Boost Your Accountant Profile for Job Success

               Troubleshooting and Fixing an Extended Job Search A long job search can be frustrating and exhausting, but you’re not alone. Many professionals face extended searches, and while the media highlights the struggle, practical solutions are often missing. Here are steps to help you regain momentum and move forward with confidence. 1. Know Your Strengths and Communicate Them Clearly Employers don’t just want to know what you’ve done—they want to understand how you’ve made an impact. Instead of listing tools and technologies, explain how you’ve solved problems and driven results. Confidence matters, too. Whether in your resume, LinkedIn profile, or interviews, let your personality shine through. You’re more than a list of qualifications—you’re a problem-solver with unique value to offer. 2. Identify Where You're Needed Not every company will be the right fit, and that’s okay. Your job is to find the ones that need your expertise or that you are truly interested in. Job postings rarely tell the whole story, so talk to people in your target roles and industries. Ask about their biggest challenges and successes—this will help you position yourself effectively. And yes, people are busy. But if you’ve done your research and clearly express your request, many will be willing to help—especially if you have a mutual connection. 3. Target the Right Companies Make a list of 50-75 companies that align with your skills values, and/or experience. These don’t have to be places with open job postings—they just need to be organizations that could hire someone with your expertise. This targeted approach will drive who you decide to network with. 4. Network with Purpose The more clarity you have about what you’re looking for, the more meaningful your networking will be. Instead of sending generic messages, tell people exactly what you are looking for and where you want to work. 5. Have a Backup Plan If you need income now, think creatively. What skills or services can you offer? Maybe a small business needs marketing help, bookkeeping, or deliveries. Maybe a friend’s company has a short-term role you can step into. With the right mind-set, you might even find enough work to surpass what unemployment provides. Think of yourself as a business—what solution can you offer that someone would pay for? Present it clearly and confidently. THE BOTTOM LINE A long job search can feel overwhelming, but small, intentional steps can lead to breakthroughs. Stay persistent, be open to new strategies, and most importantly—don’t lose sight of your worth. The right opportunity is out there. Keep going.

Why Applying on Job Boards Alone Is Not a Job Search Strategy Many professionals apply to dozens of jobs online and hear nothing back. This can feel discouraging, but the issue is often not competence, it’s approach. Most roles are filled through: • Referrals • Internal recommendations • Recruiter networks • Professional communities Job boards are just one entry point, not the full strategy. A strong job search includes: • Building relationships before you need a job • Engaging with recruiters intentionally • Positioning your experience clearly online Job searching is not only about applying, it’s about visibility and trust. What has worked best for you in your job search so far?

Instead of just applying to jobs, it's best to target your search. LinkedIn gives you one of the best ways to make targeted lists. In this video, you'll get the insight on how to: 1. Create a list of targeted people. 2. Create a list of targeted companies. 3. Connect with your potential boss (or boss' boss). ➡️ 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼: https://lnkd.in/ggvwUcEd Learn all about how you can elevate your LinkedIn presence and create more traction in my blog, "Your Four-Week LinkedIn Plan to Skyrocket Your Job Search": https://lnkd.in/gXxHXAdi *** Need help navigating the job-search process? There's a reason I named my company Your Career Advocate: I'm here to guide and support you from initial application through salary negotiation. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/g-DUW8wA or just comment below!

AN IMPORTANT ARTICLE TO READ, and this is not only for people in transition but for all those employed.  This article by Eddie Dunn on LinkedIn points to what is important in today’s job market, and he is so true.  The best candidate doesn’t usually get hired.  The known candidate does. Most good jobs never appear on job boards. They get filled through side conversations, referrals, and someone saying, “Yeah, I know a person.”  A resume shows you’re qualified. Trust gets you the call back. So, if your job search is 90% clicking “Apply,” you might be playing the wrong game.  Spend more time building real relationships before you need them. That’s where the hidden job market lives.  By networking in person with others, not only do you get insightful information, but you also learn and practice your spiel.  The following is a list of job search networking group meetings as of February 9.  https://lnkd.in/eEhzze3r Christine Dykeman, MS, SHRM-CP, PHR, PMP, Dietmar Tietz, Jeff Altman, MSW, CCTC, Lynne Williams, Paul Cecala, GCDF - Certified Career Coach, Terrence H. Seamon, Greg Trosko, Marty Latman, CPA, Fractional CFO, Career Coach, Mentor, Kevin D. Turner, Maggie Pazian, George A. Pace, MBA, Marty Gilbert, Virginia Franco, Joann L. Perahia, Judi Radice Hays, Mindy Stern SPHR, David Schuchman, Bas Debbink

It’s not a lack of time. It’s a lack of structure. ❌ Random applications ❌ Endless scrolling ❌ Networking with no plan Your job hunt needs a daily system, not “apply whenever you feel like it.” ___ The Real Fix: A 2-Hour Daily System Block 1 (30 min): Networking - Send LinkedIn connection requests (with notes) - Comment on hiring managers’ posts - Follow up with old connections ___ Block 2 (30 min): Research - Find roles on Eluta (not LinkedIn or Indeed) - Save job links - Identify target companies and hiring managers Why Eluta? → Jobs pulled directly from company websites → Less noise, more signal ___ Block 3 (30 min): Cold Outreach Find recruiter or manager emails - Send personalized cold emails - Send thoughtful LinkedIn messages This leads to referrals, coffee chats, and interviews. ____ Block 4 (30 min): Follow-Ups - Reply to recruiters - Follow up on outreach - Respond to new connections - Update your job tracker and calendar This is where most people fall off. ___ You’re no longer “just applying.” You’re building: - Touchpoints - Conversations - Relationships That’s how opportunities come to you. ___ Want the system, templates, and tools? 👉 Check out our FREE job hunt resources https://lnkd.in/eBa5Ra3c

☕️ ☎️ Why you should take the coffee or the call, even if you’re not actively looking for a role I get this all the time. From my perspective (as a legal recruitment expert) you should always take the coffee or the call. Because careers don’t always move in straight lines- and the best moves don't always start with a job search. Taking a coffee or a call isn’t about 'selling you a role.' It’s about information, optionality, and leverage. You might learn: ☕ How your profile is actually viewed in the market ☎️ What firms are quietly building (before it hits the job boards) ☕ What skills or experience might increase your value Hopefully at the end of it, you will have gained ☎️ An ally who understands your practice, not just your profile. ☕ Context on compensation, progression, and risk—without pressure. And then when the right opportunity shows up? You’re already informed. Already connected. Already ahead. You don’t take the coffee or the call because you want a new job. You take it so that when you do, it’s on your terms and you know who to contact. So next time I reach out - say yes! I won't bite. Or get on the front foot, send me a PM. Always happy to chat. Always happy to build relationships.

😂 The “We Don’t Have the Budget for a Headhunter” Strategy 😂 Step 1: Post the job Step 2: Say “We’ll just try it ourselves first” Step 3: Interview 19 people Step 4: Reject 17 Step 5: Lose the 2 good ones to competitors 💰 “We don’t really have the budget for a headhunter.” So instead… You pay in time. In stalled momentum. In burned-out teams covering the gap. In bad hires you’re afraid to undo. Post & Pray feels cheaper. Until it isn’t. Because the cost isn’t the fee. It’s the delay. Meanwhile, the leader who could’ve paid for themselves in months Was hired quietly By a company that decided speed mattered more than comfort. Job posts attract availability. Headhunting secures impact. If budget were the real issue, mis-hires wouldn’t exist. Stop calling it “saving money.” Start calling it what it is…….gambling. Stop posting and praying. Start hunting. 🎯 (And if you’re done paying tuition to the market… you know where to find me 😏)

There is no such thing as avoiding hiring costs. There is only choosing how and when you pay them. You can pay intentionally with access and speed. Or you can pay slowly through turnover, stalled execution, and bad hires you hope will work out. The market always collects.

Job postings surface who is available. They do not surface who will move your business forward. The leaders who create leverage are not applying. They are being pursued. They respond to clarity, conviction, and decisiveness, not public funnels and long timelines. Access is the advantage most companies underestimate.

𝗠𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 (𝟰/𝟰) 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 Negotiating the offer I found it especially useful to watch plenty of YouTube videos on this topic. It is not always about negotiating money, but if you felt the offer was a little off the industry average, how would I approach the conversation? How would I negotiate on other factors, such as responsibilities, growth, training, location, flexibility... etc. External advice Talking it over with family, friends, ex-colleagues really helped in making the decision - pros and cons, what are the non-negotiables? Asking for a coffee Prior to accepting the offer, there could be one last opportunity to meet with the hiring manager. I used this opportunity to see if I can build rapport, get a gauge if the manager is someone I would want to work with/for over next couple of years. I learnt that sometimes this is called, reverse interview. Closing the deal Once the offer is made, companies would want a decision within a few days, rarely do they want to stretch beyond a week. The company is also building an impression on how I would make decisions and how I communicate. Hope this series helps anyone out there that is still looking for work, and I am sure this will help me again in the future.