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top 25 occupations in the nation – and the employment of accountants and auditors is expected to grow 16 percent by 2020. This increasing diversity of career paths and the bright employment future are attracting many professionals to a career in accounting. "Accounting is an exciting, expanding field going beyond traditional corporate and public accounting; the evolution of technology's role in the field has allowed new concentrations to emerge," says Sarah Engle, professor of accountancy in the College of Business and Management at DeVry University and owner of Black River Tax Prep. "Technolo- gy has expanded the traditional boundaries associated with the profession. Mobile devices and cloud computing, for instance, allow small and mid-size accounting firms to broaden their reach to clients worldwide." The need for accountants with professional specializations is on the rise. The demand for forensic accountants, for instance, has expanded with the fallout from high-profile financial scandals like Enron and Lehman Brothers. These accountants focus on disputes or litigation in civil or criminal law and often investigate corporate and securities fraud, insurance and personal injury claims and computer fraud. The Federal Bureau of Investiga- Q& A tion (FBI) has adapted by adding forensic accountants to its roster of permanent positions. According to research by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the top three characteristics for a forensic accountant to possess are analytical, detail oriented and ethical. Environmental or "green" accounting is also a growing field. With sustainability and environmental protection becoming more prominent objectives in today's business world, green accountants will be employed to help leaders make more informed decisions. Accountants with expertise in both traditional accounting and various environmental techsee ACCOUNTING . . . page 7 Want a job interview? Fire your resume With almost 4 billion resumes distributed annually, there's growing frustration among job seekers that they are blending into the competitive landscape. While the economy plays a role, some experts believe resumes might also be a reason for this anonymity. Traditional resumes weren't a necessity until the 1950s, and their evolution has been marked mainly by enhanced delivery methods. While Facebook revolutionized connectivity, and LinkedIn provided tools for networking, they merely brought the crowd, not the methods to stand out in Authoritarian manager can change style By Liz Reyer Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Q. It's been pointed out to me that I'm too authoritarian as a manager; my way is to just tell them what to do and how to do it. I'm not sure I need to change, but if I wanted to, how would I do it? A. You don't have to take an "all or nothing" approach, and adapting your style, while not easy, will likely lead to improved team performance. Focus your reflection on the benefits and costs of your current style, and also consider the implications of integrating more coaching skills. Set aside any defensiveness and become open to the possibilities that change may bring. How do you feel when you are directive with team members? It may give you a sense of security that things will be done right and that you have control.This can be reassuring, particularly if you work in a chaotic or stressful environment. But it causes its own stress – I bet you often find yourself checking in on days off. While it might feel safe to have an illusion of indispensability, it won't serve you well in the long run. Think back about experiences with your own bosses. If you've had a boss who is an effective coach, you probably learned more, or learned more quickly, than from a boss who spelled out every detail of what to do.And most people have higher job satisfaction with coaching-style bosses because they're able to engage more of their own intelligence and creativity. Just to finish making the case for change, think through the feedback you've received. If you haven't investigated it thoroughly, now's the time.Also look at turnover or other measures of employee satisfaction. Losing good people is another wake-up call. Aspects of your current style probably serve you well; it's just a matter of knowing when to use them. For example, if there is clearly a right way to do a task – an established process to follow, for example – then spell it out. But once team members have experience with the process, they may have ideas on ways to improve the process.While it would be disruptive to have each person changing the process to suit his or her own style, channeling those insights into a process improvement project could be very valuable – and not likely to happen if you've closed the door via an authoritarian style. Two skills will help you evolve your style: listening and asking good questions. Instead of jumping in with the solution, start asking your team members what they think they should do. Don't masquerade advice as a question ("Have you considered doing 'X'?"). Be truly open-ended: "What options have you considered?" "What are the advantages/disadvantages of that?" This approach will feel challenging, because you're used to being the answer person.And it may take some time for your team to adjust, so be patient with the process. Let them know you're trying to change your style so that they aren't wondering what's going on. Evolving your style will make you a more well-rounded manager and lead to a more successful team. Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. 2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • April 18, 2013 one. A resume today looks a lot like one from 20 years ago. Joe Weinlick is vice president of Marketing at Beyond.com, a career network of over 30 million members that connects job seekers to employers. They've introduced a new tool called Career Portfolio that reshapes resumes, making them more dynamic and visual. On average, recruiters spend 30 seconds on a resume, and Weinlick feels this graphical approach will change perceptions during interviews by allowing recruiters to learn more about candidates, faster. see JOB INTERVIEW . . . page 7 Volume 15 • Number 32 April 18, 2013 A publication of Conley Media from page 1 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS Accounting ... Classified Sales Director: Kristi Wolf 262/670-1516 Account Executive: Donna Armstrong 262/513-2698 darmstrong@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dwayne Butler 262/513-2626 dbutler@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2004 by Conley Media Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. 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