outlook & analysis

accountants’ job mood dims, even as economy brightens

mergis confidence index dips.

mergis confidence 4q 2010

via mergis

the accounting and finance employee confidence index, a measure of overall confidence among u.s. accounting and finance workers, dipped 0.8 points to 50.9 in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to the mergis group, the professional placement division of spherion corporation.

the survey, conducted by harris interactive, shows that more accounting and finance workers believe the economy is getting stronger, although fewer workers expressed confidence in their ability to find a new job.

courtney
courtney

“although the fourth quarter of 2009 brought about a slight dip in our accounting and finance confidence index, more workers indicated that they believe the economy is starting to show signs of economic stability and strength,” stated brendan courtney, president of the mergis group.

“while we anticipate ongoing fluctuations in confidence over the next few quarters, it is important to highlight that our index remains near the highest level seen in two years. as we delve into 2010, we are starting to have discussions with many companies about hiring plans in the accounting and finance sector. we believe much of this job growth will be fueled by the demand for skilled professionals who can successfully navigate companies through the increasing regulatory environment being set forth by government legislation and industry standards. positions such as tax accountants, auditors, compliance directors, credit managers and financial analysts will be in great demand this year.”

more highlights:

  • thirty percent of accounting and finance workers believe the economy is getting stronger, representing a six percentage point increase from the third quarter of 2009.
  • fewer accounting and finance workers are confident in their ability to find a new job. specifically, 39 percent are confident compared to 46 percent in the previous quarter .
  • nearly one-third (30 percent) of accounting and finance workers are likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months, up one percentage point from the third quarter of 2009.