Firm Management
Accounting & Finance Pros Have High Confidence in Careers
While professionals in some other fields may still be wary about the economy, accounting and finance professionals still have high confidence in the security of their jobs, and increasing confidence they could find a new one, according to a new survey.
Feb. 25, 2014
While professionals in some other fields may still be wary about the economy, accounting and finance professionals still have high confidence in the security of their jobs, and increasing confidence they could find a new one, according to a new survey.
While overall confidence among finance and accounting workers dropped slightly (down 1.0 point to 61.3 in the fourth quarter of 2013), the Randstad Professionals Finance & Accounting Employee Confidence Index, which measures overall confidence among finance and accounting workers, showed a boost in employees' optimism about their ability to find a new job, with 59 percent of respondents feeling confident they would be able to find new employment, a 10 percentage point increase from the previous quarter.
The study was conducted online among 143 finance and accounting employees by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad Professionals.
Finance and accounting workers, however, reported lower levels of optimism about the future of their employers and the security of their current jobs. That said, nearly one-third (31%) stated they are likely to job search over the next 12 months.
“Despite the small dip in overall confidence, finance and accounting workers still reported one of the highest overall levels when compared to other industries tracked,” said Rebecca Callahan, Group President, Randstad Professionals. “In fact, we are seeing many opportunities for candidates across various geographies and industries, especially for public accountants and accounting managers in 2014. Those professionals who specialize in skills like ERP Software, Hyperion or those who have their CPA certification will find the 2014 employment landscape even more promising. Additionally, while industry certifications certainly increase worker employability, we are also seeing employers seek more rounded attributes, such as strong communication and analytical skills.”
Q4 2013 Survey Highlights:
- Increased Confidence in Finance and Accounting Workers' Ability to Find New Jobs
- Nearly three-in-five (59%) finance and accounting employees are confident in their ability to find a new job, rising 10 percentage points from the previous quarter.
- More Finance and Accounting Workers Believe Economy is Weakening
- Almost a third of these workers (32%) believe that the economy is weakening, a 10 percentage point increase from the third quarter.
Majority of Workers Remain Confident in Their Employers Future
While decreasing from Q3, more than half of finance and accounting workers (57%) remain confident in the future of their current employers.
Workers Less Secure in Jobs
Nearly three-fourths of finance and accounting employees (69%) believe they are not likely to lose their jobs in the next 12 months, compared to 80 percent who indicated so in the third quarter of 2013.
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad Professionals from October 8-10, November 6-8 and December 3-5, 2013 among 3,113 adults 18 and older, of which 143 are employed in finance and accounting. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.