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Accounting and finance recruiter Hays has revealed the skills most sought after by those hiring accountants.
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Hays unveils skills in demand
08 October 2015
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According to the recruiter's latest quarterly report, employers within the accounting industry are currently looking for employees with great knowledge of technology.
“In terms of skills in demand for the October to December 2015 quarter, we’re seeing high demand for Senior Accountants with strong technical skills and good knowledge of technologies, especially cloud-based technologies,” the report noted.
The report also deemed excellent communication skills as “essential” for employees, particularly for client-facing roles.
David Cawley, regional director of Hays Accountancy & Finance, noted the importance of communication skills in the accounting environment, telling AccountantsDaily he believes these skills have “crept up the pecking order” in terms of desirability.
“There’s clearly been an increased desire from hiring managers to make sure that the communication skills are not only very clear, to be able to engage the relationship as strongly as possible, but also that the candidate can talk really confidently and knowledgeably to give the client real confidence,” he said.
Mr Cawley added that a growing emphasis on business retention and maintaining high levels of service is a “big distinguishing factor”.
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According to Hays, a candidate shortage within the professional practice market has forced employers to adopt greater flexibility in their search.
“They’re certainly tending to look at a varied skillset rather than the traditional; it’s now more about the skills and attributes that you possess rather than necessarily having worked in a particular sector,” Mr Cawley said.
The report stated that depending on the area of specialism, CA firms will now consider CPA candidates in the areas of audit and business services.
As a result of this flexibility, accountants are no longer “pigeon-holed” within a particular sector, according to Mr Cawley.
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