H-1B Visa Cap Reached for 2011
February 8, 2011
On Jan. 27, 2011, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has received enough H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for the 2011 fiscal year. The final receipt date for new H-1B specialty occupation petitions requesting an employment start date in 2011 was Jan. 26, 2011. Petitions that were received by January 26 will be considered for the visa using a random selection process. USCIS will reject H-1B petitions for workers seeking an employment start date in FY 2011 that arrived after Jan. 26, 2011.
The law limits or “caps” the number of foreign nationals who might be issued H-1Bs each fiscal year to 65,000.
H-1Bs are “temporary” work visas by which employers hire and retain highly skilled foreign workers, usually those working in the specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields such as accounting.
Best Careers 2011 – Accounting Comes Out on Top!
December 7, 2010
Once again, Accounting tops the list of jobs with growth and potential over the next decade. U.S. News and World Report profiles the accounting profession and prospects for growth and advancement. Along with the obvious advice (you must love numbers) the article also points to the need for strong leadership and communication skills.
Speaking of which, we’re hiring! If you know of an experienced Audit Associate or Senior, have them apply for our open position.
Peterson Sullivan Makes INSIDE Public Accounting Top 200 Accounting Firms
September 17, 2010
Peterson Sullivan LLP is pleased to make the inaugural ‘Beyond The IPA Top 100’ – the first ever ranking of the nation’s Top 200 accounting firms. This designation is awarded by the Platt Group, the publishers of INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA).
For more than 20 years, IPA has sustained a tradition of groundbreaking excellence by compiling the annual IPA Top 100 accounting firms, the IPA Best of the Best and IPA All-Stars. As the profession continues to grow and evolve, IPA has evolved with it. The August 2010 issue identified the IPA Top 100 – the 100 largest firms in the U.S., beginning with Deloitte at No. 1 ($10.9 billion) and ending with No. 100, CCR LLP ($29.7 million).
In Beyond the IPA Top 100, they identify firms ranking from No. 101 to No. 200. Minimum net revenue is just shy of $13 million to make the list, which IPA plans to publish annually.
Check out the list here.
Getting to know Erik and Veronica
August 4, 2010
Last week we introduced you to our six new associates. Today, we talk to Erik Lashley and Veronica Cook to give you a look into what the first two weeks are like for incoming entry-level accountants at Peterson Sullivan.
We assume you probably had offers from other firms. Why did you ultimately choose PS?
Erik: For me it was pretty simple – I didn’t think I could get the work variety anywhere else. I really liked knowing that when I started work at PS, I would be working on both tax and audit for a wide variety of clients. It’s important to me that I gain experience across the board, not just in one area.
Veronica: Honestly, it had a lot to do with the personalities of the people I met. You just seemed like genuine, nice people I would like to work with. PS seems realistic about work/life balance, and I felt like my personality matched up really well with other personalities at the Firm.
What was your favorite part about your first week working at PS?
Erik: I’m not sure I can talk about it… but let’s just say the initiation on the first day. That was pretty funny.
Veronica: I think my favorite part was the fact that I felt like I already knew a little bit about a lot of people. Once we signed our offers in November, it was really great to receive the Firm Update emails and be invited to firm events like the holiday party, the tax party, mini golf, etc. I didn’t feel like a complete stranger walking in on my first day, and that was really nice.
What about all the training you have to go through your first few weeks?
Erik: The training has actually been great. Our schedules are organized well. We know where we’re supposed to be, what we’re supposed to be doing, and what we’ll be learning. Having a clear schedule takes a lot of stress out of the first week.
Veronica: I like what we’re learning. It’s all new material and information, and it’s not boring. Plus, we get great food every day.
What was the most unexpected aspect of your first week in our office?
Erik: I don’t know if it was unexpected, but I think we all felt really taken care of and prepared for.
Veronica: I think it was surprising how helpful everyone is – there is no stupid question. People ask us all the time if we have questions or if they can help, and that’s reassuring. There’s also a feeling that PS cares about what we care about, and that they wanted to hire us as much as we wanted to work for them.
Do you have other questions for our new associates? Post a comment and we’ll find you an answer soon!
CPA Exam – Are You Ready for Changes in 2010?
June 29, 2010
The AICPA is rolling out a new uniform CPA exam, beginning in January 2011. Called CBT-e (CBT stands for Computer-Based Testing and the “e” for evolution), these are first major changes since 2004, when CBT was introduced.
These changes are not only significant and numerous—in effect a “new exam” according to AICPA—they are all scheduled to go into effect at once. They include:
- New Content and Skill Specifications (CSOs/SSOs), including International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
- New question formats, including short task-based simulations.
- New research functionality that includes the FASB Codification.
- New exam structure and section time allocations.
- Changes in the percentage value of examination components.
Read more from Becker CPA about the exam changes.
Peterson Sullivan provides all of our accountants with 100% paid registration in the Becker Review Course, and 100% payment of exam fees. We strongly support our employees career development, and passing the CPA exam is one of the first steps in the process.
AccountingWEB extends scholarship entry deadline
May 4, 2010
Hey students! Want some free money? AccountingWEB announced that they are extending their scholarship deadline to May 15, 2010.
Three scholarships will be awarded to students who are undergraduate accounting majors. You’ll need to submit an essay, and judges will pick their top 3. Scholarship funds are provided by AccountingWEB to encourage accounting as a major and a career choice.
Who can particpate?
- United States citizens attending colleges, universities, and professional schools of accounting in the United States.
- Must have already completed at least one semester or two trimesters of full-time college
- Must be declared undergraduate accounting majors, effective for the fall of 2010.
- Must attend college as full-time undergraduate students
- Requires a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, or the equivalent
Don’t delay! Read more details on the AccountingWEB site. And good luck!
According to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), overall average salary offers to 2010 Bachelor’s degree candidates is 1.7 percent lower than the average offer made to Class of 2009 Bachelor’s degree candidates.
Now for the good news. Although the overall average salary offer is down, some disciplines did see increases, and accounting is one of them!
Both finance and accounting majors saw their average salary offers rise. The average offer to accounting majors inched up by 0.4 percent. So, despite the down economy, accounting is still a great major to pursue and obtain a job when you graduate.
Who got hit the hardest? Liberal Arts graduates are feeling the effects of the recession: Currently, their average salary offers remain well below last year’s levels—8.9 percent lower.
Seattle Ranks No. 9 Best City for Young Adults
March 31, 2010
We’re No. 9…Again! Seattle ranked No. 9 Best City for Young Adults in the latest portfolio.com / bizjournals study. You may recall the earlier post where the Accounting profession ranked No. 9 in a Top Jobs report. Apparently it’s our winning number.
Here’s what they had to say about Seattle in the article Young in the City.
9. Seattle: This high-tech metro offers a wide range of good-paying jobs. Seattle ranks among the 10 markets with the largest per capita incomes ($50,471) and smallest unemployment rates for young adults.
In case you were wondering, Number 1 was Austin, TX. Last place? Detroit.
Once you settle on Seattle and kick off your public accounting career, here are just a few ways you can start networking and meeting other young professionals.
- Check out the Washington Society of CPA’s New Professionals events. They start April 29 with a Wine Tasting at Daniel’s Broiler in Bellevue. Some other events include a Billiards Tournament and Argosy Cruise. Peterson Sullivan is a sponsor of New Professionals, so come on by and meet some of our staff.
- The Seattle Chamber of Commerce has an active Young Professionals Network with regular events that only cost $15.
- Seattle Works is an organization that informs, connects, and inspires people in their 20′s and 30′s to take action in their community. It’s perfect for people with interest in volunteerism who aren’t able to make a long-term committment. Projects take place over a couple of weekends and take about four hours.
Bringing in new business to the firm will become a more important skill as you continue to move up the career ladder. Don’t wait until you’re ten years into your career before you start trying to develop relationships that may lead to new business. Start early on so you can get comfortable with networking skills and relationship building. It’s a whole lot easier, and who knows? Someone you meet in the first year of your career may be the very same person you’re trying to approach ten or twenty years down the road.
What is your favorite way to connect with Young Professionals?
What Color is Your Career?
March 15, 2010
If you’d like to take a quick test to see whether your career is headed in the right direction, check out the Color Career Test online. It will only take you a few minutes, and you can quickly see if your results match to your current plans. Best of all, you don’t have to supply your email to get results, so no worries about spam clogging up your Inbox.
I scored strongly in the Organizer category and it lists one of my preferred workplaces as an accounting firm, so I have faith in the results!
Talking About Career Pathing
February 23, 2010
Last week I had a fun experience – I was a panelist on the Views From the Top radio talk show. The topic was Career Pathing. The host, Adrienne Graham, has a really interesting background and has truly reinvented herself, going from a recruiter to a media powerhouse. Other panelists were Erik Bloom, author of Manager Mechanics, and Mary Lou Quinlan, founder of Just Ask A Woman. I learned a lot from listening to both of them, Erik had some great tips for new managers, and Mary Lou had some wonderful ideas about getting yourself noticed in your company by volunteering for some in-house assignments.
If you have some time, check out the show! Available free on iTunes.
