Shortage of Newly Qualified Accountants in Essex

Despite the warnings that a credit crunch is imminent, Hays Senior Finance reports it is not seeing any signs of it affecting the Essex marketplace.

Karen Young, Regional Director at Hays Senior Finance says: ‘We are seeing more and more senior appointments finalised in Essex than we have over recent years. SME companies in the area are coming in with six-figure basics for Finance Director appointments wherein the appointment is crucial to the business and its progress.

'Candidates at this level are finding that equity within companies is being discussed even at offer stage - some companies offering it as part of the starting package and others with an opportunity to gain equity at the one year and/or two year point. Companies need to be mindful of the benefits and salaries their local peer groups are offering in the war to win talent – this continues despite any financial uncertainty or potential credit crunch.’

Qualified candidates in the area need not worry about work drying up any time soon. Karen says they are in high demand in Essex: ‘unfortunately we are experiencing a shortage of newly qualified candidates in the Essex marketplace, in part due to the local and very real competition that London provides. This applies to recruiting an ACA, ACMA or ACA into your business, in some extreme cases we have seen salary adjustments wherein finalists of the professional institutes are being paid over £40,000 per year before they achieve full qualification.’

For more information about Hays Senior Finance, go to our senior finance jobs and qualified accountant jobs section.

Notes to Editor

Hays Senior Finance has been developed from Hays’s established Accountancy & Financebusiness to provide a specialist service for qualified accountants and clients. Hays has a national network of experienced Senior Finance consultants. Hays Senior Finance recruits qualifieds accountants across commerce and industry, financial services, practice firms, public services and not for profit organisations at all levels, up to finance directors and partners in practice firms.

Hays Senior Finance team is a subdivision of Hays Plc, the FTSE 250 Company which employs 7,753 staff operating from 376 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms. Hays Plc placed circa 68,000 candidates into permanent jobs and paid circa 46,000 temporary workers weekly during the year ending 30 June 07.

For further press information please contact:
Sarah Swailes
PR Executive
Hays Senior Finance
T: 020 7222 8575
E: sarah.swailes@hays.com