Subtraction MaGaZiNe

IMA Social/Networking Happy Hour Tonight!

Falls Church, VA

UNO's Chicago Bar and Grill

I'm not a member of the Institute of Managerial Accountants but there are many folks who have found this group very helpful in advancing their careers all while "driving business performance."

Come spend some time networking with the IMA's DC chapter board and affilitated members.  Feel free to bring colleagues who might be interested in learning more about the IMA and ask for Josh Coder, VP of Membership.  RSVP to JCoder@acsysinc.com

The Sketches at 930 Club Tonight!

Washington, DC,

Monday! 

I know, you're at work, you're busy, but Monday's go quickly and  I'm already planning for the evening.  The Sketches are a fantastic regional group that should be too expensive to see on a Monday but for 15 bux they're playing the 930 Club tonight.  Care to join me?

(Oh and a little band called "Blind Melon" is playing too ;-)

Come Back From a Bad Interview

Here's a great article that I didn't write.  Some of the best qualified candidates I've worked with have lost job opportunities because of bad interviews.  Maybe this content can help:

You Just Blew Your Interview - Now What?

By Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer

Although you prepare yourself for every interview question you might be asked, nerves can get the best of you. It’s only natural that you overanalyze your performance, worrying that you rambled on too long about one topic or didn’t say enough about another. You probably didn’t ruin your chances with those little mistakes. If the interviewer responded to each of your answers with a furrowed brow or furious scribbling, however, you might have reason to worry. Instead of dwelling on the situation and giving up hope for a second interview, get proactive and do some damage control. MORE...

This event is a dramatization of "WORK"

It's Friday and this to me, is pretty funny.

The Center for Disease Control has issued a medical alert about a highly contagious, potentially dangerous virus that is transmitted orally, by hand, and even electronically. This virus is called Weary Overload Recreational Killer (WORK). If you receive WORK from your boss, any of your colleagues or anyone else via any means whatsoever DO NOT TOUCH IT.

This virus will wipe out your private life completely. If you should come into contact with WORK you should immediately leave the premises. Take two good friends to the nearest grocery store and purchase one or both of the antidotes - Work Isolating Neutralizer Extract (WINE) and Bothersome Employer Elimination Re-booter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system. You should immediately forward this medical alert to five friends. If you do not have five friends, you have already been infected and WORK is controlling your life.

(Disclaimer:  Neither I, nor the non-existent employees at Subtraction Magazine, endorse the use of alcohol unless you can handle it.)

Volunteer Opportunity this Saturday!

Friends here's an opportunity to use that old Federal Taxation course you took in school.  You don't have to be a tax preparer to participate.

The ALPFA Washington, DC Chapter and KPMG's Washington, DC Hispanic/Latino Network reminds you to attend the 2008 Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Event.

This year, we are volunteering on Saturday March 1st from 10am to 3pm at The Child and Family Network Center at 3701A Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria, VA 22305- Tel: 703-836-0214.  This location is one of Fairfax County Office of Partnerships' Volunteer Program CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope)/VITA.  We would like you to join us in making a difference.

Come for two hours, or stay with us the whole time. There will be breakfast and lunch for all the volunteers.

                                                      Ways to Volunteer?

Intake Specialist - This volunteer sets the tone for the client's experience with the Tax Centers as the first person a taxpayer encounters.  The volunteer welcomes clients, explains our services, screens clients for eligibility, and organizes the necessary documents to facilitate efficient and accurate tax preparation. 

Interpreters - We are in great need of bilingual volunteers to help clients and our volunteer tax preparers communicate effectively.  The interpreters help ensure that the taxpayers understand their tax return and their tax obligations. 

Mike Murray, Person of the Week

When was the last time you were featured anywhere?  Yes YOU.  I meet interesting people ALL OF THE TIME and this is the space to feature them.  Are you someone I should meet?  Would you like to be featured here?  Send me a note at JHowell@acsysinc.com

MIKE MURRAY

Mike is someone I met across the hall in my building.  He asked what kind of work I did and after I told him, I asked the same question.  It turns out that he founded the company that just moved in on my floor.

As TMA's President & CEO, Mike sets the customer-centric tone for the company and leads its strategic initiatives.  In 2004, TMA was ranked number eight in Virginia Business Magazine's "Fantastic 50," which recognizes the state's fastest-growing businesses. TMA also received the same award in 2006.

Mike attributes the company's success to hiring the right people for the right jobs and giving them the freedom and support to serve customers by doing what they do best.  He has been involved with the company and the direct marketing industry for more than 15 years.  Within two years of working in list brokerage, he became the company's top sales producer - bringing on Fortune 500 clients like Microsoft, GlaxcoSmithKline and Aetna - and continues to oversee overall business development initiatives.

Mike serves as a board member to the George Mason University School of Management as well as the Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing at the University of Akron.  He is also involved with a number of charities, including the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, DC and the educational foundation of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).

That's Mike: a neat guy.  I'll leave his contact info off but it's on his website.  If you would like to be featured, just send me a note to introduce yourself or bump into me out somewhere (oh, and be "interesting" ;-).   

Siegfried Group Happy Hour (Tonight!)

This is from our friends at the Siegfried Group.  Yes, they use Evite ;-)

You are cordially invited to join us for a fun filled evening with good conversation to go along with even better people at Indebleu Restaurant Lounge.  Drinks and special appetizers to be served, event commences at 6:00 p.m.

Metro: Red Line - Gallery Place (1 block) Chinatown.  G street across from the Verizon Center. 

For more info please visit: (http://www.bleu.com/indebleu/) or feel free to contact:  CJ Warfield - 301-802-2930

About The Siegfried Group, LLP (www.siegfriedgroup.com):
The Siegfried Group is a leading provider of Accounting Resource Services to primarily Fortune 1000 companies delivering a full range of accounting and financial resource services. With over 500 career accounting and finance professionals employed on a full-time basis, The Siegfried Group helps our clients improve their performance by completing critical projects and assuming critical roles.

Are you getting pressured to quit?

Happy Wednesday!

OK maybe I shouldn't be that excited about Wednesday but it's here so let's cherish it.  Here's an article from the Wall Street Journal online.  It's a neat article by Andrea Coombes about how to evaluate a buyout offer from your employer should you ever be in that position.

How to Value the Buyout

Fondo Del Sol Visual Arts Center

Washington, DC

"Established in 1973, Fondo Del Sol Visual Arts Center is a bilingual community museum dedicated to presenting, promoting and preserving the cultural heritage and arts of the Americas."

I had never heard of this museum but our friends at Things To Do are hosting a visit including appetizers, Latin American guitar perfomances and of course a private tour.

If you go, tell me how it went!

Career TV

How would you like to spend hours on something you typically hate doing? 

I sure know how to sell something don't I?  That doesn't matter because UNfortunately, I didn't invent Career TV but I really, really wish I had.  It's the wave of the future.  Some of you may have heard of video resumes but this is video recruiting; for jobs, internships and even colleges. 

Career TV seems to be on the crest of what's happening in technology and recruiting and I want you well rounded, educated Accounting professionals to know all about it.  For example, take a look at this video on resume and interview advice: Resume advice on Career TV