Where are finance professionals looking for jobs?

Robert Walters latest research into accounting & finance skills shortages revealed that over 8 in 10 professionals use a recruitment agency, whilst over 70% look for roles on online job boards.

However, nearly 4 in 10 finance professionals confess they have difficulty finding their next career opportunity.

For employers to reach top tier professionals, the research suggests that emerging channels will become increasingly important for employers throughout the year, as these are the mediums accounting & finance professionals are engaging with now to seek new positions.

Highlighted below are some channels adopted by accounting and finance professionals when looking for their next job opportunity, and the proportion of employers including these channels in their current recruitment strategy.

Find out how you match up with industry trends by requesting a copy of the results today.

Recruitment agencies

Recruitment agencies are well connected to local, interim finance professionals. 8 in 10 professionals within the industry currently liaise with a recruitment consultant as they tend to be able to source multiple opportunities for skilled workers, in comparison to 52% of hiring managers.

Online job boards

71% of professionals are searching for roles on online job boards, which is particularly popular for areas where talent shortages exist in junior and mid-management level positions. Only 28% of businesses are currently using this channel.

LinkedIn

As a large number of accounting and finance professionals network on LinkedIn, 62% are searching for new opportunities through LinkedIn, both through job advertisements and utilising their current connections. Currently only a third of employers search for talent on LinkedIn.

Contracting or temporary positions

Almost half (49%) of professionals enjoy the flexibility of working within temporary, interim or contract positions whilst continuing to search for a permanent role, whilst more than 4 in 10 professionals prefer to carry out contract work independently. More than 60% of businesses look for contract resource.

Looking to other industries

A growing number of candidates (46%) are considering looking for roles in other industries where their skills might be transferrable, suggesting a level of dissatisfaction with their current employer in the accounting and finance sector.

About the research

Robert Walters, totaljobs and Jobsite surveyed almost 1,000 accounting and finance professionals across the UK to gain insight into key skill shortage trends, the potential impact of Brexit in a global market, changing candidate expectations and the recommended recruitment strategies to combat the skills gap.