| Today's business environment and the current | | | | Human resources happen to be the number one |
| economy are such that many organizations are | | | | major fixed cost. What are organizations doing |
| continuously looking at cost-cutting measures, | | | | today to make this fixed cost more practical, |
| ensuring that the organization is operating at peak | | | | efficient and effective? One solution is |
| state, is attuned to the rapid changes of high tech | | | | complementing the existing permanent staff with |
| as well as on-going development of long-term | | | | qualified contract/project professionals. Contract |
| business solutions and strategies. All of these | | | | employees offer organizations a tremendous |
| tasks, not to mention the daily routines of the | | | | cost-effective benefit by utilizing their highly |
| operations alone, create an ongoing demand for | | | | specialized experience needed to complete any |
| full-time and contract accounting and finance | | | | current initiatives as well as assisting with the |
| professionals to support and implement these | | | | implementations of proposed strategic and |
| initiatives. Accounting and finance professionals are | | | | long-range plans. Contract/project employees are |
| needed to provide guidance to middle and senior | | | | ideal for special projects - year end work, work |
| management, enhance operational efficiency and | | | | surges, system conversions, budgeting and |
| analyze financial data. | | | | strategic planning, maternity or sick leaves, and |
| Companies - large or small - are seeking | | | | bridging the gap while searching for full-time staff. |
| accounting and finance professionals with diverse | | | | In situations where the position is vacant, what a |
| skill set to efficiently and quickly "role up their | | | | better way to observe and evaluate the contract |
| sleeves", assume various roles and act as the | | | | employee for permanent consideration and vise |
| liaison between senior management and staff. To | | | | versa! |
| achieve these tasks successfully, accounting and | | | | Our experience as a recruiting firm indicates that |
| finance professionals are required to establish | | | | the use of contract/project professionals is |
| rapport and work in partnership with various key | | | | expected to increase during the next few years. |
| staff in the organization. Hence, organizations are | | | | Converting a fixed human resources expense into |
| hiring accountants with solid interpersonal skills - | | | | a variable expense offers a stronger foothold in |
| those who are able to "think out of the box", and | | | | the market place for companies looking to gain a |
| those who bring along innovative ideas and will be | | | | competitive edge. Compensation levels in 2002 |
| active participants in new initiatives, as the | | | | have stabilized compared to 2001. According to |
| organization's needs to change. With our current | | | | industry surveys, the average starting |
| economy slowing down in the past few months, | | | | remuneration for accounting and finance |
| we are now in what is called the "employer's | | | | professionals is expected to increase by about 3 |
| market" cycle. Some of the primary factors are: | | | | per cent. Here are some samples of accounting |
| 9/11 the end of the dot-com "hysteria" massive | | | | and finance salary ranges, pending on the |
| layoffs in companies like Nortel, Air Canada, Ford | | | | company's size and gross annual sales: CFO $90K |
| Motor Company and Lucent Technologies and the | | | | - $240K VP, Finance $80K - $200K Controller |
| volatile stock market. Among the greatest | | | | $65K - $160K Assistant Controller $55K - $110K |
| challenges companies face today, is finding | | | | Accounting Manager $45K - $ 80K Financial |
| qualified competent professionals with that | | | | Analyst $40K - $ 90K In conclusion, for business |
| seemingly elusive "chemistry fit" between | | | | in today's environment to grow and prosper, the |
| management and staff, one of the most | | | | accounting and finance professionals they employ |
| important keys to effective, efficient, productive | | | | must possess solid technical and communication |
| and happy work environments. | | | | skills, adaptability as well an outstanding capability |
| In an employer's market, there is higher supply | | | | to build and develop business relationships with |
| and lower demand of qualifies resources. With this | | | | internal an external stakeholders. Organizations are |
| advantage employers are able to be more | | | | encouraged to be careful with full-time hiring |
| selective when hiring and will take their time to | | | | decisions and building a flexible work force through |
| ascertain which candidate possesses the best | | | | a carefully selected blend of full-time and contract |
| "chemistry fit" for the corporate culture. We find | | | | employees. |
| organizations today seek finance professionals | | | | For the accounting and finance professional to be |
| committed to the position hired for as well as to | | | | successful they must possess solid interpersonal |
| the accounting profession as a whole. As a result, | | | | skills and diverse industry experience with |
| fully designated candidates, or those who are | | | | progressive companies, adapt to technological |
| working toward completing their designation are in | | | | advances and the ability to manage a broad range |
| higher demand. These include: Chartered | | | | of accounting and managerial responsibilities. Be |
| Accountants (CA), Certified General Accountants | | | | fully designated or at the very least, enrolled in a |
| (CGA) or Certified Management Accountants | | | | recognized accounting program. Knowing that "job |
| (CMA) and those who have earned the Fellow | | | | security" is a term of the past be open and |
| Credit Institute (FCI) designations. To be | | | | flexible to a wide range of employment |
| successful in our current competitive economy, it | | | | opportunities, be it contract, temporary to |
| is imperative for organizations to implement all | | | | permanent or full time situations. |
| cost effective measures, be creative and | | | | Wishing you the best success! |
| innovative. | | | | |