New accounting technology is about to become a factor for accounting and finance companies. For accountants, there may not be anything better than paper and pencil, but today’s world is demanding more of an Internet-based solution. Customers, clients, employers and associates are demanding it too.  Yet, many accounting applications and methods are paper-based. Even the first non-paper based software programs are sorely lacking in their ability to give users the diverse amount of information they need.

What’s Changing?

Finance and accounting companies and associates will need to push harder to get into modern-day software and services. Some experts are telling those in the industry to just start over. Don’t try to upgrade what you have – invest in rethought, reengineered products that can really enhance the way you do business. Some of the new accounting software products to look for include those that do the following:

• Monitor production and track inventory more efficiently
• Issue invoices and track them in a comprehensive tool
• Report production stats and other details in a matter of seconds rather than hours
• Calculate taxes, even complicated formulas, with excellent accuracy and near-immediate results
• Create on target, instant reports detailing, down to the minute, labor projections and reporting

There is also the need to stop doing what is no longer worthwhile to do. For those in the finance and accounting industry, this means no longer creating long, detailed reports by hand that can be done in moments through these higher powered systems. It also means no longer printing documents, but sharing them in a cloud or through an Internet-based link. Not only do the method of reporting and the type of reporting need to change, but communication and access to information does as well.

Speed is becoming the big name in the game. The process of recording transactions in a ledger, documenting invoices by hand and creating reports over a period of time is no longer enough. Though these practices and principles remain the same, what doesn’t work is the length of time it takes to get those reports in the hands of those who need them. New accounting products need to be fast, accurate and readily available in the blink of an eye. The lightening fast speed of the Internet is making it more demanding than ever that accountants have answers right away.

For those in the industry that do not make the change, it is possible that the accounting strategies they are using will fall to the wayside. In fact, some companies are slicing into accounting departments as a way of reducing overall costs. When there are powerful software tools that can do the same job, many employers are forced to make these decisions. Some experts warn that those who do not take steps to make changes could be out of their job sooner than they think.

A good performance management system needs to go beyond the once-a-year performance appraisal that involves merely filling out a form. Supervisors and managers need to provide employee feedback all year long. Although performance appraisals are typically tied to salary increases, the true goal of a superior performance management system is focused on employee development and organization improvement over the long term. When done successfully, a solid performance management process can give a company a competitive edge.

Not a Once-A-Year Glance

All too often, performance management is done as a low-priority task when compared to other business tasks of an organization. It’s often a once-a-year “glance” instead of a detailed review. When focus is placed on improving the performance management process instead, bottom line business results can be significantly improved.

For that reason, an exceptional management process for performance development doesn’t happen overnight or in a week. It needs to be carefully planned and designed before it is implemented for managers to use in evaluating employees.

The performance appraisal form isn’t just a necessary evil in conducting an employee’s performance evaluation. Nor should it only be reviewed once a year. Rather, the completed performance appraisal form should be a tool to support an ongoing performance management process. It can help serve as a reminder that performance management should be happening the entire year.

In other words, the performance appraisal is the total of a total performance management system. It’s not the be-all or end-all. It doesn’t have a beginning or an end, but represents a continuous tool that is used to not only improve an employee’s performance, but the organization’s success as well.

A successful performance management system enables good communication about performance between a supervisor and employees. Performance management isn’t a one-way street with feedback going in one direction. Rather, it should be two-way communications that occur continuously throughout the year.

Employees Need to Take Responsibility

Employees need to know that they have a responsibility and accountability in the performance management process. To that end, they should be prepared to give their honest assessment and feedback about their past, current, and future performance. In addition, they should be a knowing participant in their plans for improvement and goals for the coming years.

Supervisors and managements should be observant of development and coaching opportunities throughout the year to improve the overall performance management process.

Practical Tips

One of the best ways to ensure that your performance management process is a year-long process, instead of an annual paperwork task, is to create a performance management checklist. The checklist should contain action steps for interim performance discussion meetings, pre-planning performance appraisals, performance appraisal meetings, post-appraisal meeting follow-ups, goal setting and goal achievement.

A year-round performance management system is the true driver of both employee and organization success.

Industrial/Manufacturing Engineer

• 8 years of experience as an industrial/ manufacturing engineer.
• Bachelors of Science: Mechanical Engineering Technology, from Michigan Technical University, Masters of Science: Engineering Management, from Oakland University.
• Developed and supported assembly processes from initial concept to facility implementation.
• Designed, built, and implemented workstation layouts for safety and efficiency. Maintained Process Documentation for reference (PFMEA, Process Flow, & Standard Operations).
• Time study and GD&T Certified.

Designer

• Over 20 years experience in the automotive industry.
• Most recent CAD package is UGNX 7.5
• Design Engineer and most recent experience in injection molded Fascias.
• Experience in body panel design and has worked to resolve different packaging issues.

Senior Account Manager: Air Filtration

• Formal education
• Automotive Sales Agent  heavy experience and Air, Cabin Air Filtration, Oil and Fuel Filtration products with key account responsibility to OE’s, Tier 1 Suppliers and Aftermarket
• Product and market knowledge; knows the industry well and he is well positioned to speak to your customer’s engineering community on automotive air filtration, including Cabin Air Filtration.

Project/Program Manager

• Design and development of interior plastic trim and closures.
• Interface with Supplier, purchasing, studio, manufacturing, tooling, conceptual.
• Program Engineering – close out panels, chromed plastic end caps, rear door bolsters, cluster bezels, “B” pillars,    quarter panels – GM Truck programs.
• Follow up tool review.
• Project Manager – tracking program timing and milestones, coordinate project workload, exterior wheel liner housings, quarter panel, “A” and “B” pillars – GM Sedan, Coupe, Convertible programs.
• Project Engineering – Chrysler Interior Trim – including product design, product testing, advanced manufacturing, program timing and milestones, deliverables.
• Interior and Exterior integration.

When it comes to filling jobs, some positions are harder to fill than others. Unfortunately, it’s even more important to get the right person for these “harder to fill” jobs than for more common positions where candidates and applicants abound. Even in a challenging job market, there are some jobs where it seems nearly impossible to find the perfect candidate.

You should never settle for an unacceptable candidate just because you need to fill a seat. That being said, what do you do when you really can’t afford to offer the moon to someone who is highly qualified for the job? How do you maintain a negotiating edge when you know the job is going to be difficult to fill?

Think Outside the Box

Sometimes, it’s better to look at the set of skills a candidate has rather than the specific job titles, degree, or experience the candidate has in a particular position. Shift your thinking just a little bit and seek out candidates that have a complementary set of skills that would fit within the scope of the job you’re trying to fill.

Consult a Professional Recruiter

Believe it or not, there are recruiters who specialize in the engineering and high-tech industries. If you have a hard to fill engineering position, chances are that this is a position that other businesses have a hard time filling as well.

A good recruiting agency or firm is going to know what these harder to fill positions are, and they will know if anyone in their system would be a good match for your company. More importantly, the recruiter is likely to be able to send you a selection of names you may have never found on your own. Now you’ve gone from an occasional candidate to a list of names that give you a little more bargaining room.

Be Creative with Benefits

Benefits packages are all the rage today. One of the most popular benefits you can offer is flexibility with work hours. It doesn’t even have to be offering additional days off. Today’s engineers are more diverse than ever before.

It could be that the engineer in question would like the option of working later or earlier in the day. It could be that the idea of working four, 10-hour days is more appealing to them than the traditional 8-hours a day, five days per week.

A little creativity in the offer can make a world of difference to many candidates – even over higher paying offers in the market. Another popular benefit is casual attire. While that’s not appropriate for all businesses, more and more workplaces are beginning to offer that as a major perk.

The bottom line is that you’re only as limited as you allow yourself to be when hiring new recruits. Some positions are harder to fill than others, but if you start thinking creatively instead, you could have more than your fill of candidates.

The iPad is one of the most important technological advancements in recent years. This simple device has the ability to transform the way people do business, interact, communicate and even learn. In the IT field itself, the iPad has become a powerful tool that provides effective methods for enhancing productivity and for ensuring businesses run as effectively as possible.

How will the use of this tablet computer change the way people learn and interact?

Learning Goes Mobile

As a small-sized computer, the iPad is a powerhouse when it comes to taking it with you. You can take the iPad anywhere and use virtually all of its applications wherever you are. Link to a hotspot or use the 3G services available and you can use all of the apps the way you want to. This includes all of the learning applications available today.

Various Learning Methods for All Ages

Like the computer before it, the iPad has the ability to teach any topic in any learning fashion, anytime and any way. That is what makes it so powerful.

• Students can take college courses right on their iPad, perhaps on their way to and from work each day.
• Workers in a manufacturing plant can take courses for an hour a day, during work shifts, to increase safety training or to meet safety guidelines. They do not need to leave the building to do so.
• Businesses can encourage new hires to use these tablet computers to learn the software used within the business.
• Schools use iPads to increase the ability of students to research and develop their own opinions in real time. This connection to the real world in a handheld device (with proper monitoring) encourages a new level of understanding.

The iPad plays a role in improving education. Yet, it goes farther than this. IT itself is changing as a direct result of the success of this device. Other manufacturers are following suit. Many are developing applications that allow for students or other users to use the iPad. For example, the IT field is seeing an increased demand from businesses to develop applications that allow business websites, blogs and other services to be easily accessed and used from an iPad.

The demand for the iPad has made it the go-to IT source for businesses, students and individuals who want greater communication. Those who are unable to go back to school can use it to learn the skills necessary to achieve their goals. It does virtually everything. The investment of one’s money into an iPad is easily justified because it is relatively inexpensive when compared to a laptop or desktop computer. And, it’s mobile. By making education easier to obtain, the iPad has allowed many more people to get back to learning.