Getting Personal; CFOs Say Interpersonal Abilities Most Valued Communication Skill

Getting Personal; CFOs Say Interpersonal Abilities Most Valued Communication
Skill

MENLO PARK, Calif., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Your grade-school teacher was
right: Not playing well with others can keep you from getting ahead,
particularly at work. In a recent survey, half (50 percent) of chief financial
officers (CFOs) said interpersonal abilities are the most important
communication skill for financial professionals.
The survey was developed by Accountemps, the world's first and largest
specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping
professionals, and conducted by an independent research firm. It was based on
telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CFOs across the United States.
CFOs were asked, "In your opinion, which one of the following communication
skills is most important for accounting and finance professionals to possess?"
Their responses:

Interpersonal skills ........................ 50%
Presentation/public speaking ability ....... 17%
Negotiation skills ........................ 16%
Writing ability ..............................12%
None. .........................................1%
Other .........................................1%
Don't know/no answer ..................... 3%
100%

"Strong interpersonal skills are a key factor for success in any
profession," said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International
and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies(R), 2nd Edition (John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.). "Businesses seek accountants who have the requisite technical
skills but who also can build rapport with colleagues, resolve conflicts and
develop consensus among team members."
Messmer also noted the importance of presentation skills for accounting
and finance professionals. "Careers in finance go beyond the numbers --
employees must articulate the relevance of financial data to diverse audiences
responsible for making investment decisions and charting strategy."
About the Survey
The national study was developed by Accountemps, the world's first and
largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and
bookkeeping professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm
and is based on more than 1,400 telephone interviews with CFOs from a random
sample of U.S. companies with 20 or more employees. For the study to be
statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments are
represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region and number of
employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportions of
the number of employees within each region.
About Accountemps
Accountemps has more than 360 offices worldwide and offers online job
search services at http://www.accountemps.com.
SOURCE Accountemps

Michael Weiss, +1-650-234-6383, michael.weiss@rhi.com, for Accountemps