What is Professionalism?

Every profession has its standard and the people who comply with such standards are called professionals. It is the display of professional capabilities that constitute professionalism and give true meaning to a particular profession. Search on internet and you would find different meaning for the same word. 

Some people would club it with their conduct while there are others who would end up defining the qualities. Each is true in its own sense but what they miss is  Experience. The Experience that one gets when he deal with a professional vis-à-vis normal person. It is in this Experience lies the true essence of Professionalism.

Let’s look at more deeply and see what exactly professionalism is and how it provides an experience of its own.

A patient goes to a doctor.

1) Doctor without hearing anything asks the patient to get admitted in his hospital

2) He talks of everything but ailment

3) He does 10 different tests and keeps the patient clueless

4) He is non-approachable and always busy in one thing or other

5) He charges hefty fees and put huge medical charges

6) He does cures the patient but the satisfaction was missing

Now this unhappy patient experiences the same problem again. Instead of going to his previous doctor, he goes to a new, well known, and renowned doctor.

1) Doctor genuinely hear the problem faces by the patient.

2) He ask the patient to get admitted so that he can keep him under his supervision

3) He starts the medication and in each step briefs the patient about the situation

4) He is available at any time and takes proper interest in the patient

5) When the patient gets cured, the doctor charges him right amount justifying each part involved in treatment

6) Before leaving, the doctor gives his number to the patient and ask him to call in case of any associated problem.

You would find the differences in the approach taken by the two doctors:

1) The way they diagnose

2) The way they listen

3) The way they treat

4) The way charge etc. etc.

The difference in approach reflect in form of experience and it is this experience that separate the professionals from the novices and which also provides true meaning to the word professionalism.

The second Doctor demonstrated the professionalism to the truest of its form.

1) We all expect the doctors to cure

2) Doctor does their job and cures us

3) In end we are left with nothing but an experience.

Each profession demands the capabilities of highest standards.  There are only few who gets worthy of it. And it is these few worthy that are called professionals and they demonstrates Professionalism in real sense. The second doctor demonstrated professionalism not only by curing patient but also making sure that the patient derives value from the single penny that gets invested by him.

Some of the basic qualities which you see in professionals and that show up in the form of professionalism are:

1) Nothing concern to them except their work

2) They don’t get involved in anything except what is expected out of them.

3) They provide work of high quality

4) They provide value

5) They respect time and deadlines

6) In the end they deliver what is expected out of them

In the whole process they not only get the work done but do it with high level of satisfaction.

The reason you respect people of certain profession is only because of their demonstration of Professionalism. Remove professionalism and all you are left with is nothing but a normal experience that you can get from anywhere.

Many companies hire professionals but what they fail to see is whether professionalism gets demonstrated by them or not. You may be good at your job and can have the best of knowledge but if you don’t provide the experience that is expected out of you, then the knowledge holds no meaning. Professionalism is a thin line of experience that separate men from boys.

So, are you professional?

Top 2012 Accounting Software for Business

Do you know what type of accounting software you need for your business? What about a free accounting software package like FreshBooks? An inexpensive accounting software package like QuickBooks? If you are a small business owner, there is nothing more important than knowing how your money is spent and what revenue you take in. Unless you have that information, you won't be in operation very long to do anything else. Most businesses now, even tiny micro-businesses, use some sort of computerized accounting software to keep their financial records.

Accounting software ranges from very simple to extremely complex for large corporations. You don't want more features than you need but you do want what you need. In order to find the best accounting software package for your business, you have to determine the features that you need. Do you sell products? If you do, you will need inventory tracking in your accounting software package. Do you have employees? If so, you will need a payroll system in your software. Determine the features you need in your accounting software and then take a look at the choices below.

Here are some of the best choices, both free accounting software and more pricey software, and both online and desktop, from the simplest to the more complex, for small businesses:

• Outright Outright is an online accounting program designed for microbusinesses. It has no payroll and no inventory functions. It has a very nice, clean, and easy to follow interface. It allows you to estimate federal taxes and create financial reports. There is no complex setup and you can import data from your existing accounts. Outright has partners - Freshbooks which works with invoices and Shoeboxed and oDesk which work with receipt management and paying independent contractors respectively. It imports information from those applications. Outright is free so don't expect anything fancy, although for a small fee, you can upgrade. It is very basic but functional for the very small business.
  
• FreshBooks The mission of FreshBooks, an online accounting software package, is to manage your books at a level detailed enough to satisfy an accountant. FreshBooks does more than work with invoices. You can track expenses and income, get tax reports ready for your accountant, and calculate sales tax. It also backs up all your income online. It is one of the favorite online accounting software programs.
  There has been an ongoing debate about FreshBooks versus QuickBooks, although the two accounting software programs are for two different types of customers. Small businesses are strapped for cash right now, at the end of the Great Recession. QuickBooks may be more appropriate for a larger small business that has a more substantial cash flow.
  
• QuickBooks Simple Start Edition QuickBooks Simple Start is an easy accounting software solution for your business. It is best used for small businesses with few employees. It organizes your business's finances, tracks your sales and expenses, and provides help for you at tax time. They have a lot of good features that small businesses need. In addition to being available online, you can buy most versions for both Windows and Mac.
  
• QuickBooks Pro QuickBooks Pro 2012 has all the features of QuickBooks Pro 2011 with some of them improved and some new features. Some of the features carried over from the 2011 version are customer snapshot, batch invoicing, accounts receivable and payable functions, professional looking invoices and forms, the ability to email customers invoices and other correspondence, payroll management, and report functionality.
  Improved features include worksheet formatting and memorized transactions. New features are industry-specific report templates, invoices, billing, and other tasks in a calendar template, and a Sales Lead center on top of other features.
  
• QuickBooks Premier 2012 QuickBooks Premium 2012 is one of the top of the line of the QuickBooks line of accounting software. It includes everything that QuickBooks Pro 2012 has in it plus a number of more advanced features. One of the most important advanced features  is its inventory control center that lets you track your inventory. In addition, QuickBooks Premier can cost each complete job, customize reports, track balance sheets by class, bill clients progressively by job phase, and much more.
  Bear in mind that QuickBooks Premier 2012 has modules for a variety of different industries if you need to use them such as the construction industry. It is also a big, powerful program that many small businesses may simply not need.
  
• AccountEdge Accounting Software AccountEdge accounting software is the "jack of all trades" accounting software package. This software has innumerable features, but the accounting software portion is called AO, previously called MYOB Accounting Plus. One nice feature is that it has a banking program that allows you to receive your clients' banking data. You get comprehensive general ledger and asset management functions. The software produces compliant financial accounts in the chart of accounts. There are functions for comprehensive professional financial reports of many types.
  
• Sage Peachtree Accounting Software The Peachtree Accounting Software package is a complete accounting solution for your small business. The 2012 version took the Gold Award of the HTC Vivid Top 10 Accounting Software Top 10 Reviews. If you have a microbusiness or a very simple small business that doesn't have to handle payroll or inventory, Peachtree is probably a more vigorous software package than you need. It does, however, have a number of levels of sophistication - the Pro package, the Premium package, etc.
  If you have a more complex small business, Peachtree could be for you as it handles everything from job costing to inventory to vendor management. Reporting functions are excellent. Online banking is available. Peachtree is not the easiest of the accounting software packages to use or to learn to use and I feel that you need some accounting background to make the process easier. Except for a rather steep learning curve and the fact that you don't want to give the package to an inexperienced clerk in your business, it is an excellent accounting solution. 

The Simple Truth About Success

Success.

That elusive, intangible thing that we’re all searching for day after day, month after month, year after year.

What is success? How does one achieve success? How long does it take? Is it even possible?

What Is Success, Really?

The basic definition of success is incredibly simple:
Success is the realization or accomplishment of goals, desires, or purpose.
The problem is, as you can see from the definition, that success is a different thing for each and every person.
Society has its generic version of success — the high-rolling, powerful, attractive person who vacations on a yacht and commands legions of personnel — but not everybody wants that. In fact, there are millions of people who think they want that version of success but actually don’t.
Let’s take a look some different ideas of success. Here are a few common versions:

• Having lots of money and/or power
• Having lots of free time
• Being good at a sport or hobby
• Being popular and well-liked

What’s really funny, though, is that if you look at people much later in life, success becomes an entirely different thing:

• Finding love or friendship
• Raising a good family
• Spending time with loved ones
• Staying healthy

But success doesn’t just vary with age, either. Think about what it means to be successful in a third-world country:

• Finding enough food to eat
• Staying warm and dry
• Protecting your family and friends

After all of these definitions, what is success really? If it varies so much from person to person, how can it even be called the same thing? Here’s the truth of the matter:
Success is knowing and accomplishing things that are important to you.

How To Be Successful

You’ll notice that the above definition of success has two very different parts. Knowing what is important to you, and Accomplishing the things that are important to you. For most of us, the first part—knowing—is actually the most important.
Understanding what is important to you, what makes you happy, what makes you feel good about yourself, etc… is very difficult, but it is critical because we often get the answers wrong. Many people spend their lives struggling to become wealthy, only to find that once they have wealth it isn’t nearly as important to them as other things like, say, love.
Ask yourself a few questions, and think about what would make you feel successful:

• If you had Goal XYZ — would you really be happy?
• Why is Goal XYZ important to you, how will it make your life better?
• Pretend you’re stranded on a desert island, what would you want most?

Based on what’s really important, you probably already have some areas where you’re very successful. It’s easy to overlook that fact sometimes, but it’s important to remember.
Most people also have aspects of success that they haven’t yet achieved. For many middle-class Americans, Europeans, Canadians, and other first-world country dwellers this elusive element is money.
Accomplishing the elements of success that you don’t yet have requires hard work and perseverance, there’s no other way to put it. If something is that important to you, though, it will be worth working for. To put everything together:
Knowing what’s important to you is key, and recognizing achievements you’ve already made will make you happier. Goals and accomplishments that you don’t yet have will take hard work to accomplish, but it’s worth it if they’re really important.

Success is a Journey… A Long Journey

Imagine for a moment that you’ve achieved your current biggest goal. Whatever it is, imagine that you now have it. In fact, imagine that you accomplished it 6 months to a year ago, and the initial glow has worn off.
Are you just going to stop now? Are you going to be satisfied that you have the big goal, and just relax for the rest of your life?
Probably not.
You’re probably going to act like the rest of us humans and find some other goal to work on. If you wanted money, and you now have it, you might find that you want to do more fulfilling work. If you wanted to do something you love, and you’ve found that, you may decide that you want more money.
The truth is that success is a really long journey.
In order to be be truly successful throughout your life you need to be happy during the entire journey, and not just at the big landmarks. Most worthwhile accomplishments take so much work that it’s not possible to reach them without maintaining happiness and solid morale throughout the process.
The other problem is that some things are just not within your power to control. I’m a firm believer that all goals are reachable with enough effort, but realistically there are things that you might never accomplish.
That doesn’t mean you should give up and settle for what you have. It means you need to be happy the whole time you’re struggling and fighting for your dreams. In fact, the very act of struggling and fighting for your dreams should make you happy.

Final Thoughts…

Let’s look back at some of the main points about success:

• Success is whatever you want it to be — whatever is important to you
• Knowing what is important is the real key for most of us
• Enjoy the success you have, and enjoy working for the things you don’t

What do you think?

10 Simple Ways to Be More Likable

When we get all caught up in the daily grind it’s easy to overlook some basics regarding our personal conduct. There are certain types of favorable behavior that are not as common as they once were and I think this is a good time to consider a few of them.

We all know the difference between good manners and rudeness, but sometimes we can benefit from a little reminder. Hopefully, this list will reiterate some of the simple things that each of us can do to make the world a more pleasant place.

1. Say please and thank you. Simple, yet so often overlooked. When you want something, you say please. When someone does something nice for you, you say thank you. This may sound like a minor thing, but when you let people know that you appreciate what they do for you, it helps establish a friendly and respectful rapport. And guess what, they will see you as likable.

2. Be courteous. Usually, this is just a matter of seeing things from another person’s perspective. If you notice something that you can do to make their situation easier, then do it. And yes, it may require that you go a little bit out of your way, but how hard is it to hold the door open for someone or stop your car to let someone cross the street?  Kind deeds have a tendency to repay themselves many times over. It may not happen right away, but there is still a sense of satisfaction that comes from doing the right thing.

3. Follow the Golden Rule. Simply stated, treat others the way you would like to be treated. The beautiful thing about this is how straight forward it is. Think how different everything would be if everyone followed this simple principle. There would be no crime, no war, and no murder. Granted, we cannot control the actions of other people, but we can control how we behave. When you treat others with this level of respect, they will naturally view you as likable?

4. Work with others. There are plenty of opportunities to show cooperation and teamwork in all areas of life. Whether you are in a crowded store or heavy traffic, cooperation will make the experience more manageable. If you are driving a bit slower than some, move to the slow lane and allow others to pass. If you are grocery shopping, don’t leave your cart in the middle of the isle. By being aware of those around you and showing consideration you will be more likable

5. Smile often. Never underestimate the power of a smile. The effect is two-fold. It tends to elevate your mood and it lifts the spirits of those you smile at. If you don’t believe me, try this little experiment. For an entire day, before you say a word to anyone, smile first. If you’re walking past them, smile and say hello. Notice their reaction. Most will smile back and when they do, you will feel even better. When you look at other people, who do you view as more likable? Isn’t it true that a person with a smile on their face wins every time?

6. Say I’m sorry. This is one of the first lessons we learn in life, yet some of us quickly forget it as we get older. The principle is very simple. If you wrong someone, or if you make a mistake, or if you hurt another person (intentionally or unintentionally), apologize for it. Don’t waste your time trying to assign blame. Be the first one to say I’m sorry and you will instantly be more likable.

7. Be honest. Tell the truth, even when it doesn’t seem to be in your best interest to do so. There is a lot to be said for the person who can admit they’re wrong (see above) and come clean with their mistake. It should also be noted that telling a lie doesn’t fix anything. The problem or issue is still there, under the blanket of the lie, and it will stay there until the truth comes out. Honesty is a reflection of one’s self-dignity and integrity. By being honest and tactful, other honest people will find you more likable.

8. Listen. Although it is typically our first instinct to talk first, listening can actually be an advantage. A primary benefit of listening is the amount that can be learned. If we spend most of our time talking then how can we learn anything? One of the best ways to be viewed as more likable is to be a good listener. It’s not always easy, but listening tells others that you are genuinely interested in them as a person, and who doesn’t like that?

9. Be complimentary. Have you ever received an unexpected compliment? How did that make you feel? Everyone likes to be noticed in a good way. In a world that tends to be overly critical, a sincere compliment can be very encouraging. Notice I said a sincere compliment. If our compliments aren’t sincere they could be viewed as patronizing, so when you compliment make sure that you are being truthful. This is guaranteed to make you more likable.

10. Laugh. Everyone likes to laugh. Laughing releases endorphins that make you feel happy and relaxed. Laughing is both therapeutic and contagious. When you laugh, you will also be encouraging laughter from others. When you contribute to the happiness of others, they can’t help liking you. So never underestimate the value in laughter.

All of these ideas are simple and universally acknowledged. Sadly, many of them seem to have been forgotten in today’s world. At times, the pressures or stress in our lives may cause us to show less consideration or patience for other people. The truth is that every one of these simple ideas can make a significant contribution to the quality of our life and the lives of others. Along with making us more likable, they actually reduce stress and make life more enjoyable.

How to Explain Frequent Job Changes

Employers prefer candidates who are loyal and plan to stay with a company for a long period of time. When your resume shows frequent job changes, interviewers become concerned that the pattern will continue if you're chosen for the job. Your goal is to reassure interviewers that your past job changes were involuntary, or the result of taking better opportunities, and that you will stand committed if you are hired. 

Instructions:

1. • 1
     Talk about the subject as soon as possible. The interviewer may bring up the fact that your resume shows you've changed jobs frequently, or he may simply say, "Tell me about your previous jobs." Don't skirt the issue, come out and tell the interviewer that you want to explain why your resume shows several jobs in a short span of time. Doing so tells the interviewer you're not hiding something, and that you're willing to explain yourself.
   • 2
     Explain job changes that you initiated. If you left a position willingly, tell the interviewer why, but avoid saying that you left for more money or you hated your boss. A better way to word such explanations include "I left for better opportunities" and "I didn't see eye to eye with company management."
   • 3
     Tell the interviewer about job changes you had no control over. If a company laid you off or terminated you, explain the events that led to your dismissal. While you need to remain honest, the way in which you word your explanations can make a big difference. Never say you were fired from a job, always say you were let go. If your performance didn't match the company's expectations, say so. Interviewers prefer you to be honest.
   • 4
     Spin your frequent job changes as a positive. Explain that you learned how to adapt to change, and acquired new strengths at each company. Give a brief explanation of those strengths, and if possible, explain how they will help in the job you're interviewing for.
   • 5
     Pledge commitment to the position and company you're interviewing for. When an interviewer notices frequent job changes on a candidate's resume, the interviewer becomes worried that the candidate isn't committed to his job and may leave the company soon after he's hired. Explain why you will remain committed, and why this job will be different than your previous jobs in terms of length of employment. For example, you could say that you researched the company, and its workplace culture and ethics match your values.

 

 

How did Facebook change our lives?

5 Ways Facebook has Changed Our Lives: 

1. Remember when you used to ask people what they were doing? Well now you don’t have to worry about that annoying cultural relic, just check your friends status updates for a more efficient and thorough review of your friends’ schedule.

2. If you think that you’re married or employed, think twice. Until that relationship or job is declared to the Facebook universe nothing is set in stone. In fact, if it isn’t confirmed on Facebook, there is a good chance it isn’t real.

3. Facebook has redefined the word friend. A friend used to be defined as someone who you would spend time with and maybe even talk to. In the midst of the Facebook social shift, a ‘friend’ is just a click away and might be someone you never have or ever will talk to. You can be as popular as you want and never leave the couch.

4. You know how people use to get anxious about high school reunions and having to compare their success to their old friends every decade or so? Well don’t worry, you can now compare your life’s triumphs and failures on a daily basis using Facebook. Now you know exactly where you stand amongst your former classmates, without having to get dressed up!

5. Up until February 4th 2004 (launch date of what was then known as ‘the’ Facebook) people use to do things just because they were fun. With the advent and domination of the Profile Picture, Facebook users don’t do things that are fun, they do things that will look awesome in picture form to make all their ‘friends’ jealous.

As you can see, Facebook has become a big part of our everyday lives. Do you think we’ll ever go back to the way things were before Facebook? How else has Facebook changed your world?

What should migraine sufferers do?

Individuals with mild and infrequent migraine headaches that do not cause disability may require only OTC analgesics. Individuals who experience several moderate or severe migraine headaches per month or whose headaches do not respond readily to medications should avoid triggers and consider modifications of their lifestyle. Lifestyle modifications for migraine sufferers include:

• Go to sleep and wake up at the same time each day.

• Exercise regularly (daily if possible). Make a commitment to exercise even when traveling or during busy periods at work. Exercise can improve the quality of sleep and reduce the frequency and severity of migraine headaches. Build up your exercise level gradually. Over-exertion, especially for someone who is out of shape, can lead to migraine headaches.

• Do not skip meals, and avoid prolonged fasting.

• Limit stress through regular exercise and relaxation techniques.

• Limit caffeine consumption to less than two caffeine-containing beverages a day.

• Avoid bright or flashing lights and wear sunglasses if sunlight is a trigger.

• Identify and avoid foods that trigger headaches by keeping a headache and food diary. Review the diary with your doctor. It is impractical to adopt a diet that avoids all known migraine triggers; however, it is reasonable to avoid foods that consistently trigger migraine headaches.

Top 20 Most Valuable Companies in the Philippines 2012

Here's a list of the Top 20 Most Valuable Companies in the Philippines in terms of market capitalization as of March 23, 2012. The listed companies are also known as Companies with Largest Market Capitalization in the Philippines. Market capitalization is calculated by multiplying the total outstanding shares by the current market price of each share (Outstanding Shares x Market Price of 1 share = Market Capitalization). It's highly important to determine the market capitalization of a company because it reflects market value and investors are willing to pay for company's stocks with growing market capitalization. The higher the company's market cap, the greater the growth potential.

PLDT remains the no. 1 most valuable company in the Philippines. PLDT has almost 200 billion pesos market cap greater than SM Investments Corporation. You can see in the graph below how PLDT outranked other Philippine companies in terms of market cap.

Top 20 Most Valuable Companies in the Philippines

(as of March 23, 2012)

Rank	Company Name	Market Capitalization (in billion pesos)
1	Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT)	P 560.45
2	SM Investments Corporation	P 389.60
3	Manila Electric Company (Meralco)	P 293.06
4	Ayala Land, Inc.	P 275.45
5	Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc.	P 273.33
6	Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI)	P 268.33
7	San Miguel Corporation "A"	P 267.72
8	Aboitiz Power Corporation	P 243.20
9	Ayala Corporation	P 239.00
10	SM Prime Holdings, Inc.	P 230.72
11	JG Summit Holdings, Inc.	P 190.32
12	Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank)	P 184.75
13	BDO Unibank, Inc.	P 172.09
14	Globe Telecom, Inc.	P 152.25
15	DMCI Holdings, Inc.	P 141.27
16	Alliance Global Group, Inc.	P 133.51
17	Universal Robina Corporation	P 129.46
18	International Container Terminal Services, Inc.	P 122.36
19	Jollibee Foods Corporation	P 121.50
20	Energy Development (EDC) Corporation	P 106.31

Note: Figures are collected from the Philippine Stock Exchange Website and press releases.

Below is the graph of the Top 20 Companies with Highest Value (Market Cap) in the Philippines 2012:

http://www.affordablecebu.com/load/business/top_20_most_valuable_companies_in_the_philippines_2012/6-1-0-2962

Managing Stress in the Workplace

The World Health Organization calls it a "worldwide epidemic" and it will cost businesses more than $2 billion this year in losses. Is this some dangerous new virus? No, it is workplace stress. Once you begin your working life, learning to deal with stress on the job will be an important step toward career success. 

If you want to excel at your job, it's going to be important for you to complete tasks successfully and on time. However, there will be times in your career when a surplus of work and looming deadlines combine to create an unusually stressful situation. 

 

Learning how to manage stress is a vital yet often overlooked job skill. Letting stress build up unabated can be unhealthy-literally. The average loss of-work time due to stress is 25 days. Doctors say that stress can cause any number of ailments, including ulcers, migraine headaches, and high blood pressure. Stress can even be deadly--every year in Japan, numerous cases of "Karoshi", or death from overwork, are reported. 

The entire profession of accounting is under a great deal of stress at many points throughout the year. This can be brought on by client deadlines related to tax filings, earnings releases, merger or disposition activity, or shareholder demands. Clients expect accountants and consultants to go about their business quickly, and deliver solutions on a real-time basis. 

 

So how can you learn to manage stress? As stress on the job has increased (surveys suggest stress has doubled in the past 15 years) so has the field of stress management. Stress management experts have learned that all people should establish a method of relaxation that they can turn to when stress gets to be too much.

Everyone has different ways of relaxing, so your relaxation regimen will be unique. Exercise is a proven stress-buster -- many people run, walk or lift weights to relax. Isometric exercise, like squeezing a tennis ball, is a popular stress reduction tool. Some people even practice isometrics while driving to and from the office. 

 

If you find that stress is threatening your productivity on the job and your health, work with your employer to address the causes of your stress. Human resources professionals estimate the cost to search for, hire, and train the average employee to be anywhere from $2,000 to $13,000 therefore employers would rather try to reduce stress in the workplace than lose an employee.

 

In some ways, stress is a sign of career success -- as you progress in your career, you take on more responsibility, resulting in more things to worry about. The leaders of the corporate world are those who prevail over the stress of responsibility.

 
 

 

How to Handle Tight Deadlines as an Accountant

Accountants are constantly under monthly, quarterly and yearly financial deadlines. In addition to the work accountants perform internally for their company, accountants are responsible for the external financial reports made available to investors and stockholders, as well as filing the income taxes for the company at the end of the fiscal year. If you experience tight deadlines, look to the resources of your accounting department to disperse some of your work.

1. • 1
     Turn off any distractions to avoid procrastination at work. If you do not need your personal cell phone for work, turn it off for a few hours to avoid taking calls. Use your computer for business email only, and avoid browsing sites that could distract you from your accounting work.
     
   • 2
     Arrange your accounting deadlines from nearest to farthest. As you work on your projects, spend the majority of your time on the project with the nearest deadline, then focus your remaining time in the day on the project with the second closest deadline. For example, if your company needs its monthly report for March by April 1, and you must file your company's tax return on April 15, focus on the April 1st deadline with most of your energy until that work is complete.
     
   • 3
     Seek additional help, if possible, from other accountants in your department. If simpler accounting tasks require time but can be handled by others, ask your co-workers to complete some of the work. Your co-workers may have a lighter work load, and their help could mean the difference between meeting your deadline or missing it.
     
   • 4
     Negotiate more time, if possible. Some accounting deadlines are non-negotiable, such as filing income taxes with the Internal Revenue Service. However, if you are preparing internal accounting statements for your company, and the deadline you must meet is too demanding, show your manager the problem and ask for additional time.
     
   • 5
     Use overtime to finish your work, if needed. The 40-hour work week may not be enough to finish your accounting work by the required deadlines. Use overtime hours to complete the work if your company offers them, and stay later. Working overtime is usually temporary until you meet your deadline. If you must consistently work overtime to finish your work, ask your manager for additional help in your department.
     

Accounting in Everyday Life

As long as there will people in this world, there will be business, and as long as there is business, there will be accounting. Accounting is involved in virtually everything in our lives whether we know it or not, and its importance can sometimes be overlooked. Everything needs accounting. From a baseball cap you wear, to the food you eat, to the company you work for, or even the music you hear on the radio, accounting is needed and was involved in all of those things steps of production or operation.

An accountant measures, aggregates and reports financial information necessary for the sake of decision making by organizational managers, owners, investors, government agencies and other users. From the previous statement, we can see the indication that shows how accounting is important in careers. Everything needs accounting. Whether you are a doctor, or an ordinary office worker, you would still need to play with numbers and take into account the cost of things that you used or used by someone else. Timely and accurate information on operations is crucial to success in the recent days of rapidly changing business environment, and the accountant is the one responsible for the critical business function that mostly though indirectly affects our career and everyday life.

In the career perspective every occupation must carefully manage their money, their cash inflows and outflows. Jobs such as independent contractors have to analyze how much the job is going to cost them and how much they are going to charge for the job. They must track all their expenses and estimates in order to not under cost and to charge appropriate prices. In simplest form, this is accounting. If not accurately tracked and estimated, that contractor's business will not profit and eventually go out of business. Same thing goes for big business, if that company or firms does not accurately handle the operations of its cash flows, it will not sustain for long. More and more today employees such as secretaries and receptionists are being taught basic accounting practices to help aid the accountants and to keep proper bookkeeping. This way these employees can manage the lower importance items of a business and leave transactions of higher significance to the accountant to analyze and interpret for decision making purposes.

In one's life, can we say accounting will promote a better lifestyle? I say, definitely yes. The management and control of personal finance is a subject of immense importance today to people. In the world that we lived in today, there is barely a single person who lives without a single debt in their life. Debts ranging from credits cards, car payments, mortgages, and so on, one can find themselves stuck in economic hardships that in some cases destroy lives and has become wake-up calls to many people. Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly where the increases and decreases are coming from and going to, respectively, to whatever degree of detail you need? Of course it would be. Many of us spend without much thought on the impact of the action. It is essential on knowing the proportions being spent on the basic necessities and luxuries and how to have that proper balance across our expenditure. Life is not as easy as driving on the road with traffic lights and signs along the way, but we still need financial signals in our life whether we are in a comfortable phase or in the danger phase that requires help. Accounting can help people detect these dangers. If not much, the least it can do is ensure that your debt is under control and manageable.

Handling all the calculations of accounting can be tedious and bothersome but can make all the difference one's finances. You can strategically plan ahead to save for your retirement, your children's college fund, or luxury or two later down the road. We can see the importance of this concept by noticing companies today whose operations are strictly financial advising. It can be concluded that in the era that we are living in today, Families, and retirees depend on the credibility of financial reporting for their futures and livelihoods. With financial pressure amounting in many peoples' lives, accounting is seen as important in so many ways that it is almost impossible to live without it.

Critical reflections of Filipino immigrant accountants on their work experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area

Participatory research methodology uses dialogues to allow the participants to become co-researchers and define the problems and the alternative solutions. This study used dialogues with eight Filipino immigrant accountants who shared their stories relevant to the main question: “What are some of the critical reflections of Filipino immigrant accountants on their work experiences in the United States compared to those in the Philippines?” The dialogues focused on their job experiences, the challenges they have encountered, the solutions they have applied, and their suggestions for employers and future Filipino immigrant accountants. In reviewing the literature on Filipino professionals in the United States, the researcher found only stories of Filipino medical doctors and nurses but nothing about Filipino accountants.
 
All of the eight accountants were in agreement that accounting education in the Philippines is at par with that in the United States and that accounting is universal, thus, the baselines in accounting practices are the same in both countries. They also claimed they experienced demotion when they changed location from the Philippines to the United States.

The participants recommended that in the interest of creating an effective work environment, employers should understand and learn to trust and be confident in working with foreign educated professionals such as Filipino immigrant accountants. They should also provide more training with a feedback system so as to be able to evaluate its effectiveness with employees. Furthermore, employers should monitor the training to see if more training is needed or if it should be modified.
As to the Filipino immigrant accountants, the participants recommended that they should learn the latest and most commonly used computerized accounting systems. The accountants should not be afraid to apply for accounting jobs they are interested in and are qualified for. They should not be shy but be good observers. They also need to develop communication skills in English to minimize misunderstanding. Filipino immigrant accountants should continue learning and should be patient and courageous, not arrogant.