When you think about desired qualities for financial professionals, honesty, intellect and technical knowledge are probably high up there but have you considered the value of a sense of humor? Yeah, me neither.
According to this recent Fortune article, however, CFOs interviewed by Accountemps expressed a desire to find professionals equipped to bring the funny actually stand head and shoulders above their not-so-funny counterparts when it comes to getting hired.
Accounting and the professionals who practice it don't strike most people as a barrel of laughs.
Yet it seems that number crunchers who know how to lighten up are in demand. That's according to Accountemps, a finance-and-accounting staffing firm whose researchers recently asked about 1,400 chief financial officers, "How important is an employee's sense of humor to fitting into your company's corporate culture?" An overwhelming 79% said a little levity is "very" or "somewhat" important. Only 20% said it doesn't matter at all.
"All work and no play can erode employee morale," observes Max Messmer, Accountemps' chairman, adding: "Job candidates should let their personality shine through when they meet with prospective employers. An interview is no place for a standup comedy routine, but it is the right time to show hiring managers you are approachable and will be easy to work with."
Check out full survey details here.
J.P. Morgan is looking for a CFO to lead its Commercial Credit Card business. This is a product with the Company’s Treasury Services Card Products business unit.