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| The ACFE Career Connection offers job hunters the perfect opportunity to meet recruiters in person and put in valuable face time. See "Ask a Recruiter" in the "Get Hired!" section for additional advice on what to bring and how to get noticed from two of the Career Connection's top recruiters. |
The bevy of frauds uncovered after the recession first hit has shined a harsh, unflattering light on the lack of transparency, risk management and internal controls that allowed desperate employees, rampant greed and flagrant disregard for investors’ welfare to take over and cost companies large chunks of change and their good reputations.
While this has been a hard pill to swallow for many businesses, it’s good news for job-seeking fraud examiners, and even better news for those who are attending the 21st Annual ACFE Fraud Conference and Exhibition, because companies are now realizing the very real need for qualified fraud examiners.
This year, 11 companies and government agencies will be exhibiting at the ACFE Career Connection, sponsored by Walmart Global Internal Audit Services (IAS), located in the Exhibit Hall July 25-27. That’s three more career exhibitors than last year, and each is hoping to find top candidates from among the conference attendees.
Like many of the other companies and agencies exhibiting at the Career Connection, Walmart Global IAS is seeking job candidates “to fill roles at all levels of experience, from recent graduates to experienced-level associates,” said Scott Phillips, CFE, CFF, CIA, CPA, senior director of Walmart Global IAS.
“While we realize that the economy has increased our exposure to potential frauds, our efforts are more focused on filling our pipeline with talent,” Phillips said. “We have identified that CFEs possess a number of skills that fit well within our internal audit function and are transferrable to other roles in the company.
“Fraud examiners typically demonstrate skills that we feel have a greater potential to make them successful in our organization," he said. "Our model takes associates that have developed skills and experience in fraud prevention and detection and internal controls, [then] places them in other roles with the organization after teaching them our business and culture, which in turn strengthens our control environment.”
Other featured employers include Security and Investigative Placement Consultants, LLC; the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA); the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Ferguson and Burke Associates; Signal Auditing, Inc.; KPMG, LLP; Alvarez and Marsal; Forfeiture Support Associates, LLC; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Security and Investigative (S&I) Placement Consultants is a retained search firm that places qualified candidates in corporate, industrial, and manufacturing settings as well as in financial institutions and accounting, law and consulting firms. Kathy Lavinder, executive director of S&I Placement Consultants, said her firm has been an ACFE Career Connection exhibitor before, and she’s been happy with the results. This year she said her firm is seeking about six specialists who are “staying current with the very dynamic threats that organizations are dealing with.” This makes conference attendees even more attractive as they are already demonstrating an interest in continuing their education and keeping current in their fields.
“Career Connection is a great venue to meet the kinds of highly specialized investigators that our clients are interested in knowing and possibly employing,” Lavinder said. “It’s also a great way to reconnect with potential candidates who may have contacted us by e-mail or telephone in the past. At Career connection, we can meet face-to-face and spend some quality time getting better acquainted.”
But Lavinder cautions those who’ve been victims of the down economy and spent some time unemployed. She says it's important for all job hunters to come to the Career Connection with the right attitude, ready to make a favorable impression.
“I’m looking for candidates who project confidence in themselves, without being arrogant or overbearing,” she said. “Over the past two years, I’ve encountered far too many people who are ‘the walking wounded.’ They’ve lost their jobs or experienced professional setbacks as a result of the recent recession. I’m looking for candidates who are not bitter or wallowing in self pity. I’m interested in those candidates who have kept the proper perspective and are ready to move on, not dwell on the past. I’m also attuned to whether the individual is articulate and professional in appearance and demeanor.”
By popular demand, Individual Career Coaching Sessions will once again be available at the ACFE Career Connection. Each 50-minute session costs only $50 and gets you face time with a professional certified coach who can help you fine-tune your résumé and work on your interviewing skills before you seek out any of the available recruiters for an on-the-spot interview. Sessions will be held in the Chesapeake H-I room. Visit the ACFE Career Connection booth to schedule an appointment with a career coach or click here to learn more.
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