Improving Internal Communication

This article is from the CPA Consultants' Alliance, and it lists 12 ways to improve internal communication at a CPA firm. This advice can be applied to other forms of business as well. Some examples are having an intranet, instant messaging, and video.

Source: http://cpaconsultantsalliance.com/14-resources-for-improving-your-internal-communication/

Image source: http://pepperltd.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Internal-Communications.jpg

10 Essential Business TED Talks

This article lists "10 Essential Business TED Talks" that range from improving body language to doing well on social media.

Source: http://www.greatbusinessschools.org/10-essential-business-ted-talks/

Image source: https://yt3.ggpht.com/-bonZt347bMc/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAAAA/lR8QEKnqqHk/s900-c-k-no/photo.jpg

Effects of Negative Communication

This article from Houston Chronicle is about the effects of negative communication in the workplace. George N. Root III states that rumors and incomplete information can impact the morale, cause conflict, and hurt the structure of the organization.

"By understanding the effects of negative communication in the workplace, you can develop policies that help to decrease the problem and encourage positive communication."  - George N. Root III

Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects-negative-communication-workplace-11524.html

Image source: http://woman.thenest.com/DM-Resize/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/151/82/87721669.jpg?w=600&h=600&keep_ratio=1

Mastering the Skill of Communication

In this article from Entrepreneur, Matthew Mayberry lists 3 reasons why mastering the skill of communication is important to the growth of your business. At the end, he provides some advice to improving this skill.

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/239330

Image source: http://www.businessenglishpod.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/bigstockphoto_Mature_Business_Man_Giving_Pre_5212277.jpeg

Skype for Business

This article written by techbay dicusses the new messaging program from Microsoft called Skype for Business. Currently, Microsoft uses Lync as part of their office suite for instant messaging among Microsoft Outlook contacts. Skype for Business will replace Lync and enhance video conferencing.

Source: http://techday.com/start-up/news/skype-for-business-to-advance-business-communication/197528/

Image source: http://www.skypeassets.com/content/dam/skype/images/site/business/business-download-hero-main-skinny.jpg

Four Different Types of Business Attire

This article from the Houston Chronicle describes the four different types of business attire. It's always good to know what you should wear to different professional activities, whether it's an interview or a social.

Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/four-different-types-business-attire-23396.html

Image source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/DM-Resize/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/97/57/86538859.jpg?w=650&h=406&keep_ratio=1&webp=1

A Guide to Using Twitter Professionally

This Wikihow article provides 3 methods to using twitter professionally. This includes knowing why you set up the twitter in the first place and what kinds of posts to tweet.

Source: http://m.wikihow.com/Use-Twitter-as-a-Professional

Image source: http://upcity.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/twitter-.jpg

Resume and Cover Letter Tips

This Forbes article provides some simple tips on writing the perfect resume and cover letter, including the infographic below from ZipRecruiter.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/naomishavin/2014/07/16/tips-for-the-perfect-resume-and-cover-letter/

Image source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/naomishavin/2014/07/16/tips-for-the-perfect-resume-and-cover-letter/

Business Dining Etiquette

Dining etiquette is a form of non-verbal communication. Many firms will take you out to lunch, dinner, or a social as part of the interview. When I went in for my accounting firm interview, my firm took me out to lunch. Many of the Big 4 accounting firms take you out to dinner and a social. In these situations, knowing good dining etiquette is a must. This article from Business Insider lists some rules of dining etiquette.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/rules-of-dining-etiquette-2012-4?op=1

Image source: http://etiquette-guide.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/business_dining_etiquette.jpg

Richard St. John: 8 Secrets of Success

This TED talk is the result of several interviews with successful business professionals, including Bill Gates. Richard St. John presents the secrets of their success in 8 key words: passion, persist, work, focus, ideas, improve, serve, and push.

Watch the TED talk here.

Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/richard_st_john_s_8_secrets_of_success?language=en#t-1847

Image source: http://img.tedcdn.com/r/images.ted.com/images/ted/6c8c4b562ae7b0a7f5b140e2db1f7588861a6565_1600x1200.jpg?c=1280%2C720&ll=1&quality=89&w=1200

E-mail vs. Paper Mail

Even though a lot of businesses have switched to communicating with customers through e-mail, sending paper mail is still an important channel. It costs more money than sending an e-mail, but it can be viewed as more professional. Especially when it is regarding an important matter.

Image source: http://www.alticoadvisors.com/Portals/0/e-mail.jpg

Keeping Your Mind Sharp

This article from Harvard Medical Schools' HEALTHbeat provides advice on how to keep your mind sharp at any age. I believe that having a sharp mind can improve communication in any environment. These tips can lead to improved memory function and increased knowledge, which can help small talk skills and thinking on your feet.

Source: http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/6-simple-steps-to-keep-your-mind-sharp-at-any-age

Image source: http://www.inarkansas.com/img.php?w=633&src=http://assets.inarkansas.com/15129/brain.jpg

Thinking on Your Feet

This article from Mind Tools is about learning how to improve your ability to come up with good answers to questions or situations you may not be prepared for. For example, you're in an interview and the interviewer asks a question you did not prepare for. What do you do? You can't sit there too long and do not want to say something you didn't mean. The article suggests that you should limit your "ums" and "ahs" increase the interviewer's confidence in your words. It also suggests that you should use certain stall tactics to give your mind more time to come up with an appropriate answer.

Source: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/ThinkingonYourFeet.htm

Image source: http://www.mummypreneurs.com.au/storage/blog-posts/shutterstock_121961872.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1374799369017

Tips on How to Improve Small Talk

Small talk is an important aspect of workplace communication. It can help you network better and get to know your co-workers. This article from PsychologyToday lists 10 tips for improving this skill, which includes listening, not oversharing, and knowing when not to talk.

Source: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201107/10-tips-talk-about-anything-anyone

Image source: http://cambridge.tab.co.uk/files/2013/10/small-talk.jpg

Post-Interview Thank You Letters

After an interview, you should compose a thank you card or letter for the person (or people) that interviewed you. This article from Virginia Tech explains the purpose, different formats, and provides examples of appropriate thank you letters. The photo above is a good example of a thank you card. After my last interview, I wrote 9 handwritten thank you cards for all the people involved in my interview. If you don't receive a business card, be sure to remember their name(s) or do your best to find out.

Source: http://www.career.vt.edu/interviewing/afterthanksfollowup.html

Image source: https://www.southeastern.edu/admin/career_srv/ace_the_interview/post_interview_tips/images/thankyou.jpg

More on Interview Questions

This Forbes article lists the 50 most common interview questions and some examples on how to answer some of them. In addition, it provides steps on how to prepare for your interview. I'm confident this was another article I referred to when preparing for my CPA firm interview, and I highly recommend it.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/01/11/how-to-ace-the-50-most-common-interview-questions/

Image source: http://beta.theartofcharm.com/wp-content/uploads/files/2013/06/job-interview.jpg

Business Cards

As a new owner of business cards, I wondered what was the best way to give one out. I'm new to networking, and decided to do some research. This article explains the importance of your business card and the proper way to give it out to others.

Source: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/159492

Image source: http://moozup.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/9282538711.jpg

CPA Firm Interview Questions

This article lists several questions that may be asked in an interview with a CPA firm. It states that these are questions the Big 4 would ask, but any CPA firm is likely to ask them. As an accounting major, this article proved to be very useful in my first interview with a firm. It prepared me for most of the questions I was asked and made me feel confident.

One question I'd add is "What do you do in your free time?"

If you plan to interview with a firm, practice beforehand and remember to write thank you cards. Even if you were interviewed by 9 people like I was. These tips helped me land that internship, and it can do the same for you.

Good luck.

Source: http://www.vault.com/blog/interviewing/21-interview-questions-the-big-4-ask

Image source: http://www.insightperformance.com/Portals/61790/images/C--Users-nsaperstone-Desktop-Interview.jpg

LinkedIn Tips

This article provides some helpful tips for students who want to use LinkedIn to help them get a job after school or even an internship.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/education/mortarboard/2013/dec/30/linkedin-tips-for-students-employability

Image source: http://www.inc.com/uploaded_files/image/970x450/linkedin-screen-1940x900_34192.jpg

Professionalism and Social Media

Maintaining a professional image on social media is incredibly important today. Anything you post can either be positive or hurt you, especially when you're friends with coworkers or have a public profile. This article provides tips on how to maintain a professional onine presence.

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/jun/11/professional-reputation-social-media-tips

Image source: http://i.guim.co.uk/static/w-620/h--/q-95/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2013/6/10/1370882030671/man-holding-a-smartphone--008.jpg

Business Etiquette

This article from Business Insider provides some rules for business etiquette when establishing professional relationships, which can be helpful for interviews and networking.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/business-etiquette-you-need-to-know-2013-7?op=1

Image source: http://dculs.dcu.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/etiquette.jpeg

Improving Body Language

The following article provides tips on becoming aware of your current body language tendencies and how to improve them.

Source: http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2006/10/27/18-ways-to-improve-your-body-language/

Image source: http://www.tooraktimes.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=16005&d=1410215056&stc=1

Power Posing

Amy Cuddy: Body language shapes who you are

I watched this TED talk the night before my interview with the CPA firm I currently work for and found it very helpful. Amy Cuddy speaks about body language and how you can improve it with power posing.

Source: http://youtu.be/Ks-_Mh1QhMc

Image source: http://img.tedcdn.com/r/images.ted.com/images/ted/40f7b85070d71cd4b0ffb7f076a1d06d90cb4439_2400x1800.jpg?ll=1&quality=89&w=800

Winning Employee Trust

This article lists 9 ways to gain the trust of your employees, which is important in the workplace. Without trust, employees are less likely to believe in the decisions you make and may not work as hard. Increased trust leads to a more positive work environment and is very beneficial to companies, as well as every person involved.

Source: http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/9-ways-to-win-employee-trust.html

Photo: http://www.inc.com/uploaded_files/image/970x450/employee-trust_29876.jpg

Overcommunicating

Be careful what you say to employees. You could offend them and/or give the wrong impression.

Source: http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2009-03-01/

Simon Sinek: How Great Leaders Inspire Action

This TED talk explains why some leaders of organizations are able to get things done and be successful compared to all of the others.

Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en

Image source: http://tedconfblog.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/ted2014_dd_dsc_0911_1920.jpg

When Marketing Goes Wrong

There are times when marketing campaigns can send the wrong message and have serious consequences. A good example of this is when Cartoon Network was involved in a guerrilla marketing campaign that placed battery-powered LED placards all over major cities in the United States to promote their show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force. The City of Boston thought they were bombs and it caused chaos all over the city. Turner Broadcasting System was fined $2,000,000 after the event, which led to the resignation of general manager and executive vice president of Cartoon Network, Jim Samples.

Sources: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/31/AR2007013101958.html
http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/09/news/newsmakers/cartoon_network/

Photo: http://cdn.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/1170276767764bc2.jpg

Use Caution With Advertising

If you're lucky enough to get Oprah to endorse a product for you, consider what you offer your consumers. In this situation, KFC was offering coupons for free chicken and worked with Oprah to promote them. Unfortunately for KFC, the "Oprah Effect" was too much for them. 10.5 million coupons were downloaded for chicken that was priced at $4.99, which is about $42 million dollars of free food. KFC was forced to issue "rain checks" to those who were unable to get their food because it was sold out. I'm sure they'll rethink their coupon giveaway if they work with Oprah again. 

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/05/08/oprah.kfc.coupon/

Photo: http://www.ecorazzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/kfc_oprah.jpg

The Top Five Reasons Communications Fail

This article explains some of the reasons businesses tend to fail with communication. An example is when people are told different things and are not on the same page as others. When people within an organization are not able to effectively communicate, it can lead to discontent among employees and inefficiency, as well as many other consequences. It would be beneficial if managers and executives were to keep the reasons listed in this article on their mind when delegating tasks.

Source: http://www.tmcnet.com/topics/articles/253113-top-five-reasons-communications-fail.htm

Photo: http://adkblog.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/bigstock-Team-of-business-people-taking-14162348-300x200.jpg

Internal Miscommunication Example

This Dilbert comic strip is a perfect example of internal miscommunication.

Source: http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/1996-06-01/

Active Listening

This article by the Houston Chronicle explains the impact active listening can have in the workplace. I've learned first hand that improving these skills can have a positive influence on your overall experience at work and with others.

Source: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/listening-can-improve-workplace-performance-13262.html

Combating Miscommunication in the Workplace

In this article, Monica of PeopleMetrics explains some of the consequences of miscommunication at work and provides some ways to be more effective communicators. 

Tips for Becoming a Good Leader

5 Habits of Highly Effective Communicators

This article from Forbes lists and explains how to be a good leader through various ways of communicating in the workplace, which can be particularly helpful for those who would like to be in a management or executive position one day.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/susantardanico/2012/11/29/5-habits-of-highly-effective-communicators/ - the direct link is the title

Dilbert

I often feel like I communicate with coworkers better in emails as well, but face-to-face communication is important, too. 

Source: http://dilbert.com/strips/comic/2010-12-26/

Why Communication is Important in the Accounting/Finance World

Effectively Communicating with Clients

"When you effectively communicate with your clients, you will start to get more prospects. More prospects lead to more clients and more clients lead to a bigger firm. When you become a bigger firm, you can start to delegate some of the smaller and administrative tasks and this allows you to put more of your focus on prospecting and continuing to grow. Communication is really what starts you on the path to growth."

-J. David Strother, CFP, AIFA

Source: http://www.accountingweb.com/article/effectively-communicating-clients/222508
 - the direct link is the title