Mergis Group Accounting and Finance Worker Confidence Rises in Third Quarter

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Accounting and Finance
Employee Confidence Index, a measure of overall confidence among U.S.
accounting and finance workers, increased 3.7 points to 51.7 in the third
quarter of 2009, according to a recent survey commissioned by The Mergis
Group(R), the professional placement division of Spherion Corporation. The
survey, conducted by Harris Interactive(R), shows that more accounting and
finance workers believe the economy is neither getting stronger or weaker, but
remaining the same and are continuing to show increased levels of confidence
in their personal employment situations. Our survey findings also indicate
that fewer accounting and finance workers say that they are likely to make a
job change in the next 12 months compared to the second quarter.

Results from the Accounting & Finance Employment Report:
-- Nearly half (49 percent) of accounting and finance workers believe the
economy is neither getting stronger or weaker, but remaining the same.
This represents an 11 percentage point increase from the second
quarter
of 2009.
-- Forty-six percent of accounting and finance workers are confident in
their ability to find a new job, an increase of six percentage points
from the previous quarter.
-- More accounting and finance workers are confident in the future of
their
current employer. Specifically, 67 percent are confident compared to
61
percent in the second quarter of 2009.

-- Fewer accounting and finance workers are likely to look for a new job
in
the next 12 months, with only 29 percent reporting a likelihood to do
so. This is a decrease of eight percentage points from the previous
quarter.

"The economy is starting to show more definitive signs of economic
stabilization and we are seeing that sentiment echoed in our latest Mergis
Accounting and Finance Confidence Index," stated Brendan Courtney, president
of The Mergis Group. "Our Index now stands at the highest level in nearly two
years, as more accounting and finance workers are reporting increased optimism
in their ability to find a new job and more confidence in the future of their
current employers. This snapshot of accounting and finance worker confidence
also reveals a substantial decrease in the percentage of workers who say they
are likely to make a job change in the year to come. While the findings of our
third quarter Report certainly send a hopeful message to employers, we are by
no means out of the woods yet. However, we are beginning to hear clients
discuss their hiring plans for banking, mortgage and accounting professionals
that will be needed as the 2010 tax season nears and economic conditions show
signs of improvement."

Full Report

Demographic Results

Survey Background Information

About The Mergis Group

The Mergis Group is a leading professional placement firm that specializes in
recruiting for positions in accounting and finance, 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 30 offices nationally.

The Mergis Group is a division of Spherion Corporation, which operates a
family of specialty brands providing strategic workplace solutions in
professional recruiting, outsourcing, managed services and contractor
compliance programs, technology services and general staffing. For more
information, please visit www.mergisgroup.com.

SOURCE The Mergis Group

Cheryl Hilpert, +1-800-422-3819, cherylhilpert@mergisgroup.com