Monday, June 20, 2016

i-Monday: There's an Alternative Course of Action

This week, we will be inspired by one of the America’s business giants named Mary Kay Ash. She has a unique story, bold ideas, and a revolutionary actions.

Inspiring and motivating people came easy for Mary Kay Ash. People from all walks of life could relate to her down-to-earth wisdom and easy speaking style. Through her words in her speeches, books and in everyday life, she showed others how to reach higher in their lives while recognizing all the blessings they enjoyed. 

Here are some of the famous lines of Mary Kay Ash:

“Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.”

“If you think you can, you can. And if you think you can't, you're right.”

“For every failure, there's an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.”

“We must have a theme, a goal, a purpose in our lives. If you don't know where you're aiming, you don't have a goal. My goal is to live my life in such a way that when I die, someone can say, she cared.”

“Most people live and die with their music still unplayed. They never dare to try.”




Friday, June 17, 2016

Week-End: Interview tips. Video by PWC

Amp up your interview!
Express yourself with the power of storytelling. Be authentic and memorable!
Here is a practical application of some of the top Interview tips from PWC US recruiter.



Thursday, June 16, 2016

Audit Method: Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events as defined in ISA 560 are Events occurring between the date of the financial statements and the date of the auditor’s report, and facts that become known to the auditor after the date of the auditor’s report.”

The objectives of the auditor for considering subsequent events are:

(a) To obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence about whether events occurring between the date of the financial statements and the date of the auditor’s report that require adjustment of, or disclosure in, the financial statements are appropriately reflected in those financial statements in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework; and
(b) To respond appropriately to facts that become known to the auditor after the date of the auditor’s report, that, had they been known to the auditor at that date, may have caused the auditor to amend the auditor’s report.

Perform audit procedures designed to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence that all events up to the date of the audit report that may require adjustment of, or disclosure in, the financial statements have been identified

·   Consider changes in the areas which may affect the financial statements and other information in the annual report such as banking arrangements, currency and interest rates, key markets, key products, customers or vendors, key management or employees, government regulation or policy and the ratio of orders to sales and cash receipts and the position of the order book.

·   Consider other significant knowledge gained, for example press comment, internal audit reports, changes in client trading patterns, changes in laws or regulations, currency devaluations, major fires or catastrophes, or technology failures (e.g. computer operations failures) and security incidents.

·   Evaluate procedures management has established to ensure that subsequent events are identified.

·   Inquire of management and, where appropriate, those charged with governance as to whether any subsequent events have occurred which might affect the financial statements.

·   Review the results of the review of minutes of meetings of the entity’s owners, management and those charged with governance, including audit, executive and other Board committees since the balance sheet date.

·   Consider reviewing invoices from lawyers received after the year-end to determine whether any litigation, claims or assessments exist that were not previously identified in our analysis of legal expenses and other procedures.

·   Review the latest available interim financial statements and, as considered necessary and appropriate, budgets, cash flow forecasts and other related management reports. Consider whether they reveal any adverse trends or significant movements in balance sheet headings compared to the audited financial statements. Consider whether the management information is reliable.

Practice
Where a material subsequent event has been identified, determine whether it is reflected in the financial statements in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework by adequate disclosure and, where appropriate, adjustment of the account balances and transactions affected. Consider also its effect on the audit report.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Audit Firm: Busy Season

Hello, my followers! Do you have busy season during off season time (it is summer after all, isn't it?!) ? Well, I have. I have to perform audit of 8 statutory financial statements during this summer, then the audit and review of listed companies. I am not complaining, I am just saying: "Busy!". And here is my next article for you about the busy season time tips.

Intro
Busy Season for auditors means long hours, tight deadlines, and constant pressure. It can be exhausting for even the most experienced accountants. The busy season for auditors normally starts from around mid-January and lasts till the end of March.
Here are few tips that will help you to get through the busy season in a successful manner.

Start your day earlier
Starting to work early in the morning can save you some time for a calm sleep in the night that will make you refresh for the next day. Although late sitting is a norm and not an exception during the busy season for auditors, but starting your day earlier can actually help you manage your tasks more efficiently.
Take advantage of travel time to the office: While on the way to office if you are not driving, you can easily check your e-mails, prioritize your most important tasks and preplan the schedule for the whole day.

Set Agenda for meetings
Plan your meetings well ahead of time by setting agenda for each meeting so as to avoid missing out on any important issue that needs to be discussed and clarified from the client.

Make a To-Do List
At the end of every day make a To-Do List for the next day. Things that are left undone today should be given priority the next day so as to avoid backlog of activities. 

Delegate Work
Activities that can be handled by subordinates should be handed over to them in a timely manner to free up yourself for handling more productive tasks.

Keep office and personal time separate 
Busy season does not mean you should ignore your family, health and other recreational activities. Exercise regularly. Do take breaks on the weekends and enjoy passing time with family and friends which will help you to be more effective at work. .

Apply the “Pay time” Sale Concept
Pay time is the time during the day when clients are available; normally it is from 9:00 a.m. in the morning to 6:00 p.m. in the evening. No pay time is when you would not be able to reach out to them. Use no pay time for responding to e-mails, writing, research, or for any other marketing activity that does not directly lead to a paycheck. (Kelley C. Long, CPA, personal financial coach)

Additional Thoughts

The thought of busy season can bring some stress but if you mentally prepare yourself and try to weigh the positives and the negatives you can tackle it with ease and full of productivity. Do plan a trip at the end of the busy season that will keep you motivated throughout the tough busy working season and will also re-energize you at the end of it.