Confidence among finance and accounting employees has reached a seven-year high, according to a recent survey from Randstad Professionals.
The Randstad Professionals’ Finance and Accounting Employee Confidence Index rose three points to 64.3 in the first quarter of this year, reaching its highest level since the third quarter of 2007, when it was tallied at 67.5.
"We aren’t surprised to see finance and accounting workers possess the highest confidence level among all industries we survey," Group President Rebecca Callahan said in a statement. "The outlook for jobs in the finance and accounting sector is very optimistic, as demand for these skills continues to grow. In fact, several finance and accounting-related professions were among the top five ‘Best Business Jobs of 2014,’ according to U.S. News and World Report."
The online survey of 152 finance and accounting employees across all industries, conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of Randstad Professionals, also found renewed confidence among workers regarding job security and the future of their current employers.
According to the survey, 71 percent of finance and accounting workers feel confident in the future of their current employer, a 14 point improvement from 57 percent who said as much last quarter. A clear majority, 82 percent, also said they are not likely to lose their jobs in the next year, a significant improvement from 69 percent in the fourth quarter of last year.
Callahan also said that market research analysts topped the "Best Business Jobs" list, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting that position to grow by 31.6 percent between 2012 and 2022. Accountants, she said, secured the number three spot, with the labor department predicting more than 166,000 new openings between now and 2022, and personal financial advisors anticipated to grow 27 percent over the next few years.
"These job titles mirror our own client needs-along with public accountants and internal auditors-and represent the skill sets that are highly sought after right now," Callahan said.
