Blog: AICPA Economic Crisis and Recovery Center

Small business is the place to be!

One of my AICPA colleagues sent me a news brief on a recent study conducted by CareerBuilder.com.  The study found that four in five laid off workers either landed, or were searching for work in the small business sector.  That stat may be slightly misleading since only 1 in 5 or 22% of the survey actually found work in the small business sector.  Another 59% said they are interested in landing work in the small business sector, though I’m sure they’d take whatever was available.

Fact is, small business these days seems like the place to be.  The study cited the following characteristics (in addition to career growth) that appealed to the survey respondents:

• A family-like work environment - 56 percent
• More employee recognition - 49 percent
• A sense that you can make a difference - 48 percent
• An absence of corporate red tape - 46 percent

Down economies have spurred small business in the past and the current recession seems to be doing the same.  In fact, there seems to be a growing interest in CPAs starting their own practice.  The Private Companies Practice Section of the AICPA has a Starting a CPA Practice page that provides fledgling entrepreneurs with some helpful hints in getting started with their own firm.  This webpage was launched in April, 2009 and has had over 1,000 visits from April through July.

For CPAs who are looking for a new position, I’ve reported in the past that small firms have been affected less by the current economy than their large firm counterpart.  I’ve spoken to several small firms around the country who are looking for good talent to help in their practice.  Every time I point them to the AICPA CPA Job Finder where the AICPA is still offering CPA Firms with free job postings to help firms and individuals find each other during this tough economy.

Question of the week
If you work for a small business or are looking to work for a small business, what is it about a small business/small firm that you like the most? Post a comment

– Mark Koziel

Is the Stimulus Plan working?

The USA Today conducted a poll asking Americans if the stimulus plan is working.  Of 1,010 adults surveyed from August 6^th through 9^th, 57% say the stimulus package has had no effect or made the economy worse.  Over the long term, 60% think the stimulus package will have no effect or make the economy worse.

Economists are still saying the economy would have been worse without the stimulus, though they vary in how much the stimulus has helped.  The poll will make for great debate in Washington, D.C., as the continuation of stimulus measures are contemplated.

Comments we have received on prior blog posts have been thoughtful and instructive and would like to see that continue with this one.  I have two questions and you must answer both!  Since many of you reading this blog are CPAs — recognized financial experts — your input is important.

• Question 1 – Do you believe the stimulus efforts have helped the economy?
• Question 2 – What would you do to spark the economy?

Post a comment

– Mark Koziel

Have you traded in your clunker?

Last week Congress passed a bill to extend the Cash for Clunkers program.  There has been some debate over the success of this program and whether it should have continued.

For auto dealers, the boost in potential car sales has helped.  But some argue this is a temporary blip and the sales would’ve taken place at some point in the near future, so the economic impact will be very short term at best.

I have to admit that the program made me think about trading in my 2005 Subaru.   Of course, based on my buying habits and taste, I’ll never qualify for the program since I can’t show any improvement in gas mileage as I always strive for some level of fuel efficiency.  It certainly was a sensible decision in light of last year’s gas prices!

However, there is a down side to the clunkers program that hasn’t gotten much attention.  Not-for-profits that were taking clunkers for donations are now suffering.  At a time when charities were seeing a decrease in cash donations, they are now also seeing a decrease in vehicle donations as well.

Do you think the Cash for Clunkers program is helping the economy overall?  Do you think it was a good idea to extend the program?  Tell us your thoughts.

– Mark Koziel

What are your hiring expectations this fall?

I can’t believe it’s August already.  The summer soon will give way to fall when many CPA firms and businesses should be gearing up for campus recruiting.  Will fall recruiting be at prior year levels?

Last week, the AICPA launched its newly designed student website, www.startheregoplaces.com, and it looks terrific.  As college campuses are seeing accounting graduates in record numbers, it’ll be more important than ever to go out and recruit the best and brightest to make sure we continue to fill the talent pipeline of new CPAs.

Your organization is probably fully staffed right now, no matter how big or small, there’s talent out there that can help.  CPA firms still have the ability to post jobs for free on the AICPA’s CPA Job Finder. If you have a job to post, email pcps@aicpa.org for the instructions for the CPA Firm free job post.

Even if you are fully staffed today, it is critical to our profession to move students out of the graduate pipeline and into the work pipeline.  Small firms who may not have been in the recruiting game before should consider getting into it now.  The AICPA’s Private Companies Practice Section (PCPS) has extensive resources to help CPA firms of all sizes with their recruiting needs.  The PCPS Human Capital Center has a Recruiting Section for its member firms with tools and resources.  There is also a preview into those tools and resources in the PCPS Human Capital Series Toolbox.

Let us know what your CPA firm or organization is up to this fall.  Do you anticipate hiring the same, more or less new recruits than last year? Post a comment.

– Mark Koziel