Advice for Aspiring CPAs - By Ann Marie (Casinelli) Reyher
The first piece of advice I have for young NJSCPA members is S-L-O-W down!
Ever since I was a young girl, but most notably once I started working, I always wanted to be the first one finished whatever the task at hand. Every new opportunity was a race that I wanted to “win.” It seems that even very young children are instilled with the belief that it is good to hurry through everything to be the first one finished. Many people never question their manic, hurry-up mentality but sometimes it's wise to slow down and ask whether all that rushing is really worth it.
I'll give you an example. I have five kids aged six to ten. (The subject of handling five children while juggling my career will be another blog.) When I serve them a meal, they all sit at the set table, forks in hands, chomping at the bit.
My one son, Ryan, always wants to be the first one done. He shovels his food and there is food flying everywhere -- on the floor, on him and on his siblings. He devours his dinner, throws his dishes in the sink and rushes back to his TDV or iPod Touch.
My daughter, Renee, on the other hand, has somehow managed to avoid the societally-instilled pressure to do everything quickly. She eats her food slowly, enjoying every mouthful and taking in the meal experience. She neatly disposes of any scraps and calmly places her dishes in the dishwasher. She may not be the first one finished, but she has enjoyed her food and family time. Her “performance” at the table always earns her dessert. Most of the time Ryan will be called back to the table to clean up, and I end up reprimanding him on his messiness and his carelessness. Plus, depending on the extent of the disaster he has created, he may find himself denied the evening's dessert.
I have observed similar dynamics in the workplace and witnessed the same predictable results. I am guilty of this type of behavior myself from time to time -- rushing through a return or a project, only to have it returned to me with a full page of review notes by a disappointed manager. We have all done it in a rush to hurry up and finish up. But I cannot emphasize enough -- do not rush your work. Perform your work efficiently, but with focus and care. After you have completed your assignment, put it aside and review it later to make sure it is perfect. When your manager receives it with minimal or no errors, he or she will be pleased and, more likely than not, you will receive your “dessert.”