CFOs Say Interpersonal Abilities Most Valued Communication Skill


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Sarbanes Oxley : Finance : Survey

CFOs Say Interpersonal Abilities Most Valued Communication Skill

Max Messmer
Chairman and CEO
Robert Half International

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%

(Total: 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®, 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.”

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.

Accountemps has more than 360 offices worldwide and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com.

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