Filling the Gaps

How the Accounting Profession May Respond to Talent Shortages

Last December Robert Half International, a staffing and consulting firm, created The Financial Leadership Council in order to report on trends in the accounting, finance and audit professions. Recently they released a report entitled “Charting the Future of the Accounting, Finance and Audit Profession” addressing the projected shortage of talent in the accounting field.

Universal Accounting Center has long been reporting that accounting is a sure profession with a bright future and endless opportunity. This new report confirms UAC’s assessment, expressing concern over the projected talent shortage while suggesting ways in which the profession can better attract and secure accounting professionals. The report also advices accounting professionals how to best prepare for changes in the industry.

Attracting and Retaining Skilled Professionals

The Financial Leadership Council advices employers to revise their recruiting practices in order to make even entry-level positions more appealing. Their suggestions include enhancing the branding of the accounting profession, showcasing exemplary professionals who successfully balance their families and careers while offering more career guidance, projects that promote growth, and challenging assignments mixed with routine tasks. The profession as a whole will be required to better understand what motivates and inspires this new generation of employees.

Preparing for Changes

And if you are looking to advance in the accounting profession, the council advices you to enhance your communication skills. Technological advances, including email and text messaging, will require the ability to communicate more, not less, effectively. And again, as UAC has consistently advised, an accountant’s ability to analyze financial information, to act as a profit and growth expert, and to inform business owners as they make crucial business decisions, will make them valuable assets to any organization. Finally, the council encourages accountants to improve their cultural literacy in order to increase their ability to function in a global economy.

To request a free copy of this report, visit www.financialleadershipcouncil.com.

The Professional Bookkeeper Program Can Help You Prepare

Universal Accounting Center has been helping individuals like you advance in the accounting industry for over 25 years. And one of the objectives of the Professional Bookkeeper Program is to train individuals to act as a company’s profit and growth expert, using the analysis of financial information to help small business owners make key decisions that will make their businesses more profitable.

Not only that, but in receiving this training you enable yourself to start a small business of your own as a freelance accountant. Never has there been a time where skilled accountants are in such high demand. You can craft your own opportunity, either advancing in your current job or taking that leap to start your own accounting firm. The possibilities are truly endless.

Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in.” UAC recognizes your need to take the time to decide whether or not this program is for you. That’s why we’ve created a DVD designed to help you start your own accounting and bookkeeping practice. This DVD will introduce you to our program and how you can use the training to take advantage of all the opportunities in the accounting field. For less than ten dollars you can deliberate and then prepare for action before it’s too late. Don’t waste another day. Order now!

Does Your Resume Put Your Best Foot Forward?

There’s A Lot of Opportunity - Make Your Resume Strong Enough to Improve Your Career

A New Year = A New Career? What a great time to consider a career in the accounting field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the strength of the job market in accounting will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. As more and more start-up businesses enter the economy, the need for skilled and qualified bookkeepers and accounting professionals has never been better. In fact, if you’re looking for a stable career with the ability to create a consistent and rewarding income, the accounting department has been a great place to be for over 500 years.

I’m Not an Accountant Yet. Is This Really a Stable Career With Potential for Growth?

If you have the right education and skills, it really is a stable career that offers great income and job security. In fact, the accounting profession has been around since 1494.

As long as government requires all businesses to do accounting, there will be a need for skilled and qualified bookkeepers and accountants. At the end of this article, I’ll talk more about how to gain the right education and skills.

If you’ve decided that you want to change your career and join the ranks of those who have found personal and professional satisfaction in the accounting field, you’ll need a resume that will knock-em-dead. Here is a list of some do’s and don’ts for putting together a high-impact resume that gets noticed.

DO’s:

• Be concise. You’re not the only busy person in the world. Those reading a resume don’t want to know your work history beginning with the lemonade stand at age 7. Try to keep your resume to one page, but it can go over that length if you feel the information is relevant to the job and sets you apart from the competition.
• Be interesting. If you were responsible for keeping a $1 million contract on target, say so. Tell how your work kept the client happy, produced quality results, and used certain skills. This also will give the employer something to ask you specifically about in the interview.
• Be prepared. Study an employer like it was the last one on earth willing to give you a job. Know the key players and what they do, how to spell their names, what the company does, a business history, etc. This will help target your resume to the employer’s needs.
• Be lively. Use words that convey action and enthusiasm. If you can’t think of any, get a thesaurus, watch commercials or read advertisements to get ideas on how to ‘’sell” yourself.
• Hit the target. The key to resumes these days is homing in on what the employer wants, and what you can do to give it to them. Consider all the information on your resume from the employer’s point of view. What would its executives consider important to their industry? What skills do you have to help them win new clients, develop new products or make their company more efficient?

DON’Ts:

• Don’t make mistakes. We all make them, so have someone with good writing skills read your resume for grammatical flaws, spelling errors, typos, etc.
• Don’t be goofy. Most of those who read resumes would rather look at normal type on normal paper without straining their eyes or patience. Make the benefits of hiring you stand out, not the look of your resume.
• Don’t offer personal information. For employers, it’s against the law for them to inquire how much you weigh or whether you are married, so it’s just better to avoid such personal data. At the same time, they probably don’t care if you needlepoint or are an enthusiastic tuba player unless it relates directly to the job.
• Don’t stretch the truth. There’s a difference between playing up your abilities, and misrepresenting yourself. Don’t fudge the facts: it’s too easy to check the truth and ruin your chances at getting the job you really want.

Remember, practice makes perfect. This is true when writing a resume too. There are a number of sites online as well as books that give you helpful suggestions. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your resume. Be willing to rewrite your resume to keep up with workplace trends. As your resume writing expertise improves, so will your ability to find the perfect job.

How Do I Gain the Right Skills for a Job in the Accounting Department?

You need the right education, but you won’t find it at the local college. You don’t need a college or university degree to gain the skills that will make you a valuable asset to small business owners, but you do need a specific set of skills. At Universal Accounting, we’ve taught people like you and me the ins-and-outs of small business bookkeeping and accounting since 1979. We’ve been called the small business accounting experts for over 25 years.

At Universal, we believe that hands-on learning is hands-down the best approach. The Professional Bookkeeper Program utilizes DVD-based instruction, easy-to-understand textbook materials and practice sets of actual small business bookkeeping records to give you real-world experience navigating the world of small business bookkeeping.

Once you’ve finished the Professional Bookkeeper Program, you’ll have the confidence of having done a complete set of books for several small businesses, from a frame shop to a motorcycle shop. You’ll understand everything you need to know to work in the accounting department of any small business anywhere in America. From Accounts Payable and Receivable to Payroll and General Ledger, you’ll become a small business accounting expert.

What’s more, you’ll be able to offer valuable and informative advice to business owners that make his or her business more profitable and successful. This kind of information not only makes your resume look great, but creates the kind of job security you and your family deserve.

Get Paid What You’re Worth

The opportunities in small business bookkeeping and accounting have never been better than they are right now. Robert Half International, the largest placement firm for accounting professionals in the world, says that bookkeepers are in so much demand that over the next twelve months they will be able to demand a better salary than ever before. You might as well be one of those professionals who gets paid what you’re worth.

If you are looking for a new career or you want to advance the career you have now, the Professional Bookkeeper Program is the right tool for the right job. Last year we randomly surveyed 100 graduates of the program 12 months or longer after their graduation. Of that group, 74% of them presently work in accounting, had been promoted at their current job or had started their own business.

You Don’t Have to Take My Word For It

Click HERE to find out what graduates are saying about the Professional Bookkeeper Program.

If you’d like to learn more about how a bookkeeping and accounting education advances your career and how the Professional Bookkeeper Program will provide you with the tools to do it, follow the link below. Don’t you deserve to find out more about how you can attain the professional and personal rewards of a recession-proof occupation that will create the lifestyle you want?

Regardless of your background,
IT WORKS!

It doesn’t matter if you have 20 years experience in accounting, or have never worked in the field before, the course is designed to provide practical, hands-on training for everyone!

Free Gift

Two Additional Practice Sets
-a $$$ value-

Practice makes perfect. The three modules already contain practice sets for nine different businesses. Purchase the Professional Bookkeeper program today and you’ll receive two more practice sets, giving you eleven in all. This will give you even more confidence and experience in various industries and the opportunity to work with additional types of clients.

6 Tips for Enjoying a More Lucrative Business

As a small business owner yourself and as an accountant who continually interacts with small business owners, you should always be on the lookout for ways to increase profits: your own and that of your clients. Doing so makes you a much more valuable accountant, not to mention, a much more profitable small business owner. What are some simple things you can do to accomplish that?

1. Remember the 80/20 rule

Also known as Pareto’s Law, this rule states that 80% of your business comes from 20% of your customers. Do you know which of your customers comprise that 20%? If not, it’s time you found out. You can then target them for special promotions and service offerings.

2. Getting that 20% to retain more services more frequently

Now that you know which clients comprised that valuable 20%, you must try to get them to use more of your services more frequently. In these newsletters we often return to the concept of geometric growth which means you expand your service offerings so that you are billing current clients more often. Geometric growth also enables you to attract new clients who might be interested in more than just your new services. This tip may require you to add complementary services to your menu, like QuickBooks consultations or tax preparation. But the effort would pay off in increased profits.

3. Determine what motivates the 80%

By focusing on the 20%, don’t forget there is still value in the 80%. Studies show that it’s better to spend your time retaining current clients than it is trying to find new ones. That 80% represents a client base that is familiar with your services and value as an accountant. Now you need to determine what motivates them and how you might be able to get them to join the 20% by retaining more of your services more frequently.

4. Ask clients what they want

No one can tell you how to best serve your clients than your clients themselves. What do they need? Are there other services they wish you offered? What might get them to more readily refer your services to friends and family? You may discover things that are difficult to hear. You may also get the most valuable business advice yet! These clients will definitely offer more personal and specific information than you could get from any other source.

5. Demonstrate gratitude

Nothing makes a client feel more valuable than by a genuine show of gratitude. This is also a good way to increase client retention and inspire loyalty in your clients. Whether you do this by giving them a modest gift (movie tickets, a gift certificate, or free lunch) or by thanking them personally for their business, it will be a gesture well remembered.

6. Show your face

You just can’t put a price tag on becoming a familiar face in the community. The more exposure you get the more free exposure your business gets. Ensure you’re aware of all the community events and, when possible, become a permanent fixture. Be especially aware of those that would afford you the opportunity to have a little booth from which you can distribute business cards and brochures about your services. Remember that everyone you meet is a potential client and may associate with hundreds of other potential clients. In this it becomes a numbers game. The more people you meet, the greater your potential for increasing your client base.

These six simple tips can help you take the necessary measures to increase your business’s profitability as well as the profitability of those small businesses you work for. Allen Bostrom, President and CEO of Universal Accounting Center, has a lot of experience helping small businesses do just that, and he’s written a book about it called In the Black: Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable. Practical and easy-to-apply, you can finish this book one day and begin implementing those principles the next. To learn more about this book and some of the principles he shares, visit his website today!

Don’t Get Laid Off -
Recession-Proof Your Job

The Best Career Advancement Tool is Also Your Safety Net

Don’t be nervous. Next to getting fired, nothing makes employees more uneasy than hearing that their company is in the middle of a merger. Depending on your particular place in the company, this may or may not mean that your position is in danger.

It may be difficult to determine the vulnerability of your particular job, but you have a lot of options. At Universal Accounting, we meet people every week who have been the victims of corporate mergers, downsizing or layoffs.

Many people have successfully chosen our program as the option for their future. There is good news. An accounting and tax preparation education from Universal Accounting provides a safety net for you and your family. Whether you want to improve you chances for staying in your present job or want to strike out on your own with an Accounting and Tax Business, Universal Accounting has a program that makes it possible.

How Can I Say This?

We informally surveyed 100 of our graduates last year at their one year graduation anniversary. Of those 100 people, 75 of them were working in the field of accounting or had been promoted to a management position.

Many of these people had no experience in bookkeeping or accounting until they purchased our course. As they worked through the practice sets of books in our course, they built a solid foundation of experience and knowledge that helps them contribute on a fundamental level to the profitability of the small businesses they work with.

The economic climate for small business is so competitive today that businesses all over the country are realizing that without a complete and thorough understanding of the accounting process, they are crippled. Those who take the opportunity to learn these valuable skills contribute to the profitability of those small businesse. Their potential for earning a great income and creating a wonderful lifestyle is just there for the taking.

I Don’t Have a College Degree… Does That Hurt My Chances?

Absolutely not. Colleges and Universities don’t prepare you for working with the accounting issues that face small businesses. (Despite the fact that 85% of our economy is wrapped up in small business.) They focus on teaching corporate accounting and analysis.

Universal Accounting has been teaching small business accounting since 1979… that’s over 25 years. We’re the small business experts. Our graduates all over the country help small businesses from dry cleaners to bicycle shops. These graduates contribute to these businesses’ financial bottom-line every day. And as your clients become more profitable, they will happily do the same for you.

“You Never Know What’s Going to Happen.”

Brad Karsh, president of JobBound, a Chicago career-counseling company says. “The situation is highly volatile.”

Conventional wisdom used to be that if you were part of the company making the acquisition, you were safe, but that isn’t the case any more. There is no way to know for sure if you will be a casualty of a merger, regardless of which side of the merger you’re on.

In today’s uncertain economy, you can protect yourself and your family from the uncertainty that follows a corporate merger. Of course, it takes a proactive approach… an investment in yourself.

The “Right” Investment in Yourself Protects You and Your Family

Whether you plan to stay in the corporate world or start your own business, a complete education in accounting and tax provides a great safety net. Skilled and qualified bookkeepers and accountants will always be in demand regardless of the industry. And these skills enable you to create a wonderful part-time income working out of your home as well.

As long as the government requires companies to maintain accounting records and file income taxes, the profession of bookkeeping and accounting will not go away. For job security that has existed since before the Italian Renaissance, I have not found a better opportunity available anywhere.

Don’t Miss Out on a Great Deal for the Most Complete Small-Business Accounting Training Available Anywhere!

Having a solid understanding of the Accounting and Bookkeeping methods and procedures is a great first step in learning the concepts behind Financial Business Analysis. You will learn to do books for small to mid-sized companies and how to analyze the books to prepare reports. You will learn to interpret reports so that you can advise your your current employer and future clients on how to reduce costs and to better understand their financial standing and profitability. Your clients will look to you as an invaluable source of information about the financial health of their organization.

(Part Two of a Two-Part Series)
Questions to Help You Pick the Right Candidate

Last week we discussed preparing for job interviews in order to expand your business by hiring a support staff. Now that you’re prepared for the interview, you must question all the applicants in order to learn more about them and how well they align with your business plan and goals. It’s important to ask open-ended questions that allow each candidate to better demonstrate their experience, ability, and skill set. Also remember that you must ask each candidate the same set of interview questions in order to truly compare all the applicants.

We could give you a list of specific questions to ask, but the truth is you need to craft questions that suite your objectives. But here are general interest categories with sample questions for each. They should help you get a well-rounded view of your candidates.

Break the ice

Start by putting the candidate at ease. Ask a question or two that will break the ice and set a casual tone for the interview. Consider the following:

• Are you enjoying the summer?
• Are you managing to stay cool/dry/warm in this weather?
• Did you enjoy the holiday?

Note: Be careful! It is illegal to ask candidates anything discriminatory. Avoid all questions that address the following: race, color, gender, sexual preferences, religion, national origin, birthplace, age, disability, marital/family status.

Learn of past performance/Determine problem-solving ability

You want to know what kind of worker this candidate is, and the best way to determine that is to ask questions that will help you assess their past performance. It’s important that you include behavioral questions when appropriate. These types of questions help you to see how candidates would act given a certain work situation (or how they have acted in past work situations). Consider questions that demonstrate whether or not the candidate is proactive and has the ability to resolve problems independently. This is also a good time to see how well these candidates work with others. And remember that you want a well-rounded candidate. Interviewees who only describe themselves in a positive light may not recognize their weaknesses as well as their strengths; either that or they’re not being honest. Consider the following:

• Describe your employment history.
• Why did you leave your last job?
• What would your last boss say about your performance?
• Tell me about a time when you struggled with an assignment/project/task.
• What was the most/least rewarding aspect of your last job?
• Describe a situation where you . . . (were overwhelmed by multiple projects, had to resolve an emergency without supervisory help, successfully delegated tasks, contributed to a company/employer’s success, etc.)
• What career accomplishment has given you the greatest satisfaction?
• What mistake have you learned the most from?
• Tell me about a time when you had to work with a team.
• Do you prefer working alone or in teams?
• How do you deal with conflict?
• How do you react to difficulty and/or stress?

Learn of work preferences

It’s also important to discover the type of work environment your candidates feel most comfortable in. Equally important is determining which applicant is a good match to your company’s goals and objectives. The following questions will help:

• What types of responsibilities have you found to be most rewarding? Why?
• What type of management style do you most appreciate? (hands-on, regular supervision, minimal supervision)
• In what ways will you contribute to this company?
• Why do you want to work for X Company?
• What do you know about X Company?
• If you were hiring someone to this position, what qualities would you look for?
• Why should we hire you?

Ask about the candidates’ future career goals

This will help determine their motives in working for you. The candidate who sees your position as an opportunity to learn and grow as he/she advances in his/her career is much more desirable than the candidate who thinks this will be an easy, sit-down job regardless of how it aligns with his/her long-term goals. Consider the following:

• What are your short-term and long-term career goals?
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• How do you plan to achieve your career objectives?
• What do you want in life?
• Why did you choose this particular career?
• How will this position help you advance your career goals?

It’s important that you determine what you’re looking for in a candidate before composing interview questions. If costumer service is important to you, craft questions that will help you recognize whether or not candidates will work well with your clients. If punctuality and a good work ethic are important to you, again you must craft questions that help you see how your candidates measure up to these requirements.

As long as you take the time to thoughtfully compose your interview questions and ask each candidate the same set, you’ll be sure to find the perfect fit for your position.

Increase Your Career Options : Earn a Professional Designation

Accounting is the second oldest profession in the world. Since mankind began using money, they devised a way to count and track its comings and goings. And the accounting profession isn’t slowing down today. In fact, it’s growing at such a quick clip that the Bureau of Labor estimates that by 2008 accounting jobs will have increased by 20%. They say: “In addition to openings resulting from growth, the need to replace accountants and auditors who retire, or transfer to other occupations, will produce numerous openings in this large occupation.”

You can have advantage in this powerful shift in the Accounting and Bookkeeping profession! The opportunities are endless for those who have been properly trained. Here are just a few possibilities.

Get a New Job
There are four basic types of accountants and bookkeepers: public, management, government, and internal auditing. And while those descriptions lack luster, consider that jobs within those areas can include anything from a payroll clerk to a treasurer to an underwriter to a collections specialist to a personal financial planner to a chief financial officer, and the list goes on. Of course, experience and training play a role in the type of accounting or bookkeeping job you can get, but it’s important to realize all the options an accounting background can offer you. Here’s a list of jobs you might find:

PUBLIC ACCOUNTING

• Partner

• Director

• Manager

• Staff Accountant

PRIVATE INDUSTRY

• Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

• Treasurer

• Controller

• Assistant Controller and Assistant Treasurer

• Tax Manager

• Accounting Manager

• Senior Accountant

• Accountant (General, Cost)

• Internal/EDP Audit

• Manager, Financial Analysis

• Senior Analyst

• Analyst (Financial, Budget, Cost)

• Credit Manager

• Assistant Credit Manager

• Collections Specialist

• Full Charge Bookkeeper

• Bookkeeper

• A/P Supervisor

• A/P Clerk

• A/R Supervisor

• A/R Clerk

• Assistant Bookkeeper

• Accounting Clerk

PAYROLL and DATA ENTRY

• Data Entry Operator

• Payroll Manager

• Payroll Clerk

Earn a Promotion
As always, with proper training you could advance in your current position where you work. Even non-accounting positions can be enhanced with accounting knowledge; a professional designation illustrates your willingness to continue your education and increase your value as an employee. Look for every edge you can have when it comes to getting that next promotion. Universal’s designation and training has what it takes for you to earn your desired spot in the company.

Start Your Own Business
Once you receive proper training, when you have received concentrated instruction and the practical hands-on experience you receive with Universal Accounting, you could actually work as a freelance accountant/bookkeeper, supplementing your full-time income. Some of our graduates have found that all they need to do is get two or three clients on the side to bring them from dreaming about their goals, to achieving them.

Better still, our training has enabled many of our graduates to have the confidence of running their own business full-time. We are dedicated to giving our students what they need to be successful in their accounting pursuits. All you need to do is apply them correctly, and this could fulfill your longtime dream to being your own boss, enjoying financial freedom, and spending more time with your family and friends.

A Four-Year Degree is Not required
But wait, you’re thinking, how long will it take to earn that professional designation? Less than you think. In fact, you can earn and be experiencing the benefits of your training in less time than a semester at your local university! Most universities require 4-years of your time and teach you corporate accounting, which makes up about 2% of accounting opportunities out there. Universal Accounting Center’s Professional Bookkeeper Program will take you less than 60 hours and train you in small business accounting, which makes up 98% of accounting opportunities.

Order a Free, Informational Video Today!
But why tell you about the program here when you could order a free video that will explain the program to you in detail from the comfort of your own home. Don’t wait to learn how you could change your life by increasing your career options. Learn more about the Professional Bookkeeper Program and how that professional designation could be much closer than you think.

You’ve waited long enough to make the move to getting for your future the difference between success and mediocrity. The easiest decision you can make is enrolling in The Professional Bookkeeper’s Course. Make the difference in success, the PB designation, work for you. Don’t delay!

7 Tips That Will Boost Your Professional Exchanges

Accountants are stereotyped as introverted bean counters who don’t feel comfortable interacting with others. Thankfully that image is changing for the better. But some of us still struggle in social situations primed for profitable networking. Your business depends on your ability to put current and potential clients at ease, to communicate in a way that builds stronger professional relationships while getting you the information you need to secure new customers and do the best work you can for current costumers.

If your people skills are lacking, here are 7 quick tips that will improve your interactions:

1. Smile
No one needs a smile as much as a person who fails to give one. -Unknown

When all else fails there’s one thing you can do: smile. Regardless of what the other person does, a smile won’t damage your image or spoil a networking opportunity. This is especially important to remember if you’re feeling a little nervous. Chances are you’ll get lots of smiles in return which will put you at ease and make it easier to connect with others.

2. Listen
I think the one lesson I have learned is that there is no substitute for paying attention. - Diane Sawyer

While listening you will discover how your services can best fulfill the needs of those you’re talking to. The more you can get them to share about their business the better prepared you’ll be to illustrate how your expertise will improve their profitability.

3. Remember names
When you remember names you’re communicating that the people they belong to are worth remembering. You should always strive to make the people you speak with feel important; remembering their names is an easy way to accomplish that.

4. Remember common talking points
At the bottom of things, most people want to be understood and appreciated. - The Buddha

Sometimes it’s a matter of knowing what you can talk about when there’s a lull in the conversation or you need to break the ice. Fortunately there are certain topics nearly all individuals love talking about:

• The traffic
• The weather
• New movies
• Their business
• Their children
• Family pets

5. Acknowledge things you have in common
The more you have in common the more connected you will feel. Pointing out the similarities you share will help strengthen your bond and forge a solid professional relationship.

6. Avoid gossip
Gossip needn’t be false to be evil; there’s a lot of truth that shouldn’t be passed around. - Frank A. Clark

Avoid gossip like the plague. While it may be easy to talk about someone else it certainly puts your character in question and causes the individual(s) you’re talking with to consider what you might say about them when they’re not there.

7. Be positive
Attitudes are contagious. Are yours worth catching? - Dennis and Wendy Mannering

Negativity will repel more contacts than you can imagine. Whether or not people recognize it they are drawn to individuals who are positive and affirming. Regardless of the topic of conversation, stay positive; it will leave a good and memorable impression.

And above all, remember that it takes time to develop good people skills, especially if it doesn’t come naturally. Just make an effort to work on one thing at a time and soon you’ll recognize an improvement that will not only put you more at ease with others but positively impact your business.

You may work on the side as an accountant or bookkeeper. Perhaps you work in a full-time job performing accounting functions. Ifyou’ve ever thought about either starting your own business as a financial provider, or if you’re already in business for yourself but wonder how to increase the value of your services, then you’ve come to the right place.

Universal Accounting Center deals directly with this on a daily basis. We are in the business of seeing that accountants, bookkeepers, and tax preparers succeed. And we have to admit, we’re pretty good at what we do. Someone like yourself may find your most successful when you provide to all your clients what they need in their companies’ financial lives (except the bank loans and bottom line sales of course, they have to do that on their own) By being able to offer services, of keeping track of their bank loans and sales figures for example, you can be their “One-Stop Shop”. This is accomplished by earning two valuable designations: The Professional Bookkeeper (PB) designation and the Professional Tax Preparer (PTP) designation.

The Value of the Professional Bookkeeper Designation

Over 85% of the opportunities in the accounting field are within small businesses. Universities prepare their students for the corporate accounting processes which leaves a huge gap to fill and a great opportunity for those who have the practical knowledge that addresses the needs of small businesses. For those who recognize this and gain the training to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity have come to realize the training pay-off themselves. More than 50% of small businesses fail, and much of that failure can be attributed to lack of accounting expertise. Small business owners are busy with the dozens of other hats to keep the business growing, often it is the tracking of their financial health that gets neglected. Imagine contributing to the success of small business, which will build your own community while providing you with job satisfaction and security. Imagine doing this for 3 or 4, perhaps 13 or 14 small businesses?

At Universal Accounting, we understand the needs of the small business like nobody else. UAC has designed a curriculum specific to the needs of small businesses, and Universal Accounting offers the most complete small business accounting course anywhere. The Professional Bookkeeper Designation assures clients that you have the skills necessary to fulfill their small business accounting needs. For you, the training designation assures you have had the applicable experience it takes to provide the quality service that they need for their company.

The Value of the Professional Tax Preparer Designation

Perhaps your accounting and bookkeeping practice is thriving. Maybe you are losing one ot two clients to those who are offering the Full-Service Financial package. But whether or not you could use more clients, adding tax services to your menu of provided services could increase your income. How? tax professionals charge $100+ per hour preparing individual and business tax returns. Many tax preparers make more money in the months leading up to the April 15 tax deadline than many make all year long! Since all individuals and businesses, small or large, are required to file taxes, tax preparation is a respected skill that will always be in demand. And many of your current clients would probably by happy to have you file their taxes as well as perform the standard accounting services you currently provide.

Also consider who your clients will trust to file their taxes. Countless individuals are scammed each year by people who claim to know what they’re doing. More and more are becoming leery of alleged tax preparers who lack credentials. The Professional Tax Preparer Designation will put many of those individuals at ease, assuring them that you have been properly trained in tax preparation.

Become a Full Financial Service Provider

By combining the Professional Bookkeeper designation with the Professional Tax Preparer designation, you will earn a terrific income all year long. It is easy to cross-sell from one service to the other, making it easier to find clients, raise your billable hours, and give you a raise to boot! The benefits you can offer to those clients you are currently servicing on a yearly basis with the tax preparation services you will be able to develop the account to the maximum potential profit, but more importantly you will be able to build the trust with the quality businesses you serve.

Special Bundle Pricing for Tax Preparation and Accounting/ Bookkeeping Training

Here’s a rundown on what’s all included:

Add Up the Value! Save $$$ Today!

Gear up to being able to offer the full services you can by gaining the Professional Bookkeeper Designation as well as the Professional Tax Preparers Designation. Don’t wait another day to enhance your business and change your life. Be the Full Service Financial Provider.

It’s amazing how much mileage you can get from a little confidence. As an accountant you’ve probably spent a lot of time determining your most valuable business assets and how to preserve them. But have you considered how to secure and improve the one asset around which everything else revolves? YOU. Without you, there would be no accounting practice. There would be no clients. There would be no income. It’s time you acknowledged your value in order to advance your business to the next level.

Trust your instincts

While your impressions may seem somewhat whimsical, remember that you have experience and training which informs your instincts, giving them great value. You need to learn how to trust them as you move forward and advance your business. This means attending to those impressions as you interact with clients, peers, and other professionals within your community. Start with the small impressions first. Once you gain confidence in your instincts you’ll be able to move on to bigger and better things.

Be yourself

Accountants are known for being reclusive and somewhat introverted. If this describes you, we’re guessing you may feel somewhat uncomfortable when interacting with clients and other professionals. But it’s important that you be yourself. Doing so may make you feel self-conscious, but you’ll come across as genuine and trustworthy, two traits greatly admired in business-more so than a good sense of humor and witty dialogue.

Value your own services

If you’re not charging what you are worth, you don’t value your own services. Without saying a word your clients will sense a lack of confidence and will devalue your work as a result. When you come to recognize just how much you’re worth, you will exude self-assurance and promote your practice with ease. You’ll find you don’t have to negotiate your fees as often and you will begin to attract clients willing to pay for quality work.

Talk yourself up

Don’t apologize for what you do or how much you charge to do it. Once you come to value your own services you’ll find this step becomes much easier. You’ll welcome opportunities to talk about what you do and how well you do it. You’ll recognize that you’re only providing potential clients with the opportunity to benefit from your services.

Invest in yourself

YOU are your most valuable asset. It makes sense that you would invest in yourself. Consider ways you can improve your skills and become even more valuable to clients. This may require that you receive additional training, earn credentials, and learn new skills.

Universal has a DVD 4-Pack designed to introduce you to all the valuable services we offer, each and every one of them intended to enhance your accounting career. This power pack includes:

Introduction to the Professional Bookkeeper Program. Learn how becoming a Professional Bookkeeper will improve your accounting skills, enabling you to expand your business and become a full-service financial provider.

Yes Sample Marketing CD. Learn how to introduce your services to a potential client. Use this either for role playing, watching it while meeting with your client or passing them out.

Start Today and Have Your Own Bookkeeping Service. Learn how to make over $80,000 per year working from home while getting more clients than you can handle. Know how to charge your client so you can afford to take that next vacation while they get such a great deal they will be telling all their friends about you.

The Art and Science of Getting Clients. Learn how to get more clients by using our proven methods.

Purchase the DVD 4-pack and add to your reference library while learning how you can enhance your best asset. Order now!

A paperclip could be your blueprint for financial success!

Last time we talked about becoming a success-practices investigator. We discussed the need to create: 1) a notebook for keeping track of the marketing techniques that appealed to us, 2) clipping and saving the ads that impressed us, 3) keeping the direct mail that comes to our home and reading it for ideas, and 4) watching and listening to headlines.

The first part of the secret of never-ending success was to not limit ourselves. Now it’s time to talk about the next part of the secret.

I remember the first time I saw a Vespa Scooter. I knew they were Italian. But I didn’t know much more about them than that. They were first imported into the United States back in 1953, but other than a brief appearance in American Graffiti, I didn’t really notice them until about 2 or 3 years ago. (I guess I was too busy noticing other things.)

I have to admit though, once I did, I started seeing them everywhere. Have you ever noticed that when you purchase a new car, for example; after you drive it home, you start seeing that same make and model of car everywhere? The same is true of our secret.

What do a paperclip and a Vespa Scooter have to do with never-ending success?

The second part of our secret is, see your hidden assets.

In his book, Getting Everything You Can Out of What You’ve Got, Jay Abraham, a world renowned marketer, speaker and writer, tells a story about a friend of his that might help shed some light on this.

His friend was a catalogue manager for a large computer mail-order company. Over the years he’d risen to the highest level within the company that he possibly could. He had also trained a number of younger people who, over the years, had quit and gone to more prestigious, high-profile jobs.

As time went on his one-and-a-half hour commute and all the bureaucratic corporate nonsense became too much. He was burned out. He hated going to work. He saw nothing fulfilling in his job. And, to make matters worse, whenever he came up with a truly innovative idea, management rejected it. He wanted out.

One day, without any other job prospects, he quit. He decided that he never wanted to work for anyone else ever again. He would be master of his own destiny.

Unfortunately, he had no plan. He’d just walked away from an almost 6-figure income and had to support the Northern California lifestyle that went along with it. He struggled for a couple of months with no success.

Here are three questions that have the power to change your life.

After talking with him, Mr. Abraham asked three questions. I’d like to ask you the same three questions.

1. Have you identified and valued your true expertise and inventoried your negotiable personal assets? (Do you know what your personal assets are and do you know how valuable they might be?)
2. What performance skills have you demonstrated in the past that not only have abstract, but intrinsic, value and importance to a business—or specific type of business? (What are your special skills that have real value?)
3. What have you accomplished that people would not only respect, but also desire to learn and utilize to gain the same benefits for their companies?

At first, he drew a blank. So Jay had him analyze and reconstruct all the monumental things he’d experienced, contributed to, and been a part of since he started working. Not only at his current job, but in every previous position he’d ever had over the course of his entire career.

To his surprise, he’d realized that under his direction, the greatest mail-order catalog success in the entire industry had occurred. The owners of the company had become multi-millionaires. He was on the cutting-edge of dozens of product-introduction breakthroughs that became massive successes. Further, the heads of critical departments at five of the industry’s top catalog companies had been trained personally by him.

He began to finally realize and appreciate the second part of our secret. His previous successes and skills created a wonderful opportunity for creating greater success for his clients. As well as financial independence for himself.

Now, instead of being in a dead-end, lower-rung, middle-management position in a large corporation, he deals with owners and presidents of fast-growing and exciting entrepreneurial enterprises. But what’s more, he’s successful and extraordinarily happy.

You still haven’t told me how a paperclip and a Vespa Scooter are part of a secret to never-ending success!

Once you sit down and answer those three questions, and you quantify and value your hidden assets, life will never be the same for you again. Mr. Abraham says, “What you know, do, or have successfully done is probably worth considerable money and value to other non-competitors in your business or line of endeavor—or outside it.”

Now for the paperclip. A simple office tool. Used by millions. Was invented in 1899 and underappreciated since then. I never give my paperclips a second thought, until they’re not there. Would your employer only miss your contribution to their company after you’re gone? Your hidden talents, just like the paperclip are probably underappreciated… not only by others… but by you, too.

And the Vespa… Once you start looking for your hidden skills and assets, and start recognizing them for how valuable they are, you’re going to see them all over the place.

A secret to never-ending success.

1. Don’t limit yourself.
2. Recognize your hidden assets.

How can this secret create success in an Accounting and Tax Preparation career?

That’s easy. And you don’t have to take my word for it. There are thousands of people all over the country that have made the decision to begin a wonderful career in Accounting and Tax Preparation. Click here to hear a few of them tell how Universal Accounting training changed their lives for the better.

The Professional Bookkeeper Program has everything you’ll need to know to help your hidden assets provide the income and lifestyle that you might be looking for. But that’s not all, with access to some of the most innovative and effective marketing methods found anywhere, methods that have been proven successful time after time, you will be one of the extraordinarily happy. Simply follow the link below for more information on the Professional Bookkeeper Program.

Click here to learn how to take the first step towards a successful career in Bookkeeping and Accounting.

A Great Deal On the Most Complete Small-Business Accounting Training Available Anywhere!

Having a solid understanding of the Accounting and Bookkeeping methods and procedures is a great first step in learning the concepts behind Financial Business Analysis. You will learn to do books for small to mid-sized companies and how to analyze the books to prepare reports. You will learn to interpret reports so that you can advise your clients how to reduce costs and to better understand their financial standing and profitability. Your clients will look to you as an invaluable source of information about the financial health of their organization.