A professional working attitude is an essential quality employers look for in job seekers who are interested to pursue a career in the accounting profession.

Christine Pace, Operations & Marketing Director of Adecco Personnel Limited, comments that accounting is a special and technical industry in which academic qualification is a basic requirement. “But if two candidates possess similar qualifications, then employers will consider their personality.”

Versatility Wins
Nowadays, accountants are not mere bookkeepers. “They do not just produce financial reports, but have to bring support to other departments in a company,” says Olivier Hui-Bon-Hoa, Branch Manager of Adecco Personnel Limited. That explains why those with an outgoing personality, good communication skills, acute business acumen and a proactive attitude are the most sought-after candidates in the job market in Hong Kong. Good Mandarin and English are required for accounting professionals as they need to work with China and other overseas branches nowadays.

China Experience Essential
Ms Pace says that since the demand for talents is increasing in China, it is definitely a big asset for candidates to possess China experience as well. To be competitive in the job market, candidates should update themselves with knowledge on new taxation regulations in China from time to time such as the double tax arrangement introduced by Hong Kong and mainland China in August 2006.

Even though the demand for accounting talents is very high these days, especially those in middle management with 3 to 6 years of experience, it is nonetheless difficult for corporations to find suitable candidates, Ms Pace comments.

Some of Adecco's clients even look for accounting professionals from other countries to meet their needs. It is reported that those with 5 to 8 years of working experience and having the management ability to lead a team are in high demand from multinational corporations expanding business in Asia.

Rosy Career Development
Ms Pace says that there are lots of development opportunities in the industry especially in the coming year. For career development in accounting, it is quite usual for some job seekers to start in the practice sector by working in CPA firms. Then they will move on to commercial firms. Ms Pace says that the more working experience one has in CPA firms, the senior the position they will get in the commercial firms. “Working in CPA firms is tough but gives a good foundation.” In the non-practice sector, career development in accounting is from supporting positions such as assistant accountant to managerial positions such as accountant or internal audit manager to director positions such as finance controller.

Accounting professionals have broad development not only in accounting, but also in other finance-related careers. “Those with leadership skills can develop in other career opportunities such as being a general manager in trading businesses,” Ms Pace says. There are so many options for advancement, and engaging in accounting can be seen as a stepping stone. Mr Hui-Bon-Hoa points out that job seekers should have a clear career goal because that helps them take the right steps in their career development.

For fresh graduates, even if they do not have working experience, their opportunities are not limited. Mr Hui-Bon-Hoa says that the Big Four (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PriceWaterhouseCoopers) are willing to hire them. Some large corporations also have internship programmes and undergraduates can work part-time to gain experience while they are studying. The Polytechnic University of Hong Kong has also made it mandatory for accounting students to take 300 hours of internship in some corporations in their second or third year of study.

With 6,600 offices in 70 countries and regions, Adecco is a Switzerland-headquartered recruitment consultant providing comprehensive services including temporary & contract staffing, outsourcing, permanent recruitment, outplacement and career services, training and consulting. Currently, Adecco has six business lines in their key markets, and they will launch the “Finance & Legal” business line in Hong Kong in early 2007.