Employers around the world are still finding a lack of skilled accounting and finance professionals, according to the recently released Robert Half Global Financial Employment Monitor.
“The results of this year”™s report reflect the challenges hiring managers around the world continue to face in locating and retaining highly skilled accounting and finance professionals,” said Greg Scileppi, director of international operations for Robert Half of Stamford.
For the second consecutive year, the majority of the finance and human resources managers surveyed across 20 countries reported talent shortages and 58 percent cited concern about losing top performers to other opportunities.
Of the respondents in the United States the number climbed to 73 percent, up from 46 percent in 2007.
“The perennial need for strong financial functions is fueling competition for the best candidates and prompting companies to develop more effective strategies to prevent the loss of their most valued employees,” Scileppi said.
The report indicates employers worldwide are spending significant time and effort interviewing job candidates in an effort to ensure a successful hire. Respondents said they are holding an average of three interviews per candidate before filling staff-level positions, compared with only two interviews last year.
Employers also reported using project professionals more often, and at more senior levels, than during the last three years.
The report also revealed a dramatic shift in the most sought-after attributes of executive-level job candidates. Hiring managers surveyed from the United States said industry knowledge and experience was the most important attribute, a trend reported in 16 of 20 countries surveyed.
According to Scileppi, this reflects a marked change from last year”™s report, in which regulatory compliance expertise was the leading response.
“The global demand for executives with deep industry expertise represents a renewed emphasis on fundamental competitive performance,” Scileppi said. “As regulatory compliance efforts have become better established, firms are returning their focus to maintaining an edge within their industries and seeking leaders who can help them do so.”
