Mergis Group HIRE Intelligence Survey: Accounting & Finance HR Managers and Recruiters Emphasize Importance of a Good Cultural Fit

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Dec. 6, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- More than two-thirds (68 percent) of HR managers or recruiters who have responsibility in recruiting accounting and finance positions have indicated that they are planning to hire in next six months, according to a new Accounting & Finance HIRE Intelligence Survey conducted by Monster.com®, on behalf of The Mergis Group. When identifying the qualifications of their ideal candidates, the vast majority (86 percent) of survey respondents indicated that work experience was the most important factor.

Among the key findings:

Hiring Plans

• Sixty-eight percent of survey respondents indicated that they are planning to hire in the next six months, with more than half (60 percent) within the accounting and finance sector. This is down from the 74 percent indicating so in our previous report, with 49 percent of those new hires in the accounting and finance sector.
• Of the hiring taking place, 42 percent are a mix of new openings and replacement positions, while one-third are strictly new positions.

Sourcing Techniques & Recruitment Strategies

• When asked which techniques they use to recruit accounting and financial services talent, the top methods included: job boards (72 percent); referrals (68 percent); classified ads online (44 percent); social media (35 percent); recruiting firms (26 percent); and newspaper classified ads (14 percent).
• When asked which qualifications were of greatest importance when identifying the ideal candidate for accounting and finance positions, top responses included: types of work experience (86 percent); personality/cultural fit (67 percent); years of work experience (66 percent); education (64 percent); soft skills/business knowledge (47 percent); and professional certifications (32 percent).
• The highest ranked factors in recruiting accounting and finance oriented talent were:  stability of position (92 percent); salary (88 percent); company's reputation (87 percent); healthcare benefits (87 percent); opportunity for career advancement (79 percent); recognition of employees for hard work (77 percent); and corporate culture (76 percent).

Economic Outlook

• Fifty-one percent of both accounting and financial HR managers and recruiters are confident the economy will improve in the next six months, as compared to 67 percent who were confident in the spring.
• More than three-fourths (78 percent) of accounting and finance hiring managers are confident that their company's performance will improve in the next six months, down one percentage point over the past six months.

"We are pleased by the latest results of The Mergis Group Accounting and Finance Hire Intelligence Survey," stated Brendan Courtney, president of The Mergis Group. "Although accounting and finance HR managers and recruiters' economic confidence appears to be lagging a bit, it is still quite encouraging to see that more than half of survey respondents are planning to hire in the next six months. While the bulk of hiring managers and recruiters surveyed believe that the type of work experience is the most important factor in determining the ideal candidate, more than two-thirds (67 percent) place an emphasis on the job seeker's personality and cultural fit within their organization. Today, employers are no longer just looking at someone's skill set and experience. Cultural fit has become extremely important."

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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.

About Monster Worldwide Monster Worldwide, Inc., parent company of Monster, the premier global online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire people to improve their lives. With a local presence in key markets in North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by providing personalized career advice to consumers globally. Through online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted audiences to advertisers.

Monster Worldwide is a member of the S&P 500 index. To learn more about Monster's industry-leading products and services, visit www.monster.com. More information about Monster Worldwide is available at http://www.about-monster.com.

SOURCE The Mergis Group

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