Off the Ledger

Nadine Adams - Tax Staff

One of the things that made PKM stand out from other Atlanta CPA firms during the recruiting process was the flexibility that the firm offered. During my internship it became clear that this was not just talk. I saw that PKM allowed staff to work from home on Saturdays instead of having to drive into the city, employees were assigned to engagements in industries they prefered and flex-time during the non-busy season was quite common--and these were just a few examples! The biggest flexibility the firm showed, in my case, was when I was offered a part-time position in the tax department while finishing up my Masters degree in Tax at Georgia State University.

When I agreed to take the offer, I did not have any idea about all the hidden benefits. Not only was I gaining invaluable experience through performing actual work, but also some of the theories that I had learned about in class were no longer relevant or new. It was not always in my classes that I heard about state apportionment, valuation allowances or accounting for temporary and permanent tax differences for the first time. Best yet, I had already applied the concepts to actual cases that were far more complicated than any example in a textbook. This was a big advantage when it came to exam time. But it's a two way street! Because of what I was learning in my classes, I was better able to understand some of the work that I was doing for PKM. So, looking back, the flexibility that first attracted me to the firm has really worked out to be a huge benefit and advantage for me in my career as a CPA.

Scott Jones- Audit Associate

Every public accountant remembers his or her first busy season like it was yesterday.  Working long hours, discovering firsthand what auditing in the real world is like, and learning the art of business-travel are all part of the experience.  My first busy season was during my internship with PKM in the spring of 2007.  From my experience, I'd like to share with you my top five tips to help you gear up for your first busy season as an intern or full-time staff!

1)       Buy some quality luggage - During busy season, you're likely to spend a decent amount of time on the road.  With all of this traveling, it's important to have a quality set of luggage to cart your clothes from one place to the next.

2)       Get a good credit card - Also in line with the traveling theme, it's important to have a credit card to charge travel expenses such as hotels, meals, and gas.  Of course, you'll be reimbursed for these expenses later, but try to take advantage of cards that give you rewards or cash back.

3)       Beef up your wardrobe - The general rule for accountants is to dress as nice as or nicer than the client.  Although the majority of companies are going to the business casual dress code, we still have multiple clients that are business professional.  Because of this, you must have several suits and a collection of ties in your wardrobe so you can look sharp.  Also, I highly recommend wrinkle-free or non-iron shirts so you'll hardly ever have to use an iron.

4)       Pack a snack - With these long hours you'll be clocking in, you're bound to get hungry.  So pack a snack you can munch on throughout the day.  My personal preference is natural almonds. 

5)       Get a fuel efficient car - Depending on your schedule, there's a good chance you'll be doing a lot of driving during busy season.  It's just not economical to have a gas guzzler if you're driving all over the Southeast.  For this reason, I recommend getting a fuel efficient car.  This will help save on your gas costs, and will also be better for the environment.

Whether you're an intern or a first year staff, I think these tips will be beneficial to prepare you for your first busy season.  Good luck to you all!

Sonny MacArthur- Partner

Everything we do in life revolves around relationships. As a student, you have relationships with faculty, staff, friends from home, new friends you have made in college, family and so forth.  Public accounting is no different and your success not only hinges upon your technical accounting skills, but also your ability to build and nurture relationships. Relationships must be forged with your fellow colleagues, clients, attorneys, investment bankers, other accountants and a variety of other professionals. The process for developing relationships in your professional life is no different than the process for developing personal relationships that you have forged throughout your life. It is about being yourself and, more importantly, about listening to others and having a genuine interest in them as a person.  As an accountant, you will solve problems for clients and will be respected for your technical expertise.  However, your ability to develop and maintain relationships is what will differentiate you from other professionals with similar technical expertise. So, my advice is to always rememeber to build and maintain strong relationships- you never know when they just might come in handy!

Arvil Stanford - Partner

So, it's time to get off the bench. You have spent the last several years living the college life and preparing for the "real world" in the wonderful, and challenging, career of public accounting. Here are a few things to remember as the interview process kicks off--great people, great clients and great leadership will create a great working environment!

Great people: What do you know about the people that work at the firm(s) for which you are interviewing? Prepare for the interview by making contact with people that you already know or people that know the people at the firm(s) you have targeted. Be prepared for the interview and gain additional relevant information about the firm's people, working environment, and culture. Once you get a feel for the overall culture, make sure that it meshes with your own personality and what you are looking for in a firm.

Great clients: The next most important factor in getting your career off to a great start is to think about what type of clients that you would like to work with. Do your research and spend a good deal of time discussing this critical factor with your interviewing firm. Whether it's public or private companies, individuals, or even a specific industry niche, make sure the firm you ultimately choose has clients that align with your interests.

Great leadership:  Does the firm's values align with your values? The tone is set at the top. A firm's values are driven by its leadership. How much do you know about the management team at your selected firm(s)? Make sure to do your research and use your network to learn as much as you can and be prepared to ask the right questions in the interview. If a firm's core values do not match up with your own, it's likely not the right place for you.

With that, it is time for me to get back to work and for you to enjoy the college life. We look forward to hopefully seeing you somewhere down the recruiting trail!

Debbie Sessions - Partner & COO

The term work/life balance has been one that has been very popular over the past 15 years - particularly within the public accounting world.  However, the word, BALANCE, implies a visual image of a seesaw - where you are constantly trying to keep the motion even.  Anyone that has ever been on a seesaw realizes that is an almost impossible task, especially when the other person is fighting your efforts.  The new word that is being used now makes more sense: "INTEGRATION;" because you do not leave your personal life at home every day when you come to the office and you really don't leave your work life in the office every day when you get home.  Rather, the challenge is to feel like you are fully present in your work day as well as in your personal life. 

In researching work/life balance I found a great website called Tiny Buddha which had some great thoughts about this issue. 

If you have as a goal to keep your life balanced, then you do have to focus your efforts in that direction.  One of the best ways to maintain balance is to be flexible with general guidelines. If you work long hours on Monday, then be intentional about spending time relaxing or with friends on Tuesday.  If you set guidelines, then you have some flexibility in how you achieve them because naturally each day is going to have new situations and problems that do not always fit into a rigid timeline.

You should also define those things that are non-negotiable. If you do that then you have made a commitment that you will honor regardless of how life intrudes on a daily basis: those things could include exercise, eating right, meditation or sleeping.

Don't worry about the little things, especially those things that you have no control over. Many times it is not that you are actually working while you should be in your "life," but that you are thinking about work and that causes you to lose focus on what you are doing.  If you are always thinking about what could or should happen, then you cannot be in the moment and that moment will pass. 

Integration and calmness come with practice; they are not skills that we are born with. However, with practice they can become part of who we are and we can enjoy life more.

Anneli Taylor - Audit Senior Manager

It's no secret--Atlanta has one of the most challenging traffic situations in the U.S. Thus, living in one of the northern suburbs of this great city and working in a regional public accounting firm results in a significant amount of quality time to myself, in my car! As the region is coming up and experimenting with new and innovative ways to give Atlanta traffic a much needed "make over," I have learned to embrace my time in the car over the years. Here are some things that have helped me to embrace the time in the car (in no particular order):

·         Have the right mindset and be a courteous and mindful driver. Accept the traffic. Being rude and an aggressive driver increases stress levels.

·         Know the alternatives and be prepared. It's all about knowing the alternative routes in Atlanta, as you never know when or where the delays will be. Study the map!

·         Bring a beverage and/or a snack. Coffee for me, please.

·         Use the alone time to plan your day.  I find that this is one of the few times during the day that I am alone. So, I make lists in my head and ponder about life.

·         Have your favorite music and/or books on CD ready. A great way to make the time pass by having a mini-jam in the car or listening to a great book. 

·         Invest in a hands free headset.  I use some of my commute time to catch up with friends and relatives overseas and having a Bluetooth set up makes me a safer driver. Just please remember that paying attention to the road and commuters around you is the first priority!

Don't get me wrong, I still have my "bad days" and I take MARTA whenever possible; however, I am much less stressed about the traffic today than I was five years ago. Using these helpful tips may help you and your own commute if you choose a career in public accounting in Atlanta, or any other major city for that matter.

Tim Messman - Audit Partner

Recently, I was reflecting on the revolving door that exists in public accounting.  We are fortunate at PKM that the turnover rate is much lower than the industry average.  I do get it - Public accounting is not for everyone!  It can involve long hours at times, travel and multiple deadlines which can inevitably be stressful.  I still hate to see people go, especially the really good ones - the star performers!

I once took a management development course that mentioned the peaks and valleys one encounters during their career.  The peaks occur shortly after being promoted, and then there is a dip where people tend to be disenchanted and then a climb to the next promotion and peak.  The cycle then starts all over again.  This has not been too dissimilar from my own career.  The grass can often appear greener on the other side of the fence.  Someone much wiser than I once told me "You don't know what they are fertilizing the grass with though!" As I saw my superiors and peers leave public accounting, many of them indicated they did not find what they sought.  I recall one stating they worked longer hours in private accounting than they did in public.  Several of these people have also found themselves unemployed during this challenging economy.

I am so grateful that when I was in one of my valleys, I did a soul searching of myself and my career and came to the conclusion that I wanted to stay in public accounting, and particularly with PKM.  Yes, there is travel, long hours and deadlines, but to me, the following far outweigh what can be viewed as the downside:

·         As a Partner of the firm, I am well compensated and outside of winning the lottery or becoming the CFO for a Fortune 500 company (which I have no interest in), I cannot imagine being more successful financially.

·         I enjoy the people I work with.  I get to work with some of the smartest most talented people I have ever met - from the leaders ahead of me to the high quality staff that we hire on a regular basis.

·         I enjoy the clients I work with.  It is great to do business with people that you consider your friends.

·         I love the continual challenge.  Accounting standards are changing all the time and client issues come up that need to be researched.  I cannot imagine a stagnant position where the same thing is done month in and month out.

·         I enjoy working at different places - a client's office, our firm office or even my home at times.  The change of scenery keeps the excitement alive.

·         Flexibility - public accounting provides about as much flexibility as someone can have in a career.  You are treated as a professional and as long as you are getting the job done, it is no big deal to take care of personal things as needed.  This has been huge for me as I have gotten older and my family has grown.

So, as you consider your own career path, make sure you always consider the pros and cons of wherever you may wind up, even if it happens to be PKM!

Jennifer Wallace - Tax Staff

"Don't let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it.  The time will pass anyway; we might just as well put that passing time to the best possible use." - Earl Nightingale

One thing we can never get back is time. I think that is why this quote is so powerful to me in that it can be applied to so many things in my life. There have been times I have basically given up on reaching a goal because it was going to take too long; I just didn't feel like putting in the time or effort.  But then in July, when I look back on that New Year's resolution to lose that 25 pounds or pay off that bill, I have often thought, "Man, if I'd have just stuck it out for six more months, what kind of progress could I have made?"  And then I beat myself up about it. 

Consider again the quote above. It's not talking about conquering the world in a day; it's saying that one small change each day, over time, can result in reaching your goals.  Maybe not in a week's time, but consider how one small change would add up in a month's or in a year's time.  And why not?  The time will pass regardless.

Cutting 500 calories out of your regular diet each day will result in losing one pound in a week's time.  One pound, so what?  Well, stick it out for six months and..."bye-bye" 25 pounds.  Regarding paying off that bill; rather than going out to eat several nights a week (if that's your routine), pick up something on sale and grill out at home.  Take that extra money you would have spent on that overpriced food and stick it back. If you would have spent the money anyway, you shouldn't miss it...and over time you will have enough money to pay off that pesky bill that drives you crazy!

I have come to realize that I can't reach any of my long-term goals in just one day. What is that other famous quote, "Rome wasn't built in a day"?  But one day at a time, I can make choices, sometimes even choices that don't seem to matter, that will result in a happier me in the long run. So, whether it be work or peronal related, here's to reaching our goals!

Ashley Meyer - Audit Staff

Recently, I read an article in USA Today that that suggested business travelers should tack time onto their business trips to do some sight-seeing. As I am constantly traveling on business, I agree that this is an excellent way to add some "play" to the business travel often accompanied with working for a CPA firm. While traveling for work I have had the opportunity to see the Navy Pier in Chicago, climb the "Thousand Steps" at Laguna Beach, watch the most breath-taking sunset over the Prescott, Arizona Mountains, browse through D.C.'s Smithsonian Museum, indulge in a Napa-Valley wine-tasting and even visit family in Cincinnati. Although business trips usually tend to be a very busy "in-and-out" circumstance, it is well worth it to take advantage of the local attractions that you may otherwise not have an opportunity to see, ever. Enjoying whatever your destination city has to offer not only makes the business trip productive, but also memorable and fun!

Derek Dill - Audit Staff