By Liza | 1 Comment
Accounting jobs in Sydney – the demand is still strong
In a jobs economy that is increasingly dominated by growth in temporary, part time, contract and casual roles, if you’re an accountant you can count yourself more fortunate than others.
What is the long term outlook for accounting jobs?
Job prospects in accounting continue to defy national trends. There are more Accountants working in full time positions than the national average and workers in accounting jobs earn more than other sectors. If you’re interested in where we get our numbers check out the government’s Job Outlook site.
Where are accounting jobs in Sydney?
We’re in Sydney. We recruit jobs for CA and CPA qualified accountants for professional services across a variety of roles and for all levels beyond graduate.
For people employed in this sector in Sydney, job prospects continue to be relatively solid, although we’ve found employers are taking longer to make decisions and are demanding top quality applicants.
During 2010/2011 we saw steady demand for jobs for Senior Level Accountants. This seems to be a trigger point for career decisions and decisions about exiting this profession. Once someone becomes CA qualified, they have the option of leaving the profession. Many head into commercial jobs within organisations.
As part of the hiring conservatism we mention we are seeing less demand for Supervisors jobs as many firms promote from within.
Demand for insolvency jobs in Sydney
Over the past decade, consistently in demand is insolvency professionals and business services professionals.
Insolvency professionals tend to be in demand when business is going backwards, or people are going bankrupt. While we have not seen a spike in demand for these jobs of late, there is definitely nervousness in the economy.
Demand for Business Services professionals in Sydney
The demand for business services professionals is a by product of the mining boom and the economic recovery. This has had the spin off benefits for business consulting, taxation and auditing type services. This growth in jobs in Sydney has been primarily for qualified or part qualified professionals who have very strong relationship management and interpersonal skills, and outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
Interestingly we’ve seen clients revisit the incentives offered for staff who are able to bring new clients in the firm. We’ve not seen performance incentives for client retention, which should be present. This would be an added carrot for attracting well rounded professionals.
Why do we say this?
Accounting candidates focus on the portfolio of clients they are given and the diverse nature of the work they do for these clients. Gone are the days when firms should expect their staff to do the same thing for the same clients over an extended period of time.
If you would like to discuss your staffing requirements or your next career move please give us a call – (02) 8221 0553. We’re experts in this field!
In 1997, I founded Enigma HR with the philosophy: “be ethical; be professional; be friendly and serve my clients well.” We specialise in insurance and accounting placements and have been assisting professionals in this industry for over 20 years.
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By Liza | No Comments
Insurance jobs in Sydney – demand is still strong!
The start of the employment year (that’s anytime after Australia Day) is always a good time to reflect on the year that was, and put our thinking caps on about where the demand exists for insurance jobs.
If you read the economics headlines you would assume that disaster predicted for Europe spells doom and gloom in our employment market overall. However we all know that headlines are written as extreme attention grabbers and the real employment picture is far more nuanced than that.
In our assessment of the employment market for insurance jobs, the forecast is not all gloomy. We’d say it’s patchy with a few rain showers over the coming year. Here’s why.
What is the long term outlook for insurance jobs?
For insurance jobs over the long term the Australian government’s Job Outlook provides some solid information. This website presents data from various industry sources including the Australian Bureau of Statistics. (Insurance is grouped as a profession in with money market and statistical clerks.) So the picture for just insurance jobs is probably slightly rosier than what they state.
Turnover in these occupations (that’s people leaving the occupation) is about par with other professions. Unemployment is on par with other professions. While they rate prospects for growth for the next five years to be slight, the better news is that the industry is expected to grow at 24.8% over the next 20 years.
Where are insurance jobs in Sydney?
We’d agree with the long term outlook we’ve talked about above.
We recruit mainly in Sydney. Compared to 2010 last year we saw strong growth in insurance claims roles at intermediate level across the general insurance sector and across all product lines with a focus on personal lines and personal injury insurance. By intermediate level we mean the claims decision makers. So that’s the people who accept, evaluate and manage the insurance claims processes for a portfolio of clients.
With climate change predicted to increase the frequency of extreme weather events such as bushfires and floods, we see the demand for insurance claims roles increasing moderately.
Why do we say moderately and not dramatically?
With the recent spate of natural disasters, the cost to the industry has been huge. While companies may not feel the impact immediately as they have reinsurance, the longer term cost as reinsurance arrangements are renegotiated will be in increased premiums. The insurance industry is looking to reduce costs so we are now seeing some large insurers outsourcing administration and claims roles off shore, and some staff freezes.
Is this a long term trend? Who knows!
While there is an immediate cost off the bottom line for staffing costs, companies that have outsourced large scale services have often found that their clients complain. Given that clients who make claims are very often stressed we could reasonably expect that they may receive more complaints. Insurance is a grudge purchase. The only time people evaluate the service they have purchased is when they use it. So a poor experience at claims time could well translate into a higher rate of customer attrition.
While the relationship between customers that insurance companies have and the customers that they want is complicated, any large scale outsourcing may actually backfire and insurance jobs may return to Australia at some point in the future.
Jobs in Workers Compensation insurance claims have increased.
In other insurance sectors we see steady demand in Workers Compensation roles as a statutory insurance class. There has been an increase in the volume of Workers Compensation claims. While insurers are doing their best to provide a manageable caseload for their staff, most candidates are ready to gravitate to another line of insurance, and are prepared to compromise on salary to get the right role.
With the strong demand for outstanding claims professionals and a shortage of candidate supply we suggest that insurers and claims management companies look at both their salary bands and retention strategies to prevent attrition. There is still a demand for insurance underwriters, but the higher demand is for insurance claims staff. Quality claims professionals are finally receiving the attention they deserve in the employment market.
If you would like to discuss your staffing requirements or your next career move please give us a call – (02) 8221 0553. We don’t mind saying it – we’re experts in this field!
In 1997, I founded Enigma HR with the philosophy: “be ethical; be professional; be friendly and serve my clients well.” We specialise in insurance and accounting placements and have been assisting professionals in this industry for over 20 years.
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By Nick Capel | No Comments
In some areas the Australian economy flourishes. It is true that we suffer from a 2 speed economy. We definitely benefit from the spin-offs of our mining industry and the business opportunities generated from our neighbours in Asia. However the manufacturing, retail and property sectors are definitely subdued. We are not immune from the instability in the European economies. Our stock market and currency rises and falls like the tide.
Where is the demand for IT Forensics Experts?
We have employment opportunities for many specialists and experts in IT Forensics, including opportunities from many of our accounting clients. Australia is a relatively inexperienced market. As a result we tend to offer very competitive salaries to attract individuals who have gained extensive experience overseas in more sophisticated markets, the UK as an example. Although the existing talent within the Australian market is of high calibre, there is a shortage of experienced professionals who are suited to senior positions.
We are currently experiencing a high demand for experts with the skill and knowledge to identify, analyse and present findings from electronic evidence involving criminal and civil fraud. We are seeing a demand not only with the larger accounting professionals but also the smaller specialist boutique operations as well.
Specific skills shortages for IT Forensic Experts
Australian employers value these skills:
• Civil Investigations
• Criminal Investigations
• Data Analytics
• E-Discovery
• Expert Witness
• Information Security
• Incident Reponses and Intrusion Forensics
• Enterprise Infrastructure
• Public Speaking and court room experience
Potential employers have a lot of challenges to offer an experienced IT Forensic professional. However to say it is a candidate driven market is not true. Candidates need to remember that in a competitive private sector the employer is interested in what the candidate can offer the company, not the other way round. Employees need to add value and bring expertise from their strong technical past in order to be considered as a prospective employee. They need to be innovative and across processes involving overt and covert examination of computers and computer related systems in this rapidly changing and expanding industry.
In addition to the lifestyle and climate, economically we Australia is faring better than most – hence our recent AAA rating. If you possess IT Forensic related skills and are interested in the possibility of pursuing a career in Australia please contact me for further information.
After a successful series of interviews, sponsorship by your intending employer by way of 457 Visa would be the next step in the relocation process for you and your family.
Enigma HR has relationships with providers who can help you with 457 applications.
Case Study:
In the UK summer of 2008 I was contacted by Chris Hatfield. Chris was professional and highly motivated IT Forensic Director looking for a fresh challenge and a dose of international experience. The extensive and diverse range of skills he had gained throughout his career in IT Forensics, placed him as market leader in the delivery of Forensic services. He was a prime candidate for the delivery of IT Forensic services in Australia.
I assisted Chris is gaining an understanding of the Australian market and the players he should consider as potential employers. I arranged telephone, video and in-person meetings which led to an offer of employment.
Since arriving at one of Australia’s leading professional advisory firms in December 2008, Chris has been responsible for creating the IT Forensic service in the Sydney area. His primary responsibilities while creating and developing this new service included client marketing, forensic lab design and case management.
He now returns to the UK as a husband and a father, to pursue his designated field of expertise in Forensic investigation.
Enigma HR
A Senior Consultant with Enigma HR, Nick Capel is an experienced recruiter in Sydney and has been in the industry since 2002. Prior to recruitment he worked in the Banking and Accounting industries and has an extensive contact and network base.
• Specialist in IT Forensic recruitment
• Specialist in Accounting and Finance recruitment
• Known in the industry for an extensive client and candidate network
• Provider of solid industry advice and market conditions
• Provide referral assistance regarding VISA enquiries
• Able to assist with video interview solutions
• Referral assistance on relocation
Contact Nick Capel:
+ 61 (0) 412 158 130
nick@enigmahr.com.au
http://au.linkedin.com/in/nicholascapel
This article was written with the approval and consent of Chris Hatfield. 9 December 2011.
A Senior Consultant with Enigma HR, Nick Capel is an experienced recruiter in Sydney and has been in the industry since 2002. Prior to recruitment he worked in the Banking and Accounting industries and has an extensive contact and network base.
