Moses Nae - Chicago To Host “Epic” New Year’s Eve Celebration Downtown

Moses Nae

NBC 5 to televise the first-of-its-kind New Year’s Eve event, featuring three stages of music headliners and a twist on the Times Square countdown and ball drop

Look out, New York City. Chicago is ringing in 2016 with a big outdoor celebration and a twist on the Times Square countdown and ball drop.

The epic, first-of-its-kind New Year’s Eve event dubbed Chi-Town Rising will feature music headliners, a “visually spectacular countdown to 2016,” and a major fireworks show, organizers announced Thursday. The celebration will be televised live on NBC 5.

“We are thrilled to welcome a new tradition to our city, changing the way that Chicago and the Midwest celebrates New Year’s Eve,” John Murray, founder of Arena Partners and Executive Producer of Chi-Town Rising, said in a statement.

The ticketed event, presented by Corona Extra and hosted by Hyatt Gold Passport, will be held along the Chicago River between Michigan Avenue and Columbus Drive, with a Countdown Stage on the south side of the river and a midnight countdown featuring a giant Chicago star rising into the sky.

As the countdown begins, the star will ascend 36 stories up the Hyatt Regency Chicago’s West Tower, “culminating in iconic imagery and an unprecedented fireworks show.”

“Truly the sky is the limit for Chicago when it comes to celebrating New Year’s Eve,” Murray said. “The ascending star symbolizes our history of meeting challenges head-on and seeing opportunities in every new adventure; it represents our aspirations rising to embrace the New Year. We look forward to this event becoming a new tradition in Chicago.”

Source : cbsnews.com

Moses Nae - 7 Interview Tips to Win the Accounting Talent War

Moses Nae - Finding qualified candidates is one of the main problems facing the accounting profession today, according to a recent survey by the AICPA. Tom Gimbel, founder and CEO of LaSalle Network, a staffing and recruiting firm based in Chicago, has seven tips to ensure firms identify the strongest candidates.

1. Don’t Wait to Interview

Waiting until there is an immediate need may cause hiring managers to overlook some negative qualities they might not normally and hire subpar people. Accounting firms that are consistently interviewing can get a better understanding of the current job market and what types of candidates are out there.

2. Conduct Multiple Rounds of Interviews

Have candidates meet with three to four employees, and if possible, the CFO or another executive at the company. In order for accounting firms to hire strategically, they need to be sure they are identifying people who will stick around and grow within the company.

3. Be Unconventional

Ask questions that don’t pertain to the position, the company, or the candidate’s resume. The way a candidate reacts shows how they think on their feet and gives an idea of their personality. Pay attention to how they communicate when they aren’t speaking in technical terms.

4. Have Someone Interrupt the Interview

This gives you a chance to see how the candidate responds when they are caught off guard. Are they flustered? Do they stand up and introduce themselves to the new person? The way the candidate responds provides clues for how they may react when thrown a curveball in the office or when they are under pressure.

5. Utilize Assessments

Accounting professionals need to possess critical thinking skills and be detail-oriented. There are different tests designed to determine a candidate’s competency in these areas. This provides another layer of insight into a candidate’s potential.

6. Evaluate the Candidate’s Questions

If a candidate is asking questions that can easily be found on a company website—such as “When was the company founded?” or “What do you specialize in?”—you know they haven’t put a lot of thought into the interview. The best candidates ask thought-provoking, insightful questions.

7. Don’t Sugarcoat Anything

You want to make sure a potential employee is the right fit for your unique company culture and if you can’t be upfront with them about the environment and the role, you won’t have much success.

Source : accountingtoday.com/