Mergis Group A&F Worker Confidence Reaches Highest Level Seen In More Than Two Years

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Accounting and Finance Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S. accounting and finance workers, increased  2.7 points to 53.3 in the second quarter of 2010, according to a recent survey commissioned by The Mergis Group®, the professional placement division of SFN Group, Inc. The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive®, reveals the highest level of confidence among accounting and finance workers reported since the fourth quarter of 2007, primarily attributed to an increase in confidence in the overall economic landscape and job market.

Results from the Accounting & Finance Employment Report:

• One-third (33 percent) of accounting and finance workers believe the economy is getting stronger, representing a four percentage point increase from the first quarter of 2010.
• Half of accounting and finance workers (50 percent) believe there are fewer jobs available. This is a decrease of five percentage points from the previous quarter.
• More accounting and finance workers are reporting that they are likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months. Specifically one-third (33 percent) of workers believe they will make a job transition, versus 29 percent in the first quarter of 2010.

"We are encouraged by the increase in our Accounting and Finance Confidence Index during the second quarter," stated Brendan Courtney, president of The Mergis Group. "While we have seen many economic indicators head in a positive direction, the buzz of a potentially stalled recovery has yet to completely wane. The road to economic stability has undoubtedly been and will continue to be bumpy. However, we believe that the forecast remains optimistic for those within financial services. In fact, we have seen demand increasing in this space and the unemployment rate for this sector is hovering more than two percentage points below the national rate of 9.5 percent. This may bode well for those looking to make a job transition into some of the more steadfast careers, such as tax accountants, financial analysts, loan officers and compliance directors."

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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 a division of SFN Group, Inc. SFN operates a family of specialty businesses providing strategic workforce solutions in professional services and general staffing. To learn more, please visit www.mergisgroup.com.

SOURCE The Mergis Group