Britain Falls in love with Accountancy

May 15, 2014 - PRLog -- • Poll of 9000 people names ACCOUNTANCY one of 3 most attractive sectors to work in

• Investment Banking also named as an attractive industry

• Business Services, Utilities & Energy, Transport, & Logistics, Leisure, and Insurance named the least attractive

The accountancy profession has been named one of the most attractive industries in the UK, according to Randstad Financial & Professional, the specialist recruiter.

The annual survey of over 9,215 Brits, found that the Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical sectors were the two most attractive sectors to work in.  But Accountancy came in third place.  Investment banking came in sixth place, just after the FMCG and Retail sectors.

The research recorded a huge upswing in the attractiveness of the Accountancy sector over the last twelve months.  In 2013, of respondents who knew one or more companies operating in the sector, just 32% of those interviewed said they perceived accountancy as an attractive industry to work in.  By 2014, that had risen to 40%.

Tara Ricks, MD of Randstad Financial & Professional said: “Accountancy was caught in the reputational crossfire aimed at the financial services industry in the wake of the downturn.  Too often the general public lumped accountants and financial services together under the heading of “money men” and that did the sector no favours.  Unfortunately, to some extent perception is reality and that damaged the prestige of the industry.  Accusations of conflicts of interest and allegations of misconduct didn’t help.  But as the economy picks up and recession falls into the mists of time, people are waking up to what excellent careers the industry offers.  The Big 4 are particularly popular have great employment brands – and no wonder – their remuneration packagers are excellent, their training schemes are second to none, and the experience they offer is about as blue-chip as it comes.  Added to that sophisticated diversity policies and A-grade talent management and you have an incredibly attractive employment proposition.”

The five least attractive sectors to work in were named as Business Services, Utilities & Energy, Transport & Logistics, Leisure, and Insurance.

The poll was carried out as part of the annual Randstad Award, the largest piece of independent international employer branding research in the world, capturing the views of approximately 200,000 people across 23 countries .  The award aims to identify the most attractive large employers in different countries, as judged by the working population.

PWC NAMED ONE OF THE TOP 20 MOST ATTRACTIVE EMPLOYERS IN UK

But automotive giant BMW, which employs approximately 18,000 people in the UK alone, was named the country’s most attractive large employer overall, followed by engineering colossus Rolls Royce.  Retailer John Lewis came in third position.

In separate research undertaken by Randstad Financial & Professional, accountants were asked if their friends understood the intricacies of their jobs.  Just 4 per cent of accountants said their friends had a good grasp of what their job entailed – a third of the national average.

Tara Ricks said, “There’s a lot more to accountancy than meets the eye.  Accountants have to know far more than just the numbers and a successful career in the industry is not just about book-keeping.  Knowing about V-looks ups and pivot tables is a given – there are a lot of soft-skills that high-fliers in professional services need to excel at including leadership and communication.  The very best accountants propel organisations forward with their commercial acumen.

For the full article visit http://www.randstad.co.uk/financial-and-professional/