HRM/300 Fundamentals of Human Resource Management

University of Phoenix Material

Job Description and Recruiting Strategies Worksheet
Conduct an interview with someone who has a career or job position that is different from your own.
Identify the duties associated with his or her position, as well as any skills and abilities necessary for the
position. Use the information gathered in the interview, as well as the Week 3 readings, to complete the
following worksheet. Answer each question in paragraph format.

JOB ANALYSIS
1. What are the duties and job responsibilities associated with the position held by the individual you
interviewed?
Senior Accountant
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
Primary responsibility is to prepare financial statements and supporting schedules according to

monthly close schedule

Facilitate and complete monthly close procedures
Analyze revenues, commissions and expenses to ensure they are recorded appropriately on a

monthly basis
Prepare monthly account reconciliations
Assist with analyzing financial statements on a monthly basis and report on variances
Assist with financial and tax audits
Assist with preparing tax returns and corporate reporting requirements
Assist with quarterly producer commission reports; analyzing and correcting discrepancies
Assist in documentation and monitoring of internal controls
Other projects as assigned

2. What are the types of knowledge, skills, and abilities that are needed to successfully accomplish the
job responsibilities?
REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALITIES:
Bachelors or higher degree in Accounting or Finance
Strong understanding of accounting theory
CPA designation preferred
5+ years accounting/finance experience; CPA a plus, but not required
Experience in the insurance industry preferred
Highly detail oriented and organized in work
Ability to meet assigned deadlines
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a customer service focus
Ability to act and operate independently with minimal daily direction from manager to accomplish

objectives
Proficiency with email and Microsoft Office applications
Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with all levels of employees, management, and
external agencies to maximize performance, creativity, problem solving, and results.

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3. Does the position require any physical tasks? If so, describe the physical tasks and state their
frequency. Is there any additional information about the job that would be beneficial to include in the
job description?
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee
to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to
enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The physical activity level required is
sedentary physical activity performing non-strenuous daily activities of an administrative nature. The
employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10-15 pounds from time to time. Manual dexterity
sufficient to reach and handle items, and work with fingers is required on a daily basis. Specific vision
abilities required by this job include close, distance, peripheral vision, and depth perception. The position
requires frequent talking or hearing, reaching with hands and arms, using hands to finger, handle, or feel
of keyboard, and sitting. Minimal overnight travel may be required for training.
On a periodic basis, the position requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, climbing, stooping,
kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling. From time to time, ability to work in a hands-on outdoor
construction and mining environment is required.

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JOB DESCRIPTION
Compose a 350- to 500-word job description based on the data acquired in your interview.
The Senior Accountant utilizing hands-on accounting experience and an in-depth understanding of
accounting principles and company practices, senior accountants perform complex accounting activities
and financial analyses. Their day-to-day responsibilities include:

Analyzing complex financial reports and records

Making recommendations based on analysis and status of reserves, assets and expenditures
Reviewing journal entries of junior accountants to ensure accuracy
Training and mentoring junior staff
Performing variance analyses and preparing account reconciliations
Assisting with financial and tax audits
Documenting and monitoring internal controls in support of auditing team
Coordinating more complex accounting projects and initiatives with other members of the
accounting and finance team or with other departments

In some instances, senior accountants liaise between junior accountants and accounting managers
and directors, serving to enforce and monitor compliance with company-wide accounting policies and
procedures.
Related jobs: Accountant, CPA, tax accountant, accounting manager, public accountant, and senior
staff accountant.
To excel in the position of senior accountant, and to put yourself in a position to advance, you need to
possess these attributes as well:

Highly detail-oriented and organized

Ability to meet a constant stream of deadlines
Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively with different levels of employees
Superior analytical and problem-solving skills
Familiarity with accounting software and programs

At a minimum, senior accountants must hold a bachelors degree in accounting, finance, math,
business administration, or a related field. However, a masters degree in accountancy is required in
many cases.
Certified Public Accountant (CPA) license is not always mandatory, having one could help give you an
edge in your job search.
RECRUITING STRATEGIES
1. What are three recruiting strategies that could be used to recruit for this job position?
a. Monster
b. Indeed
c. Career-builder

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2. In 350- to 500-words, compare and contrast the recruiting strategies you have chosen. Which
recruiting strategy would you use to recruit for this position? Why?
Recruiting firms provide much more than a database of candidates. Employers can reap many
benefits to using a recruiting firm to help fill its hiring needs:
1. Time and Money - While recruiters are sourcing, screening and presenting qualified candidates, your
hiring managers and human resources teams remain productive in their respective primary job
function, which saves your company time and money.
2. Candidate Reach - while an ad on a job site will gain response mostly from active seekers; recruiters
have extensive networks of passive candidates who will learn of your company and its opportunities
only through direct contact by a recruiter. This increases the pool of qualified candidates that can be
presented to you.
3. Specialization - If the employer chooses a recruiting firm that specializes in its industry, the recruiter
working on the assignment can source candidates more efficiently because he/she has knowledge of
your industry and its language and job functions, and understands the roles within your company and
how the available position fits into the whole.
4. Perspective - Recruiters, especially those who are industry-specific, possess a wealth of information
about your industry and can provide valuable insight on the organizational structure of your company,
its position scopes, and competitive compensation packages.
5. Beyond Sourcing - Once recruiters source and present qualified candidates, their job does not stop
there. They remain a valuable intermediate throughout the entire process, managing candidate
expectations, collecting and presenting feedback to both parties, negotiating terms, and making every
effort to secure a win-win scenario. Also, throughout this process, recruiters will ensure that your
organization and its available positions are represented in a proper and appropriate manner.
Partnering with a recruiting firm that matches the needs of your organization is the first step in gaining
greater insight to your industry, remaining productive and profitable, and building successful teams within
your organization.