New property, construction and IT projects spur demand for experienced Accountants

The commencement of new projects in the property, construction and IT industries has led to strong hiring intentions for accountants with relevant experience, says recruiting experts Hays Accountancy & Finance. 

Management Accountants, Internal Auditors and Payroll Officers are topping the list of skills in demand in the latest Hays Quarterly Report for January to March 2015

“While most industries are active, in the commercial sector we’re seeing particular demand for accountants with experience in the property and construction industries as well as IT,” says Susan Drew, Regional Director of Hays Accountancy & Finance.

“Businesses are growing, and they are prepared to add new headcount. We’re seeing both permanent and fixed-term contract jobs on offer and as a result there has been an increase in candidate movement at all levels. Senior professionals in particular are not afraid to move between industries, or take a short-term sideways step in order to move their career forward long-term. 

“Employers want to work smarter, not harder. As a result, demand is high for Management Accountants who can rationalise reports. Employers want to ensure they are only creating the necessary and fundamental reports required, as opposed to a suite of reports that are provided simply because they always have been.”

According to Hays Accountancy & Finance, the professional practice sector is also busy hiring.  “Business Services Seniors, Intermediate and Senior Tax Accountants, SMSF Senior Accountants, Internal Auditors and Intermediate Accountants are in demand,” says Susan.

“There is particularly strong demand from small to medium firms for Managers, Seniors and Supervisors with advisory and compliance experience. Competition with the commercial sector, as well as higher salaries in commerce, have both led to a shortfall of candidates for professional practice. Candidates need strong communication and client liaison skills and high-level technical skills.

“Employers are recruiting new staff in order to bolster their teams for the year ahead. Candidate levels remain low and the movement of qualified accountants to commerce and industry continues to impact staffing levels in professional practice.”

In financial services, employers continue to offer 12 to 18 month contracts in order to maintain headcount flexibility. Businesses experiencing growth are seeking to bring in external leadership qualities to help drive their business forward and we are seeing more vacancies at the Senior Manager level.

Meanwhile, Federal Government public sector recruitment is currently contractor driven and this will continue in the lead up to the next election. The Government will choose to utilise the flexibility of a temporary workforce rather than increase the number of fulltime employees. “Good Payroll and Accounts Receivable staff are always in demand due to high levels of staff turnover and cyclical demand,” says Susan.

For the full list of skills in demand, please view our Hays Quarterly Report.

Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

 

The gender diversity divide: “I don’t see what the problem is” say the men gender-diversity-woman-work.png

The gender diversity divide: “I don’t see what the problem is” say the men

• 18 per cent of men compared to 45 per cent of women think that equally capable male and female colleagues are not paid or rewarded in an equal manner
• 21 per cent of men compared to 48 per cent of women do not believe that the same career opportunities are available to all, regardless of gender
• Just 9 per cent of respondents believe gender quotas can have a big impact; instead flexible working and cultural change are key

Women are less likely than their male co-workers to believe that pay equality and equal opportunities exist for both genders in the workplace, according to a new survey by recruiting experts Hays.
Hays, an organisation known for supporting the advancement of women in the workplace, says that although progress is being made, gender diversity remains a business critical issue.
In the Hays global survey of almost 6,000 people, released for International Women’s Day on Sunday 8th March, 18 per cent of men think that equally capable male and female workers are not paid or rewarded equally, compared to 45 per cent of women.
The survey also found that almost one in two women (48 per cent) compared to one in five men (21 per cent) say that the same career opportunities are not open to equally capable colleagues of both genders.

What did people think would improve gender diversity?

‘Make It Happen’ is the International Women’s Day 2015 theme, which calls for greater gender equality. To do that, almost one in two (44 per cent) of the survey respondents say that more flexible working practices would have the biggest impact on improving gender diversity in their workplace. This was equal to changes to workplace culture through education across the business (44 per cent), highlighting female role models (32 per cent), changes to organisational policy (32 per cent), changes to government policy (27 per cent) and better board backing for diversity issues (26 per cent).
Just 9 per cent of respondents said implementing quotas would have a big impact, showing the vast majority believe that cultural change and practical measures, rather than formal quotas, are the answer.
"Our survey shows there is a major disparity between the views of men and women when it comes to equal pay and equal opportunities,” says Alistair Cox, CEO of Hays.

“We found that more women than men think the sexes aren’t paid or rewarded equally, while more than double the number of women to men say the same career options are not open to both genders.

“This suggests that most people in executive and senior management roles –the majority of which are men – still fail to see any inequality when it comes to pay and career opportunities between the sexes. This makes it difficult to see how we will see any significant advancement in this area while the majority of people in senior roles do not recognise it as an issue.

“Given all the research espousing the benefits of a gender-diverse workforce, it is a paradox therefore that we still see such a gap in representation and a disproportionately low number of women in leadership positions, supported and encouraged to reach their career goals, and paid equally. Many organisations now have specific programmes in place to address this issue, yet it has to be asked how successful these might be given that the majority of our survey respondents felt as though no imbalance existed in terms of pay or opportunities. Maybe this lack of recognition of the issue is the real obstacle to change."
For more, please see social.hays.com/diversity from 8th March 2015.
Hays surveyed 5,949 people across 31 countries during December 2014 and January 2015.

Where aspiring female leaders should work: Survey names the top industries for gender diversity policies

If you’re a woman and want to advance your career, it may surprise you to know that the mining and resources industry is second only to the public and not-for-profit sector for putting gender diversity policies in place, according to research by recruiting experts Hays.
In the survey of almost 6,000 people across all industries, the public and not-for-profit sector was named by 50 per cent of its workers as having formal gender diversity policies and practices in place. This was followed by resources and mining (37 per cent) and financial services (36 per cent). At the other end of the scale, just 17 per cent of employers in the advertising/media industry have formal gender diversity policies and practices in place.
Across all industries, 49 per cent of the entire survey pool said their organisation does not have a gender diversity policy in place, and a further 19 per cent were unsure. Alarmingly, even when policies are in place one in five respondents (19 per cent) say they are not adhered to “at all”.
In positive news, the retail industry was voted by its employees as most likely to adhere to these policies (89 per cent of retail employees said their organisation adheres to their policies “well” or “fairly well”). This was followed by advertising/media (88 per cent), transport/distribution (85 per cent) and professional services (82 per cent).
Interestingly, while the resources and mining industry came in second in terms of having gender diversity policies in place, it was near the bottom in terms of adhering to them. 22 per cent of employees working in this industry say formal gender diversity policies are not adhered to at all well.
“The resources and mining sector has done a lot in terms of developing policies and practices that will enable it to attract and retain talented female employees,” says Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand. “But it seems the industry is failing at a practical level to implement these policies. Managers on the ground need to action these policies if they are to have any real impact.
“Employers should take notice of the gender diversity leaders in their industry because there are real benefits to be gained from ensuring your female talent is free from inequality and can progress equally to their male counterparts. Of course their own career benefits, but the organisations they work for also benefit from having the best person in the best job – regardless of gender – and retaining them by rewarding both genders equally.”
For more, please click here.
Hays surveyed 5,949 people across 31 countries during December 2014 and January 2015.
Where relevant these results have been weighted for a gender value of 1:1.
Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.
 

Don’t blur the communication lines: Keep social media jargon outside the workplace

Acronyms such as ‘TTYS’ (talk to you soon), AFAIK (as far as I know), ‘bgd’ (background), ‘cre8’ (create) and ‘b4’ (before) have become commonplace on social media – but recruiting experts Hays warns that using them in your CV or cover letter can hinder your job search.
According to Hays, chances are that using such acronyms outside social media sites paints a certain picture of the sender, and it’s not a good one.
“Acronyms and colloquialisms are common place in the world of social media, but – and this can come as a shock to Millennials who have grown up with social media – in the world of work they are frowned upon and can even damage your reputation,” says Nick Deligiannis, Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand.
“Social media jargon in business communication, including job applications, is seen as grammatical laziness by many employers. Even worse, given that it is a business no-no it also points to your inexperience in the workplace. As a result, you appear unprofessional and naive about the world of work and this can harm your chances of a successful job search.
“That’s why we advise new entrants to the jobs market and workplace to keep social media jargon out of their business-related communications. In messages to your recruiter, boss, work colleagues, clients or suppliers be professional in your writing style at all times. Don’t blur the lines between formal and informal written communication styles.
“Yes social media is used by the business world as an important communication tool, but that doesn’t mean that the workplace has adopted its flexible writing style for all business communication,” Nick said.
This includes your professional social media profiles. “Maintaining a professional online profile is vital to enhancing your reputation, and is particularly crucial when more employers are searching social networks for insights into the candidates they’re considering hiring,” says Nick. “My advice for your online professional profile is the same as for your offline content; keep it professional by removing unnecessary acronyms and jargon. You should also adjust your security settings so only your private network can see your personal social media, and check privacy settings regularly so you know what’s going public in your name.”
So make a good first impression in your CV, cover letter, online professional profile and in the workplace by getting your basic grammar right and leave the social media jargon for outside work.
Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

When it’s time to leave, leave well

The day will inevitably come when it’s time to move on from your current organisation and take up a fresh challenge elsewhere. However, the way you leave your employer is important and you must ensure you leave on good terms, according to recruiting experts Hays in Australia.
Alistair Cox, Hays’s CEO, says in his latest LinkedIn Influencer blog: “I strongly believe that a true measure of success is leaving a business in a better shape than when you first arrived. However, you also want to ensure that when you do leave, you leave with your reputation intact, indeed enhanced.”
Leaving one organisation to start a new challenge elsewhere can be a daunting prospect, but Alistair says it doesn’t need to be that way.
Hays offer this advice on how to ensure a smooth and successful departure:
1. Plan who to tell first and when
You don’t want members of your direct team finding out about your departure from anyone but yourself. Alistair says: “You owe it to your colleagues to be honest and open with them about why you are leaving. Although the news may come as a shock, help them to understand that now is the right time for you to pursue your next challenge.”
2. Cut the strings and start to let go
During your time at an organisation you will have no doubt become emotionally invested in your work and the strategies you created. This makes leaving the business behind all the more difficult. “Once you have made that decision, you need to start thinking how you will let go,” says Alistair. “That means working with your colleagues to ensure they are empowered to continue with the vision.”
3. Your departure is someone else’s opportunity
Leaving the business needn’t be seen as a negative by your colleagues; instead it is an opportunity for those that report into you to prove themselves. Your departure could be the catalyst to bigger and better things for your team. Alistair says: “Your absence will undoubtedly be a big gap, but it's their opportunity to show what they can do and further their own career by stepping into that gap.”
4. Maintain your focus right up until the last day
When a new challenge is on the horizon it can be difficult to maintain your focus and drive for your current role, but you must continue to give it your full attention. “Maintaining your focus up to the very last day will earn you considerable respect, and will be remembered for a long time by a lot of people,” he says.
5. Don’t lose touch and stay connected
Once you have begun your new role, it deserves your full attention but at the same time you shouldn’t lose contact with your former colleagues. The world is a small place and you could always cross paths again in the future. Alistair says: “It’s important to keep those relationships intact, especially if you have done a good job of leaving and your old colleagues have been promoted through your efforts and legacy!”
“Everyone leaves an organisation at some stage,” says Alistair. “It's your job to make sure that the organisation doesn't miss a beat when your own time comes. And if you do it well, not only will you leave the organisation with your reputation intact, you will actually leave with your reputation enhanced.”
Hays, the world’s leading recruiting experts in qualified, professional and skilled people.

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