Mergis Group Survey Shows Slight Decline in Overall Confidence for Accounting and...

Mergis Group Survey Shows Slight Decline in Overall Confidence for Accounting
and Finance Professionals

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Accounting and Finance
Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S.
accounting and finance workers, decreased 0.7 point to 49.8 in the second
quarter of 2008, reaching a new low since the survey began in 2005, according
to a recent survey commissioned by The Mergis Group(R) and conducted by Harris
Interactive(R). The survey reflects a continued decline in workers' overall
confidence as the result of on going concerns about the economy and job
market, despite continued growth in specific financial service sectors such as
accounting and tax regulation.
Results from the Accounting & Finance Employment Report:
-- Seventy percent of accounting and finance workers believe the economy
is getting weaker, an increase of four percentage points from the first
quarter of 2008.
-- Fifty-nine percent of accounting and finance workers believe that there
are fewer jobs available, up three percentage points from the previous
quarter; yet 60 percent of workers are confident in their ability to find a
new position, reflecting a two-point increase from the first quarter.
-- Three-quarters (75 percent) of accounting and finance workers surveyed
believe it is unlikely that they will lose their job in the next year, a
decrease of seven percentage points from the first quarter of 2008.
"The prolonged instability of the job market has affected accounting and
finance workers' confidence, especially in certain areas of the sector which
have been hit the hardest by current market conditions. The good news is that
although the outlook for the economy is still tentative, we continue to
receive employment requests for a wide range of accounting positions, such as
financial analysts and financial reporting accountants," stated Jack Causa,
senior vice president and group executive for The Mergis Group. "Although this
month's index is at its lowest level to date, the percentage drop was minimal
which indicates workers' concerns are leveling off despite their uncertainty
for next year."

Link to full Report & Methodology:
http://www.mergisgroup.com/News/Accounting-Finance-Employment-Rpt-2Q08.pdf

About The Mergis Group
The Mergis Group is a leading professional placement firm that specializes
in recruiting for positions in finance and accounting, engineering and
manufacturing, sales and marketing, legal and human resources. The firm
provides recruiting services to Fortune 500 and small and mid-sized companies
through its network of 38 offices nationally.
The Mergis Group is a division of Spherion Corporation. For more
information, please visit www.mergisgroup.com .
SOURCE Spherion Corporation

Melissa Waldon of The Mergis Group, +1-800-422-3819,
melissawaldon@mergisgroup.com; or Josette Robinson, +1-212-279-3115, x212,
jrobinson@cjpcom.com