MEDIA RELEASE
Monday, 2 July 2012
Professional networking valued by young Chartered Accountants in future career
Professional networking was revealed as the most valuable career skill for future career development by young Chartered Accountants in a recent study by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (the Institute).
The Survey Young Professionals Career Motivation Study – An Insight into Chartered Accountants aged under 40 years was conducted in the second half of 2011 amongst members under the age of 40 based in Australia and overseas. The questionnaire targeted 10,000 members and yielded 1,113 responses.
The Institute’s General Manager – Members, Simon Grant says, “The under 40 market has often been described as being short term focused and digitally driven. The results of this survey suggest that they not only value professional networking, but particularly face-to-face relationships. Relationships with groups such as mentors were ranked as the top five sources of valuable professional advice.”
The survey also found that opportunities to learn and develop new skills, career progression and prestigious places to work were determined as the most important factors for young Chartered Accountants in their early career. These factors were placed ahead of being paid well and having a clear career path and rated significantly ahead of a great work-life balance.
The information in the report, available on the Institute’s website, provides a concise summary of how young Chartered Accountants feel about various stages of their past, present and future career.
Mr Grant says of the survey, “Employers should find the report particularly useful and informative while building strategies around attracting, recruiting, developing and retaining the best people in their organisations.”
Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia
