Dear Abby

DEAR ABBY: I’m getting ready to offer a candidate and I don’t feel like they have quite enough experience for what they’re asking, but I want to allow them to get to the comp they need quickly. What’s the best way to structure this?

I get this – especially at the low-to-mid level candidate that has a little experience but you want to make sure they can do what they say they can do before rolling out the red carpet. Prospex Recruiting is here to share our expert advice on this tricky question.

How to Structure a Conditional Offer

Do I always recommend coming in lower than candidate expectations and having a “prove yourself” period? No. But I get that there is a time and a place where this structure makes sense.

If you are going to structure an offer this way, I have found it to be the most successful when the conditions detailed in the offer letter are:

💫MEASURABLE, OBJECTIVE, and OBTAINABLE💫

When candidates know what is expected of them and feel confident they can perform, they are more willing to prove themselves in this type of arrangement.

The time frame also needs to be short enough for the candidate to justify removing themselves from consideration for other roles.

Example of a Conditional Offer Structure

Let’s say a candidate is looking for $100K, and you want to offer $95K with a 3-month review. The review would allow for a $5K increase if they:

1. Have three consecutive successful month-end closes within six days.
2. Assist in the completion of the billing software implementation.
3. Reduce AR Aging by 10%.

Navigating Risks and Rewards

Structuring it this way doesn’t always work. If it’s an in-demand role, even if candidates will accept initially and even if they are relatively happy, they could get recruited away very easily by someone that is willing to pay market value day 1. But can it work? Of course. Especially if the opportunity being offered hits other tangibles and intangibles that the candidate is looking for!

Partner with Prospex Recruiting

I always encourage candidates to go for the right overall opportunity and, if the path to get where they want to be is there, they’ll achieve their goals faster by going to the opportunities that they are most excited about.

Reach out to our Prospex Recruiting team if you are a hiring manager and want to walk through this OR if you are a candidate and want to walk through an offer to see if it is fair based on the market! Head to our website to learn more about Prospex Recruiting and the services we offer.

DEAR ABBY: When is the best time to exit public accounting (audit track)?? Prospex Recruiting is here to offer expert guidance to help you tackle this challenging question with confidence.

I get asked this almost on a weekly basis – when should I leave public accounting?? My answer to this – as it is to a lot is… It Depends.

The 3-6 Year Mark: Prime Opportunity for Career Growth

If you want to go the public accounting -> assistant controller -> controller route, the most opportune time is the 3-6 year mark. You’ve had enough time to see more than just Cash, had the chance to senior/manage some jobs, and have good exposure and technical foundation. Usually, you can maximize your base upon exit at this time.

Technical Accounting Route: A Longer Tenure Pays Off

If you want to go more the technical accounting route (revenue, technical accounting, financial reporting), you can still do the 3-6 mark, but more experience in public is beneficial to really have a strong technical foundation. The best time is more in the 6-9 year mark (give or take). This tenure can even exit to a Controller level too.

Exiting After 11+ Years: Alternative Paths Still Abound

If you’ve started on the partner track and after 11+ years decide that’s not right for you, there are still ample opportunities! I’ve placed many of these professionals in director roles, technical accounting roles, pre/post IPO roles, etc.

Share Your Experience

What have you seen as you’ve made your move?? I’d love to talk through any of these points more in-depth and would love to hear your experience!! Reach out to me or any of our Prospex Recruiting team!

Head to our website to learn more about Prospex Recruiting and the services we offer.

Dear Abby: Is it worth my time to get additional certifications? What certifications are beneficial and how are they viewed for accountants? CMA? CPA? CIA? Prospex Recruiting is here to share our expert advice to help you answer this tricky question.

The CPA: The Ultimate Accounting Credential

CPA is the Super Slammer of certifications for the accounting world (any POGS fans out there? Come on children of the 90’s!)! This certification requires additional requirements (varies based on state) with a certain amount of accounting credit hours, most likely a MAcc/MBA, and hours working under a CPA.

A CPA doesn’t necessarily mean someone is qualified for an accounting role, but it is used as a check box for a lot of accounting positions—especially the higher up the proverbial ladder you climb. I’ve had multiple professionals that have gone back later in their career to get their CPA because they were sick of being told “no” due to not being a CPA. Especially if you do public accounting, a comma-CPA is expected to follow your name.

The tests suck to take (no sugar coating here), but it is indefinitely worth it as you progress in your accounting career!

Other Certifications: Adding Value to Your Career

Aside from the CPA, any additional credentialing will add benefit. You will never regret having additional certifications. Depending on your industry focus, certain certifications can really set you above the competition.

If you are targeting manufacturing/supply chain, a CMA and Six Sigma are highly sought after. If you are focusing on Internal Audit, a CIA is very relevant.

Hard Work + Certifications = Career Success

Ultimately, the proof is in the pudding. You can be the most decorated professional out there, but you have to be able to put the decor to work. Certifications alone won’t make you an elite professional, but couple that with hard work, strong cultural addition, and results, and you’re setting yourself up for a fantastic career!

Let’s Talk: What’s Your Experience?

What have your experiences been with/without a CPA and additional certifications?! Message me or anyone in the Prospex Recruiting fam, and we can talk through what makes the most sense for your career path!

Head to our website to learn more about Prospex Recruiting and the services we offer.

Connect With the Prospex Recruiting Team

• Josh Roberts
• Whitney Jaques
• Zach Truman
• Maria Battista Foxley
• Talisha Jones
• Lauren Hedin
• Nicole Ehlers
• Bracken Higginson
• Amelia Graviet
• Maloree Johnson

DEAR ABBY: I got to the dreaded question in my interview… “Why are you looking to leave your current role?” What is the best way to answer?? 🧐 Prospex recruiting is here to share our expert advice to help you answer this tricky question.

Striking the Right Balance in Your Answer

⚖️ This is always a delicate balance because you want to give the hiring manager enough confidence that you are seriously interested in the role, but you don’t want to bash your current or previous company (also a HUGE turnoff!).

The best approach is to keep your reasoning very objective and use those reasons to highlight why this new opportunity is so exciting to you.

Be Prepared with Your “Why”

In order to be prepared for these objective reasons, make sure you are being intentional with your search and that you’ve proactively thought about the WHY behind the reasons for looking, as well as the WHAT in what you want in your next opportunity! This will allow you to give very succinct and thoughtful answers in your interview to give the hiring manager confidence you aren’t just kicking tires and wasting time in exploring the market.

Avoid Counter-Offer Conversations

Side note – If you feel like you can get any of those WHY’s and WHAT’s at your current role, have the conversations with your current manager to try and get that to avoid any sort of counter-offer conversation – I digress…refer to multiple previous posts on counter-offers as EVERYTHING in the search goes hand in hand!

Example Answer

Example: “I’ve really enjoyed my role and everything I’ve learned at my current company! I’m really looking for an opportunity where I can utilize my extensive background in manufacturing and continue to grow my leadership skills. What I’ve learned so far, this company and role would be an awesome opportunity that fits the main things I’m looking for in my next position!” 💥

Key Takeaways

🤠 In short – avoid complaining, avoid trashing on your current employer, and focus on the objective reasons of why you are looking/what you are looking for and how this role can fit!!

What has your experience been in answering this question? Have you noticed a difference when you are prepared to answer this vs. trying to come up with something on the fly?

Let Prospex Recruiting Help You

Reach out to our Prospex Recruiting team to help you talk through and prepare more effectively and in more depth! Head to our website to learn more about Prospex Recruiting and the services we offer.

DEAR ABBY: I’m in final rounds with a company and I really want the role but I’m trying not to get too excited and to manage my expectations! How can I balance my excitement coupled with my fear of rejection??

We see this daily in an interview cycle here at Prospex Recruiting. Especially when working with finance and accounting professionals who may be, self-proclaimed, some of the most logical and analytical bunch (anyone else spend 3 hours reading through reviews before purchase?? No – just me? ha).

Companies want to hire candidates that are just as excited about the company as the company is about them! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a candidate tell me, “I really liked the interview and I would love to work there!” and the company tell me, “I liked them but I couldn’t tell if they were interested or not…”

The Role of Vulnerability in Balancing Excitement and Fear

Tempering excitement is a normal human behavior. Brené Brown calls this concept Foreboding Joy where the fear of pain [rejection] can make us avoid joy [excitement]. “If we can’t tolerate the vulnerability of joy, we might subconsciously protect ourselves from future pain by avoiding or dismissing joyful moments.”

Rejection sucks. But if we don’t allow ourselves to feel the excitement and express that excitement to the company, we may never have the opportunity to see the excitement come to fruition. Is rejection a possibility? Absolutely. Will you get through it? 100%.

Expressing Excitement During the Interview

IF you are excited about the role, let them know! “I really enjoyed this conversation and I feel like this would be a great fit! What do next steps look like??”

Allow yourself to get excited!! Allow the company to see that excitement! Let that contagion spread!!

Embracing the Opportunity to Fly

In the words of Erin Hansen: What if I fall? Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?

Let yourself FLY! Prospex Recruiting would LOVE to be in your corner during your interviews! Reach out to our team – Maria, Zach, Talisha, Whitney, Maloree, Josh, and Lauren.