Writers Essay

Write a one-page summary for each article.69JULY 2009 / THE CPA JOURNAL By Susan H. Ivancevich, Daniel M. Ivancevich, and Richard Roscher With the economy facing a deeprecession and continuing joblosses, it is especially important for employees to strengthen job security by establishing a solid reputation at their work- place. While seasoned employees are aware of the requirements for profession- al success, many new hires lack such knowledge. Many accounting firms have been forced to lay off staff in recent months, so it is increasingly important to work proactively to establish a reputation as a hard-working, indispensable employ- ee who provides value to the firm. This article shares information gathered from accounting and recruiting profes- sionals to shed light on employer expec- tations during an employee’s first two years on the job. Accounting students, recent graduates, and new hires will find this advice useful when determining what strategies will create a strong, positive rep- utation at work. The Survey The authors surveyed 26 accounting and human resource professionals from the south- eastern United States to garner their opinions regarding best and worst practices for new hires during the first two years of employ- ment. As illustrated in Exhibit 1, respondents consisted primarily of professionals from accounting firms. Most had upper-level expe- rience in human resources, or as partners, directors, or managers. Firm size was fairly evenly split between smaller offices (150 or fewer employees) and larger offices (more than 150 employees). Small, medium, and large firms, as measured by revenues gener- ated, were equally represented. Best practices during the first two years of employment. New hires should start their careers on a positive note by striving to accomplish as many of the items listed in this section as possible. It is much eas- ier to develop a good reputation at the onset of one’s career, rather than trying to restore a tarnished reputation later. Exhibit 2 sum- marizes the best practices employees should follow during their first two years of employment. Volunteer for new assignments. Employers appreciate new hires who show initiative and seek out new assignments and responsi- bilities. If things are slow, an employee with unassigned time should approach managers in the office to see if there is anything she can do to assist in the office. After finishing one assignment, an employee should volunteer for another. Doing so is likely to increase her value in the office, and increase the likelihood of her name coming to mind when sched- ules are being prepared and assignments awarded. The First Two Years of Employment R E S P O N S I B I L I T I E S & L E A D E R S H I P p r o f e s s i o n a l d e v e l o p m e n t Strategies and Pitfalls 15 JULY 2009 / THE CPA JOURNAL70 Be a team player. During the first two years on the job, a new hire’s goal should be to do whatever it takes to earn recog- nition as a valuable member of the team. Emp