Andrews & Cole, LLC
accounting and finance search and consulting
 Greetings!
Summertime and the living is…HOT! Both the weather and the market continue to heat up as the dog days of August come upon us! It seemed like we were headed into a slight slow down in hiring during July, but that was apparently a blip, as many area companies continue to hire accounting, audit, tax, and finance professionals at a record pace.
Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to all those who emailed feedback after our first edition. It helps our business on a real-time basis and contributes to the information we can provide to our readers. Please keep the comments coming, about content you read or wish to read, about a funny situation you encountered at work or in an interview. We promise not to “name names”, unless you want to be quoted! Email us
Search of The Month 
SR DIRECTOR OF ACCOUNTING, DC
Oversee all accounting and financial reporting for this media/communications company. CPA and 10-15 years experience in public and corporate accounting required. Will manage a staff of 10-15. $125-160K
Candidate’s Corner
Navigating Corporate Dress codes: Business Dress, Business Casual, Casual Casual - what do they all mean?
 Regardless of the actual dress code at your place of employment, there are some guidelines that should universally apply:
1. Dress like the person you want to be. If you strive to be a partner, dress like the partners. If you strive to be the CFO, Controller, etc, emulate those people. Look at both successful men and women throughout the organization to get a sense for what’s appropriate. Remember, however, 2 things: certain departments may have their own “sub code,” i.e. marketing is different than accounting which is different than IT, and someone may have reached a certain level of success and can now afford to wear that quirky bow tie. It may not fly at your level.
2. If you want to be respected, treat yourself, your colleagues, and your company with respect by dressing appropriately. Most of us have probably noted how differently we’re treated when we run errands after work in a suit, versus on the weekends in shorts, T shirt and sneakers. It’s not deliberate on the part of those you come into contact with - it’s just human nature.
3. You can rarely make a mistake by being too conservative, especially if you are in the finance and accounting profession. I know that work is a social outlet for many people and you may want to show your personality through your dress. Just remember, for better or worse, you’re being evaluated by everyone you come into contact with.
4. Use common sense! I know, dress codes exist because not everyone has the same sense. However, a very easy reality check is the following: If you have to ask yourself (or someone else) if a certain article of clothing is appropriate, it sounds like you already know it isn’t.
5. OK, if you still need specifics, when in doubt avoid the following: sneakers, work boots, open-toed shoes, skirts several inches above the knee, baseball caps, clothes with logo’s, too-tight, low-cut or low rise clothes.
Hiring Manager's Corner
Q&A with A&C
 Dear A&C: We have several positions open in our department. We meet decent candidates, but seem to “lose” them to another company. Is there anything we can do?
A&C: As candidates, we all know that we need to prepare for an interview, research the company, and be ready to “sell” ourselves. Somehow, though, when we’re on the other side of the desk, we don’t feel that same need to be prepared and we’re more likely to “wing” the interview. What happens? The candidate walks away feeling that the department and its leaders are disorganized and thinks that it could only go downhill from there. They may also get the impression that you’re not interested in them or in filling the position.
The next time you have a candidate coming in, try the following:
- When arranging the interview, give the candidate your best estimate of how long he/she will be there. For top candidates who are gainfully employed, it’s stressful to be out of work for a longer time than was planned.
- Review the resume. Make sure everyone on the interview schedule has the candidate’s resume.
- Prepare questions that you will ask and meet briefly with the others to divvy up questions. If there’s a new employee on the schedule, spend a few minutes coaching that person on how to conduct an effective interview.
- Unless you’re expecting something that cannot wait, put your phone on “do not disturb” and lock your computer. It will prevent you from glancing at your screen and getting distracted, which is not only a turn off, but can be down right rude to a person who has taken time off of work, put on a suit and come to meet with you.
- Do not “drill” the candidate for 45 minutes, then go into sell mode when you think he might be the right fit. It’s very difficult to undo a first impression and a gut feel someone has developed.
- At some point, give the candidate reasons for wanting the position: backgrounds of people in the department, examples of others who have been promoted, growth within the company, corporate culture. Be honest and don’t misrepresent issues that the department may be facing, but don’t assume that they already know how great your company is.
- Give the candidate an opportunity to ask questions and try to answer those questions as frankly as possible.
- If possible, give the candidate a tour of the office or department. Take him past the cubes/offices of peers so the candidate can envision where he/she would be working.
- As best as you can, give the candidate an indication of when he will hear back from you. Do not say you’ll get back to her in 2 weeks if you think you might call later in the day to make an offer, nor the converse. If a candidate comes in to meet with more than 1 person, or comes back 2-3 times, make sure to get back to that candidate either way.
Think of recruiting as a marketing function-you are marketing your company as a good place to work. Even candidates who aren’t the right fit for you have friends and colleagues and you want to avoid giving negative perceptions that might impact your ability to recruit the candidates you do want.
A Selection of Current Searches 
Our clients range from Fortune 500 to small and medium-sized companies in nearly every industry.
- Financial Manager, Montgomery County $120K
- Divisional Controller, Northern VA $140K
- Manager of Internal Audit, Reston $100K
- Director of Finance, DC $100K
- Manager of FP&A, Northern VA $120K
- Manager of Financial Reporting, Northern VA $ 95K
- Tax Analysts, Northern VA $ 70K
- Senior SEC Accountants, Northern VA $ 75K
LOOKING TO RELOCATE?
We have local contacts in Charlotte, Raleigh, Tampa, Miami, Ft Lauderdale, Houston, Dallas, Denver, San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco, New York, Boston.
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