before answering, think about your response and structure it so that the salon understands exactly why you would make an ideal candidate for the apprenticeship. Remember all the positive qualities we listed in the CV, and consider exactly how these can be applied to a role in a beauty salon.Sample Response:There are many different quali ties that set me apart from other candidates. First of all, I believe my enthusiasm for the role is unmatched. I’m hugely interested in the beauty industry, I subscribe regularly to beauty forums, magazines and websites, and I’m absolutely meticulous when it comes to my appearance. I’d love to use these values within the professional environment, and I think I’d be a great representative for your salon in this respect. Secondly, my teamwork and leadership skills are at an extremely high level. As a competitive sports woman at school, and captain of both hockey and football, I have a fantastic understanding of the unity and co-operation required to work within, and lead a team, and I would use these skills within the workplace.Lastly, my work experience at Smith Street Salon gives me vital previous experience and knowledge of the work place environment. I can put the skills I picked up from this role to immediate and effective use. I’m someone who really wants to improve, b etter myself and learn new skills, and this salon would be the perfect place for me to do that. Products You Might Be Interested InWritten in conjunction with real industry experts, How2Become have produced a groundbreaking and authentic guide on How To Become A Beauty Therapist. Packed with tips on treatment technique, college module guides, interview tips, and even advice on how to set up your own business, this is the ultimate resource for any aspiring beauty therapist. 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Top Signs Youve Found A Brilliant Employer - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Top Signs Youve Found A Brilliant Employer Most people would live to work for employers who care about their wellbeing. However, spotting the best bosses and companies can seem like a lot of hard work. Some people might look like they’re perfect during the interview process, but they soon change when you sign their contracts. With that in mind, I thought you could benefit from some small insights into the situation. Below this section, you’ll find just some of the signs you’ve found a brilliant employer. They run an assistance program The infographic attached to this post lists all the benefits of an employee assistance program. If you find an employer who offers something similar, you might have found your place in the world. At the end of the day, nobody wants to work for people who don’t care about them. Programs of that nature suggest they show some interest at least. They offer competitive wages Working for the minimum wage can seem demeaning, and it also means you’re getting ripped off in most instances. Employers like to keep their salaries as low as possible to maximise their profits. However, people who find a job that pays a decent wage are probably dealing with a good boss. They organise team building activities Most business owners don’t give a second thought to the people working on their staff. So, those who decide to arrange activities for their workers are in the top 20%. If your boss decides to take everyone paintballing for the day, they’re better than most the other managers out there. Now you know how to spot the signs of an awesome employer, you should have an easier time identifying the best jobs. With a bit of luck, you should never dread waking up in the morning again! Infographic Created By Health Assured