How to Quit Your Job With Class

How to Quit Your Job With ClassHow to Quit Your Job With ClassTheres no easy way around it. Quitting your job is awkward at best and downright disastrous at worst. And although you may have fantasies of pulling a Steven Slater la JetBlue, I wouldnt recommend it- no matter how much you loved or hated your last gig.So, how exactly does one quit with grace? On its own, the fact that youve found greener pastures- whether thats with a new job or taking some time off- is a statement about how you feel about your current job It isnt good enough, and youre moving on.But that doesnt mean thats the message you should be sending your soon-to-be-former colleagues. In fact, for the sake of your professional relationships (bedrngnis to mention reputation) moving forward, you always want to part on good terms.Ive handed in a few resignations in my time, varying from happy to hesitant, and heres how I did it.1. Stay Absolutely Positively PositiveNobody likes a negative Nelly- ever. So if youre plan ning an exodus, dishing the dirt on your employer is never a good idea. Im not saying you need to sugarcoat anything, but if you have any less than fuzzy feelings about your job, keep them to yourself. As soon as youve decided to pull the trigger, make a point of keeping the negativity to a minimum in the geschftszimmer. Smile. Tell people theyre doing a good job. Say nice things about your company and your team.If youre on your way out, it helps everyone if they feel like its a tough decision for you and that you feel youre leaving a good organization. Even if that isnt totally true, your colleagues still have to wake up and go to work after youre gone, so theres no reason to make them feel bad about what theyre deckenfries with if youve moved on to greener pastures. 2. Schedule a Face to Face- or SeveralWhen you quit, feelings will be hurt. I know- this is business and feelings arent supposed to be part of the equation- but when it comes to people youve been working with (or manag ing) for years, they are. Not everyone will be as excited about you moving on as you are, but you can soften the blow by delivering the berichterstattung in person. Finding out your colleague is leaving in a team meeting doesnt exactly inspire loyalty, so save yourself the drama and spill the beans to those who matter most, before the news goes public.Start with your boss (heres how to do it), then tell him or her youll be sharing the news personally with your colleagues as well. This is not a step to be taken lightly- choose your people carefully. Title and tenure arent necessarily the most important factors, but rather, consider who youve worked with most closely and connected with most over the years. Basically, figure out whose opinion you really value, and make sure they hear about your exodus first.Tell your colleagues that you had a tough decision to make, how much youve liked working with them, and how much your professional relationship has meant to you. Thank them for all theyve done to get you into the position to take the next step in your career, and tell them youd like to stay in touch after youre gone. Do this genuinely for everyone on your list (and then, you know, actually do stay in touch), and youll assure you have strong supporters long after youve moved on.3. Get Your S**t TogetherThis was a toss-up for point 1, so pay attention. If you want to leave on good terms, then leave with your house in order. I cant tell you how many times Ive had colleagues leave, doing everything right- until the rest of us had to pick up where they left off and found a convoluted maze of paperwork and loose ends. Dont do this- I repeat, do not do this, ever. If youre going to leave and you dont want to be blacklisted for life, make sure you have your s**t lined up before you walk out that door. Nothing ruins a reputation like leaving a mess for someone else to clean up. It doesnt matter how many manuals youve created or how many people youve trained, if you hav ent tied up all your loose ends before you walk out that door, I guarantee someone will be cursing you before you have the chance to ask for a reference (which, by the way, you will need one day).If it takes overtime and working on weekends, do it. Dig through your email, listen to all those voicemails youve ignored, and rifle through those mysterious pieces of paper floating on your desk. Run the hit by a bus scenario to determine what your colleagues couldnt figure out easily if you were suddenly hit by a bus, and fix that, pronto. Most importantly, keep a detailed guide for anything out of the ordinary, including contact information for people whove been helpful in the past. Put yourself in the position of the colleagues who will be filling in for you Remember the tasks that stressed you out the most, then make sure youve given them the tools to handle those tasks with ease. While they may not immediately appreciate your thoroughness, I guarantee theyll be cursing you less after youve gone, and that means one more bridge intact.Once youve got that handled, youre ready for step 4.4. Leave EarlyThe long goodbye. While its one of my favorite novels, its not so great when it comes to your exit from a job. While most of us likely dream of the entire office dusting up a fantastic kerfuffle upon our departure, the reality is no one needs the extended remix of your quitting. Once youve decided when your last day will be, plan to hand in your access badge a few hours before quitting time. Your last day will be awkward, no matter what you do, so save everyone the pain and suffering and use this opportunity to cut out a bit early. Make a round around the office to say goodbye, knowing everyone really important to you already knows where to find you- and where youll be for an early happy hour- and thats all you need to do.Dont drag out your exit any longer than needed, and everyone will thank you for it. Not to mention this might be the first and last time youll ever g et off work early.Theres just one caveat to avoiding the long goodbye Make sure everyone knows this isnt goodbye. Tell people where youre going and how they can get in touch with you. If its not appropriate to send a company-wide email sharing this info- sometimes it really isnt- then make sure at least one person has the info, then as youre going through your goodbyes, tell everyone that Bob has your contact information, and that youd love to bestattungs coffee or a drink after work once youre settled. Keep it light and social, then head for the door.Whether its for your dream job or just the next best thing for you, dont forget the connections youve made thus far are every bit as important as the gig youre going to. Keep things positive and civil, and youll assure everyone remembers you as a standup guy or gal.Photo of exit sign courtesy of Shutterstock.

Public Speaking Skills List and Examples

Public Speaking Skills List and ExamplesPublic Speaking Skills List and ExamplesPublic speaking is seldom if ever an entire job description, but dynamic and well-prepared speakers are highly valued by employers and tend to earn leadership positions and important client contact roles.Anyone whose job involves communicating, teaching or persuading will do a better job if they have public speaking skills. Why Employers Value Public Speaking Skills The art of public speaking comes into play, not only in the deliveryof speechesand truly public talks, but also in professional presentations, training events, and motivational speaking. Consultants, training, managers, clergy, sales representatives, teachers, and others, all have a reason at times get up in front of others and speak. Effective public speakers are in an excellent position to get their messages across in the workplace. A lackluster speaker can make a solid product or proposal seem less than enticing while a polished speaker can add allure to an otherwise mediocre proposition. Most professional level roles require some amount of public speaking to carry out functions like presenting findings, pitching proposals, training junior staff, and leading meetings. How to Use Skills Lists Public speaking is a skill, but it is also a collection of skills. Lists like this one can help you name some of these skillsso you canidentify which jobs require the abilities you have.Be aya to read job descriptions carefully, because even very similar positions can have different requirements, depending on what the hiring manager is looking for. When you apply, you can use these skills as keywords in yourresumeor other application materials.Hiring managers sometimes scan through applications looking for these keywordstomake an initial cut, so it can be important to make it obvious from the beginning that you have the sought-after qualifications. Then,useyourcover lettertohighlight some of your relevant skills. Be prepar ed to give examples of specific times you embodied these skills during job interviews, becauseyour interviewer is likely to ask. Of course, each job will require different skills and experiences - hiring managers vary in what they look for, even for very similar positions in the same industry, so make sure you read the job description carefully before applying. You may also want toreview our lists ofskills listed by jobandtype of skill. Top Public Speaking Skills When you want to highlight your public speaking skills in your cover letter, resume, or even during an interview, be sure to go beyond stating that you have public speaking skills.Go into detail about which aspects of public speaking you are good at, and providespecific examples of your skills and expertise. Clear Articulation Of course, public speakers must be able to speak well. Enunciate clearly, speak loudly enough, and use good grammar without a lot of verbal crutches, like um. It helps to be able to speak well in ordinary conversation, but public speaking is a kind of wertzuwachs and as such, must be practicedand prepared for. Memorization itself is usually not necessary, because most people can speak extemporaneously to some degree, but you must be familiar enough with your material that you dont pause excessively, repeat yourself, or stumble over your words. You also need to be able to pace yourself so that you finish on time, neither early nor late. Engaging Presentation Style Presentation styleincludes vocal tone, body language, facial expression, and timing. The right style can make a talk that could have been boring come out interesting and engaging - even funny.Assessing the Needs ofthe Audience Some audiences want a lot of technical detail others dont. Some enjoyhumor others wont. There are jokes that work in some crowds but not others. To draft a successful talk and to adopt the appropriate presentation style, you need to be able to assess the needs of your audience. PowerPointSkill s PowerPoint is a popular software used for creating slides. Not all public speakers use slides, but slides are so common that doing without them is sometimes called speaking naked. You must not only understand the technical aspects of using the software, but also must have the artistic ability to create slides that are aesthetically pleasing and easy to understand-or, you must work with a collaboratorwho can do so.Either way, you must know how to integrate your slides smoothly into the other aspects of your presentations. Composition Skills Whether you write your talk up ahead of time or work extemporaneously, you must be able to construct talks that are rational, coherent, easy to understand and cover all the points you want to hit. Storytelling and humor help, and you must know how to use them. Public speaking is not only a fasson of performance art it also requireswriting skills. List of Public Speaking Skills Articulating clearlyAssessing the needs and priorities of a poten tial audience of conference attendeesConsultants presenting the findings for a reorganization plan to a group of executives at a client firmControlling performance anxietyCreating attractive PowerPoint slides with the right amount of detailDrafting an evaluation form that attendees are likely to completeGrabbing the attention of the audience with a powerful openingHanding out copies of slides in advance to minimize note-taking demands on the audience Maintaining eye contact with the audience and providing an energetic, animated physical presenceMemorizing enough content so that the speech does not come off as a reading of notesModulating vocal tone to emphasize important points and avoid monotonous presentationOrganizing a logical flow to a speechPreparing examples that are relevant to the experience of the expected audienceProviding compelling evidence to support themesRehearsing the presentation and revising rough spotsResearching information about the latest trends in an industry prior to presenting at a professional seminar Restating key points at the end of a speech to cement key conceptsReviewing feedback and modifying the approach for talks in the futureSales Representatives delivering a pitch for human resources softwareSummarizing the topics to be covered at the beginning of a talk to provide context for attendeesTelling stories to illustrate pointsTiming the speech in advance to make sure it meets the allotted timeUsing humor to enliven a talk

7 Accounting Services Poised for Growth

7 Accounting Services Poised for Growth7 Accounting Services Poised for GrowthThe demand for accounting services professionals is growing exponentially as the economy improves and as more small and mid-sized businesses open and attempt to navigate complex and myriad government regulations.Subtract from the talent pool the growing number of retiring baby boomers, and you have a field ripe with opportunity.According to Robert Halfs Salary Guide, the following seven accounting and auditing positions in particular are showing growth (this post shows 2015 data)1. Accounts receivable/payableThe role of processing outbound invoices and incoming payments is pivotal to any business operation. In corporate accounting, an accounts receivable/accounts payable (AR/AP) manager in a mid-sized company can expect a starting salary of between $48,500 and $67,500, while AR/AP clerks typically begin in the $34,750 to $44,000 sortiment - both an increase of 3.3 percent over 2014.2. ControllersMany busin esses are seeking out the expertise of controllers who have the knowledge, experience and skill to take a wider view of strategic decisions and their monetary consequences and offer prudent guidance. Controllers at large companies can expect salaries ranging from $153,000 to $209,000, up 4.2 percent from 2014, while their counterparts at small companies are likely to start in the range of $79,250 to $106,000, up 3.5 percent year-over year. Corporate controllers can earn more, while divisional controllers typically earn a bit less. Controllers at large financial services firms are poised to earn between $151,500 and $193,000 a year, up 3.6 percent from 2014, while salaries for their colleagues at small firms range from $92,000 to $123,500, up 3.5 percent.3. Cost accountantsOne factor fueling the growing demand for professional accounting services is the need for cost accountants in healthcare mergers, as nonprofit and for-profit hospital operators continue to consolidate. Cost accoun tant salaries begin at $44,750 for entry-level workers at mid-sized companies - up 3.6 percent from 2014 - and catapult to $116,500 for managers at large companies, up 3.8 percent.4. Internal auditors?Evolving government regulations are driving the need for qualified internal auditors. Companies in highly regulated industries, such as financial services, energy and healthcare, require accounting expertise from auditors with industry-specific experience. Entry-level internal auditors can expect a starting salary ranging from $49,500 to $64,250, up 3.9 percent from 2014, while managers can expect to fetch between $87,500 and $144,250, up 4.2 percent. Certifications sweeten the pot. One in-demand certification is the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).5. Payroll professionalsEvery business needs either a payroll expert or crack payroll team, depending on its size. A payroll manager plans and executes payroll policies and ensures that the business complies with federal and state regulat ions, and also recruits, trains and supervises payroll staff. Starting salaries for payroll managers/supervisors at a large company range from $58,000 to $91,500, up 3.8 percent from 2014, whereas their counterpart at a small company will begin at $41,250 to $58,750, up 3.6 percent. You can elevate your marketability, and possibly bump up your starting pay, with a Certified Payroll Professional (CPP) certification.6. Senior accountantsMany public accounting firms ceased hiring senior accountants during the recent recession. Some of these firms are now scrambling to fill those vacancies. They are especially coveting accountants with three or more years of experience. Starting salaries for senior general accountants range from a low of $57,500 at small firms to a high of $87,750 at large firms, up 3.9 percent to 4 percent from 2014.7. Staff accountantsStaff accountant positions titel a wide range of responsibilities and services that support the CFO and senior accountant in both the f inance and accounting divisions. It is incumbent upon hiring managers to develop an accurate accounting job description encompassing expected salaries, required prior experience and future responsibilities, in order to attract the most capable accounting services professionals.Visit our Salary Center for data from the 2018 Robert Half Salary Guide for all of these positions. Tags