• The official blog of Abacus Group — a place to share our knowledge and thoughts on trends in recruiting •

Regardless of what role you are applying for, leadership skills are sought after across all companies and industries. Compared to technical skills, they are not as easy to quantify but demonstrating that you have these leadership skills will put you above those whom you are interviewing against and assure your potential employer that you have the ability to make a great impact on the company and community.

In October of last year, Partner and Managing Director at Boston Consulting Group and expert on leadership in the workplace, Elizabeth Lyle, gave a TED Talk titled “How to break bad management habits before they reach the next generation of leaders”.

It should come as no surprise that leadership development in the workplace is a highly regarded benefit when candidates are considering specific employment. Candidates are thinking more and more about career trajectory and advancement when they are seeking jobs.

Although it is important not to make sweeping generalizations, it also goes without saying that millennials are unlike any generation that has preceded them and therefore stimulate much debate and conversation, particularly in regards to how to deal with them in the workforce.

A strong leader is one who can empower others. The best way to curb concerns over the leadership pipeline is by investing in development opportunities and training for staff.

The candidate-recruiter process works well because executive recruiters wear many hats in their multifaceted profession. They are career advisors, matchmakers, brand spokespeople and—perhaps most importantly—skilled salespeople. Consider the characteristics of an outstanding salesperson and those of an exceptional executive recruiter; there is an extraordinary amount of overlap.

Professionalism, preparation, and curiosity are important in a job interview—no matter who you are meeting. We encourage job seekers to adjust their presentation depending on the listener. You might meet with the President/CEO of the organization and your dialogue with him or her should differ substantially from that with HR, the line manager, or someone at your own professional level.

Evaluating the potential for career development is the most basic tenant of changing jobs. Ideally, your future job will enable you to build on your current skillset, to assume greater responsibility, and to confront new challenges. Similarly important is an assessment of the person to whom you will report—your future boss.

To kick off 2017, we are proud to announce five internal promotions in our New York City Headquarters. Effective January 3, the following employees now have new responsibilities at Abacus Group: Charles Amato, Jason Fleischer, Melissa Perez, Dianne Perlman, and Gennaro Vitale.

Accounting industry publication Accounting Today recently reported on an October AICPA Leadership Academy conference. The Academy, which provides “a self-examination of leadership, what that means, and how that impacts personal life, career path, and the CPA profession,” organized a forum for young Accounting professionals to learn about becoming leaders and to share their opinions.