Chief
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Friday Wordle 314 2/6
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Additional Posts in Accounting
Turned in my two weeks today!!
Is IB back office a good exit?
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Def try to get a sense of their automation efforts, where they stand with accounting software (manual in excel or tools like Blackline), whether they have budget / plans to automate or undergo finance transformation, etc. My first job out of Big4 I was handed a 10 key and told I needed to save my calculations to the work papers. Never occurred to me after being paperless for 9 years that I could go back 30.
Green flags: most of the people in your group have been there for a long time (indication that the place doesn’t suck); people seem to have lives (families, travel, whatever else can indicate they aren’t glued to their desk constantly); the role you’re applying for is a backfill for a promotion or an expansion of the department (and not replacing some dude who noped out)
F
GTs response reminded me that I’ve also enjoyed the companies where people are there for a long time. When that’s the case, I’d also ask them how the team copes with change - goes back to the automation question. Are they eager to learn new ways of working, making things more efficient, automating, or does the team collectively resist change efforts. I’ve encountered a lot of resistance to change, new methods and practices with people who’ve been around a while so it would be good to get a sense of that.
Chief
I suppose it depends on the change too. For example RSM leadership implemented a whole bunch of new initiatives this past year and most of them cost the firm huge losses with less productivity
Chief
Prioritize companies that offer WLB, good benefits, and flexibility. Typically small companies or start ups
Sure there can be bad initiatives or bad change management that results in the total failure of a project. Most of what I’m referring to is there are some accountants who have not changed their spreadsheet in 25 years and refuse to do so, despite there being more effective and efficient (and less error prone) ways to perform their reconciliations. These folks resist any change whatsoever. We have some subs all about change and looking for efficiencies, while there are specific sub departments at Corp where this longevity at the company has made them very resistant and unwilling to consider any change. Any time we try to look for ways to be more efficient in the close, that group always kicks back the loudest and ultimately holds the organization back. It’s the fear of doing less work because then they don’t know how to prove their value when the hours saved could be used for more value added activity and projects.
Trying to understand the teams general reaction to change would be good insights into whether they will potentially propel you into the future of accounting and finance or whether you’re stepping into an uphill battle to keep up with the times.
Chief
I see, fair enough