Thinking Outside the Box is Key to Accounting Success in 2007

According to Brian Schroder, Director of Robert Halfës permanent recruitment division in Sydney, clever thinking and investment in both homegrown and overseas talent, will be the key to maintaining the finance, accounting and banking sectors in 2007.

ìThe number one priority would be for us to continue to work with clients on stretching the scope of their hiring requirements. Specifically, looking at individuals who may not have professional qualifications, or who are qualified by experience or have TAFE qualifications. Organisations should also look at individuals with experience outside of their industry.î

Robert Half is actively involved in finding solutions to the growing threat developing markets overseas pose to the talent pool in Australia. Although this trend can be viewed as a positive in the long term, the short term impact could be damaging.

Schroder believes that we must invest time and money in talented individuals from overseas as well as Australia. ìWe would ask for organisations to continue to look at sponsoring individuals, and really open the scope for individuals with overseas experience,î he said.

Robert Half believes that government and universities, as well as individual industries, have an important part to play in ensuring there are sufficient accountants and financial professionals in Australia in the future.

ìFrom a government perspective, sponsorship is a huge opportunity. At present we lose a lot of our top talent to overseas markets for tax reasons, and we must do all we can to encourage a reciprocal movement of foreign workers to Australia. From a University perspective, we would certainly like to see the UAI requirement lowered for accounting degrees. From an industry perspective, we need to focus on broadening roles. A lot of organisations are hiring individuals for the role available today but then losing those individuals in three to six months time. We want to focus on individuals who will have the scope to grow with organisations and expand into those roles tomorrow. We would urge industry to focus on developing people, and really get actively involved in career planning.î