Weinstein Spira’s blog, The Balancing Act, provides helpful information on technical accounting and CPA firm culture.
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A holiday shutdown is when a business closes shop during a holiday and for a specified period—employees do not work, and business operations cease. Holiday closures during the last week of the year, a time where many businesses close for Christmas and the New Year,...
Traditionally, starting a new job has never been an easy undertaking. After COVID-19, many companies have transitioned to a hybrid working schedule, where employees are working both remotely and in-person. This change in dynamics makes it more difficult for new...
Studying for the CPA exam at any point in your career is not an easy task to accomplish. Whether you just graduated college or have been working in the corporate world for years, it can be tough to manage and find the time to effectively prepare for the exam. As a mom...
Accountants primary focus is often numbers, of course, but strong writing skills are critical to your advancement. Here’s why: 1. Basic communication calls for clear writing Most accountants dedicate a significant amount of time to writing emails and other...
Since I joined Weinstein Spira in November 2020, I have had several colleagues ask how my work at our firm compares to my experience at a Big 4 public accounting firm. In this blog, I will share what I believe are the seven primary differences between working in audit...
You have heard it a thousand times— “communication is important.” But communication styles, like pant styles, vary among generations, genders, and level of authority. Most people think they are expressing their thoughts in a way that everyone understands,...
Almost every accounting professional has considered taking the CPA exam, but the time, energy and stress that comes with passing all four sections can make it easy to push aside. Studying for the exam is a challenge but it’s also a marker of your competence, work...
In the accounting world, spring internships are typically what you hear about the most. However, I did my internship in the summer of my junior year of college and found it to be very advantageous for several reasons. In this blog post, I will share that less-traveled...
What is the typical day like for a staff accountant at Weinstein Spira? I am glad you asked! As a staff accountant who rotates between tax and audit, I can speak about my typical day, noting that things vary depending on the season and whether I am working from home...
Throughout my career in public accounting, I have been a big fan of networking and it paid off enormously in both my professional and personal life with a long list of business connections and friends. But recently, I found it more challenging to make new connections,...
What work perks can you expect when choosing a career in public accounting? When evaluating a potential employer (and career path), it helps to know what to expect. This will depend on the size of the firm; however, there are some universal perks that apply to working...
As current international president of the Association for Accounting Marketing (AAM) (2021-2022), I speak from direct experience, having worked my way up through the ranks of this niche organization. I can honestly say, no matter what level your participation,...
Background The process of choosing a career path in the field of public accounting can be daunting. Sometimes it is a conscious decision and other times it may be something you fall into by chance. For me, I had little understanding of how my degree would materialize...
Having a meaningful mentor when starting college will help smooth your path to becoming the accountant you want to be. But this does not mean finding a mentor just to be able to say you have one, or to tick off an item on your to-do list. It’s about finding the...
The way you finish an internship really matters. You create a lasting impression. If you can leave on a high note, that’s what people tend to remember the most. Regardless of how your time went along the way, you can go out with a bang if you focus on the following...
Networking is an important aspect of doing business in the accounting world, where personal, authentic relationships really do count. It does not have to be formal networking, per se, as connections can be made anywhere, anytime you are around other people (virtually...
What is a NextGen Mentor? In this context, a NextGen mentor is someone who coaches an employee in the accounting profession, where the person coached has less than five years of experience. Whether you are mentoring Generation X, Y, or Z…being an early career coach is...
Prior to the pandemic, Weinstein Spira allowed everyone to work from home once a week as part of the firm’s work-life balance philosophy. Now that we are working from home every day, there are some ways to avoid “remote work burnout.” Since I moved during the...
Taking the CPA exam at any time is a huge challenge, as those who have been through the process will attest. It can be a challenge trying to work full-time while studying, so most people want to take the exams as quickly as possible upon graduation. In light of the...
During pandemic or non-pandemic times, it can be daunting to land that first entry-level job right out of college. Likewise, an early career move from one company to another comes with a certain amount of interview anxiety. At any given point in time, there are many...
Even outside of COVID-19 times, applying and interviewing for a new or first-time position can be challenging. As a result of the pandemic, job hunting is different. To add to it, there are an increased number of people going after the same spot. You may be thinking:...
After working from home for so many months, a big reveal for me and countless others has been the importance of communication—both casual communication and deliberate conversations that drive business excellence. That includes problem-solving, feedback sessions,...
My experience with Weinstein Spira as an intern has been nothing short of amazing, even during COVID-19. Was it different than I expected? Yes. Was it worth my time? Absolutely. In this post, I am sharing what my internship looked like in the summer of 2020. Securing...
Video job interviews are becoming more common in the hiring process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With stay-at-home orders in place for many areas, video interviews prove to be the best way to continue the hiring process without causing major delays. These...