Finance and Accounting Employee Confidence Index Reaches 4-Year High

Latest results indicate a healthier economic outlook and brighter job prospects

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May 22, 2012, 09:53 ET

BOSTON, May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mergis Group Finance and Accounting Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S. finance and accounting workers, jumped 8.5 points to 57.8 in the first quarter of 2012, propelling the Index to the highest level in four years. Commissioned by The Mergis Group and conducted online by Harris Interactive® among 231 workers employed in accounting or finance, the survey reveals that more finance and accounting workers are confident about the strength of the economy and in the availability of jobs, while nearly half (49%) are confident in their ability to find a new job, despite the current job market remaining highly competitive.

Q1, 2012 Survey Highlights:

Fewer Finance and Accounting Workers Believe the Economy is Weakening

21% of employees believe the economy is getting weaker, a decline of 23 percentage points from the fourth quarter of 2011.

More Finance and Accounting Workers Believe More Jobs are Available

21% of finance and accounting employees believe that job availability has increased, representing a seven percentage point increase from the previous quarter.

Half of Workers are Confident in Their Ability to Find New Jobs Within the Next Year

49% of workers are optimistic in their ability to find a new job, versus 40% in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Nearly One in Three Workers Likely to Look for New Jobs

31% of accounting and finance workers are likely to look for new opportunities within the next 12 months.

"We are pleased to see that accounting and finance workers are showing growing optimism in the overall economic landscape and job availability within their industry, and the consistent rise over the past three quarters is certainly encouraging," said Steve McMahan, executive vice president of Randstad US, Professionals. "The profession has posted sizeable gains, and one of the hottest job titles in the industry right now is a financial analyst – which is expected to grow 23 percent from 2010 to 2020. We believe 2012 will usher in a great deal of opportunity for the accounting and finance profession overall, including those with compliance, analysis, tax and forensic expertise. Our clients also have increasing needs for mortgage banking candidates due to a steady flow of foreclosures moving in the market paired with historically low interest rates. Likewise, the need for professionals that possess both the necessary certifications and degrees, coupled with strategic management capabilities and technological savvy is also rising."

The Finance and Accounting Confidence Index supplies insights into employee attitudes and sentiment around the economy, job market, job security, employers and in their ability to find a new job. Together with other economic indicators, employers can use this report to assess the overall health of the F&A industry and their workforce.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of The Mergis Group from January 9-11, February 15-17, March 13-15, 2012 among 4,341 adults ages 18 and older, of which 231 are employed in accounting and finance. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About The Mergis Group
The Mergis Group is a leading professional placement firm that specializes in recruiting for positions in finance and accounting, engineering and manufacturing, sales and marketing, legal and human resources. The firm provides recruiting services to Fortune 500 and small and mid-sized companies through its network of 35 offices nationally.

The Mergis Group is now a part of Randstad. For more information, please visit www.mergisgroup.com.

About Randstad
Randstad is a $22.5 billion global provider of HR services and the second largest staffing organization in the world. From temporary staffing to permanent placement to inhouse, professionals, search & selection, and HR Solutions, Randstad holds top positions around the world and has approximately 28,700 corporate employees working from its nearly 4,700 branches and inhouse locations in 40 countries. Founded in 1960 and headquartered in Diemen, the Netherlands, Randstad Holding nv is listed on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam.

Learn more at www.randstad.com.

SOURCE The Mergis Group