Seems obvious doesn’t it?
The comedic potential is hilarious. I can’t resist referring to Laurel and Hardy’s ‘The Music Box’ (still available). As onlookers, we can share in the anticipation of what’s going to go wrong, appreciate the ineptitude of the clueless clowns and enjoy the catalogue of catastrophic outcomes – thanks to the director, scriptwriters and excellent actors.
So what does happen when you drop a piano on an accountant?
Freeze frame the image and now let me put you, an aspiring thespian accountant, in place of the character. What would you like to see happen? What outcomes could there be, and which would you select?
In the original script, the poor unfortunate is walking along the pavement. He or she is unaware of their surroundings, assuming all is well and possibly doing their best impression of Flat Stanley. Great comic drama! Congratulations, you’ve made the celebrity listings.
This time, imagine a different script. The accountant is walking down the same street and under the same piano. They see the mishap about to occur and take spectacular avoiding action. They survive, heaving a sigh of relief. Great dramatic impact, maybe some humour and a heroic outcome. Hearty congratulations for a magnificent performance. You are now an all action hero who has hit the celebrity ‘A’ list.
From the inexhaustible ranks of accountants comes yet another! They saunter down the same street, see and assess the situation from a distance and walk up to the workmen trying to raise the piano to their client’s apartment. Quickly establishing a friendly rapport, the accountant ascertains why they have chosen the particular method of raising the piano. This is followed by a series of practical suggestions designed to make life easier and safer for all concerned. Not very good screen material, this. No drama, no celebrity status and a feeling of having been short-changed with the script.
So what does a piano dropping on an accountant have to do with anything?
While onscreen comedic catastrophe is highly amusing, its roots are often found in tragic reality. Again, in reality, it is the individual who achieves the most effective solutions who is the more impressive of the two. It is this individual who gains the accountant ‘A’ list status. Which of those accountants would you climb Everest with? The first is to be commiserated with. The second is to be congratulated for having sufficient anticipation to take avoiding action. The real hero is the one who not only avoided harm but who went out of their way to make the situation safer and easier to achieve for everyone else.
In the world of recruitment, it is easy to understand which accountant an employer would select. In the light of this, candidates should consider which of these three accountants they might be perceived as. It follows on from this that you should give some thought as to what actions you can take to add value to your role and organisation. These can also be used to demonstrate your potential to a future employer.
Chris Cutting, of Chris Cutting Recruitment (CCR), has several years experience in accountancy recruitment at all levels. His career spans working for both national and regional recruitment consultancies in the Midlands and establishing two regional consultancies servicing the M5 and M4 corridors. The one constant throughout his career has been to provide a tailored and personalised service to clients and candidates.
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