Starting salaries in the accounting and finance, and information technology and administrative fields, are expected to remain relatively flat or see modest declines next year, but some posi- tions will buck this trend, according to the 2010 Salary Guides from Robert Half International.
Below is an overview, byfield, of 10 positions where national average salaries are holding strong or seeing slight gains:
Accounting and Finance
• Tax accountant: Companies seek tax accountants who can help their organizations achieve bot tom-line savings through effective tax management strategies. Tax accountants with one to three years of experience at large companies (more than $250 million in sales) are expected to see an average national start- ing salary in the range of $46,500 to $61,500.
• Compliance director: Firms need professionals who can help them comply with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission mandates and prepare for the potential transition to International Financial Reporting Standards. The starting range for a compliance director at a small company (up to $25 million in sales) is forecast to be $83,750 to $108,500.
• Credit manager/supervisor: Companies need professionals who can contribute to the bottom line by reducing inefficiencies and enhancing profitability. Base compensation for credit managers/supervisors working in small companies is projected to range between $42,500 to $57,500.
• Senior financial analyst: Businesses need professionals who are able to evaluate financial plans, forecasts and budgets, and identify ways to improve profitability. A senior financial analyst at a mid-sized company ($25 million to $250 million in sales) is anticipated to earn $57,750 to $74,000 in starting salary this year.
Information Technology
• Network administrator: Cloud computing, Voice over Internet Protocol (VolP) and Software as a Service (SaaS) have significantly increased the complexity of networks and requirements placed on them. Network administrators can expect to see starting salaries In the range of $54,500 to $80,250.
• Information systems security manager: Protecting the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information from internal and external breaches is a must-have for companies of all sizes, making security professionals integral to the IT department. The salary range for an information systems security manager is expected to be $96,500 to $130,750.
• Systems engineer: As companies implement new technologies, technical service roles remain critical to the organization. Base compensation for these professionals is projected to range from $64,250 to $93,250.
Administrative and Office Support
• Medical Records Clerk: As more hospitals and healthcare organizations transition from paper to electronic medical records, facilities will seek medical records clerks who can help supervise the scanning and processing of patient data. These individuals can expect to earn a starting salary of $23,750 to $31,500 this year.
• Customer Service Representative: In the current economy, hiring managers consider customer service the most critical function to their organization's success. The salary range for a customer service representative is projected to be $22,750 to $30,750.
• Executive Assistant: Executive assistants who can wear many hats, support multiple managers and adapt readily to change are in particular demand. These individuals are likely to see starting salaries in the range of $35,000 to $47,000.
Frequently Asked Interview Questions
The following lists should give you a good idea of the kinds of questions you may be asked in the job search process. It is important to be able to articulate your responses to each question. Remember, preparation is the key to reducing the anxiety often associated with interviewing.
Open-Ended Questions –
Note: Describe a continuum of skill development. Illustrate why the integration of your education, life experience, work experience, and personal attributes qualifies you for this particular position. Be able to explain why the job you are interviewing for is the logical next step for your career.
Tell me about yourself
Walk me through your resume
Tell me about a time in your life when you have made a difference
What are you proudest of?
Education –
Describe your most rewarding school experience
Why did you select your college or university? (Don’t say because your friends went there or because it was close to home – Focus on the Academic Program Credentials)
What led you to choose your field of major study?
Which subjects did you like best? Why?
Tell me about a favorite extra-curricular activity
Personal –
Are you willing to travel?
What do you do for fun?
What do you read?
If you could have lunch with anyone living or dead, who would it be? Why?
Self Assessment –
Why do you want to be a __________ (position interviewing for)?
What makes you think you’ll be successful in this position?
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths / weaknesses?
Tell me about your oral / written communication skills
Have you ever failed? What did you learn from it?
How would you describe yourself? Are you a leader, creative? Give examples.
How competitive are you?
How would a friend or professor who knows you well describe you?
How well do you work independently? With others?
How do you work under pressure?
What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction?
Be Prepared For Industry-Specific Questions, Problems, and Hypothetical Cases –
Why do you want to work at this company?
Why are you interested in this industry?
What have you read about our company, or our products lately?
In what kind of work environment are you most comfortable?
How would you compare our company with others you are interested in?
Work Experience –
What is your most significant work accomplishment?
What did you do in your job?
Tell me about a boss you especially liked. Why?
What are the attributes of an ideal job for you?
How would your most recent boss describe you?
What was your biggest work problem?
What did you like least about your last job?
Skill Summary Questions –
Why should I hire you?
In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company?
What distinguishes you from the other people I am interviewing today?
What do you want me to remember about you?
Career Direction –
What did you like most / least about your last job?
What other organizations are you talking to?
What would you like to accomplish in the first 3-5 years on the job?
What are your short-term and long-term goals?
Can You Ace A Behavioral Interview?
When you go into an interview, you need to leave your nerves at the door. The best way to prepare is to develop beforehand, your own story (or stories). This is especially great for the behavioral interview being used more today.
A behavioral interviewer will spend about half the interview on your job skills, and about half on your behavioral competencies. He or she will be looking for evidence of how you have acted in real situations in the past. So having your stories ready to go plays very well for this type of conversation.
What Is Behavioral Interviewing?
Also known as “competency-based” interviews, these interviews go further than the traditional skills-based interview. You can expect additional questions about your character and personal attributes that can better determine whether you fit their corporate culture. These are called “behavioral competencies.”
This is simply an interviewing technique used to determine whether you are a good fit for the job by asking questions about your past behavior. Your answers are then used as an indicator of your future success. For example, if you’ve done it in the past, you’ll probably do it again.
How Is This Different Than The Other Questions You Might Encounter?
A behavioral question will be very specific. For instance, when asked, “Tell me about a time when you overcame a crisis, solved a problem or dealt with failure,” the focus is on a specific time in your past when you completed a certain action. Your answer must illustrate a particular action that you took at some point in your past.
A traditional interview-type question, on the other hand, would be a “what if” question. For example, “What would you do if such and such a situation were to occur?” The difference here is that there are no past experiences to call upon. You merely put yourself in the situation and use your imagination for the answer.
How Do You Prepare For Behavioral Interviews?
The best way to prepare is to take the initiative and have several personal stories that you can tell, taking maybe 30-90 seconds each.
You may want to start by developing your stories around these areas:
A crisis in your life or job and how you responded or recovered from it
A time when you functioned as part of a team and what your contribution was
A time in your career or job where you had to overcome stress
A time in you job when you provided successful leadership or sense of direction
A failure that occurred in your job and how did you overcome it
All stories have three parts and yours should be no different. They should include:
A beginning (set the stage – describe the situation, the time)
A middle or process (this is the process you took, or the action you took to solve the problem)
A resolution (how was the problem solved, overcome or resolved)
A good story should be interesting. Give them something to remember about you, something that makes you stand out. Let your personality show. The more details and skills you can add, the better.
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