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.
