accounting and bookkeeping remains bright spot in generally weak economy

sixth month of year-over-year gains.

accounting and bookkeeping services – all employees, thousands

by rick telberg

employment in the accounting and bookkeeping sector slipped by a statistically insignificant 800 jobs in august, to 922,400 people. that was barely a change from june’s 923,200-jobs level, and it represents the third straight month of declines. but it also represents the sixth month of year-over-year gains.

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accounting jobs advance for 3rd month in a row

accounting and bookkeeping sector adds 17,800 jobs in may.

accounting and bookkeeping services, all employees, in thousands, thru may 2011

in the biggest single-month gain since the recession, the accounting industry added almost 18,000 new jobs in may, bringing the total headcount to 926,300, a 29-month high. in fact, accounting was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing jobs report.

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number of accounting grads hits new high

hiring plans rebound. heavy demand for post-grads.

top line: undergraduate degrees. bottom line: post-graduate degrees. source: aicpa

via aicpa

newly minted accountants have some of the brightest job prospects in the nation, with nearly 90 percent of accounting firms forecasting the same or increased hiring of graduates this year compared with 2010, and nearly three quarters, 71 percent, of the largest firms anticipating more hiring – an indicator of a rebounding economy.

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10 ways to recruit & retain the best talent

steve erickson
steve erickson

rule 1: deliver a consistent message.

cpa and consultant steve erickson offers 10 tips to help firms in hiring and retention:

  1. increase focus and efforts. make recruiting a year-round focus, engaging both
    partners and employees in the process.
  2. build an employee referral network. use it to find employees and offer your expertise to other accountants while spreading the word about the profession through speaking and writing engagements. focus on reciprocity–make referrals for other firms and don’t burn bridges. read more →

no surprise: the best firms pay more

but they bill for it too.

annual compensation. source: inside public accounting via 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

the best firms, according to inside public accounting, start paying more from the first day and from the bottom up. for instance, ipa’s best of the best pay new graduates about $55,000, compared to $50,000 at their competitors — a 10% advantage that generally carries through every job level. read more →