Honesty is number one asset

December 3 2003 - A recent survey finds that honesty can be a job seeker's most valuable characteristic. 45% of chief financial officers (CFOs) polled by Robert Half International Inc., a major staffing service specializing in the accounting, finance and information technology fields, said the qualities that impress them most about job candidates, aside from ability and willingness to do the job, are honesty and integrity.

Conducted by an independent research firm, the poll includes responses from 270 CFOs from a stratified random sample of Canadian companies with more than 20 employees.

CFOs were asked: "Other than ability and willingness to do the job, what is the one quality that impresses you the most about a candidate during a job interview?" They gave the following responses:

"While honesty and integrity have always been highly valued, these qualities are obviously top of mind for financial executives in the current business environment," said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International Inc. and author of Managing Your Career For Dummies(R) (Hungry Minds, Inc.).

"In particular, employers recruiting for accounting and finance positions are looking for professionals who can implement sound accounting practices and help their organizations comply with new corporate governance standards," Messmer noted.

Kathryn Bolt, district president of Robert Half International Inc., added, "During interviews, job seekers who are able to cite specific examples of handling sensitive situations with diplomacy and integrity have a distinct advantage in today's competitive employment market."

Robert Half International Inc. has more than 325 locations throughout North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and offers online job search services at www.rhi.com.

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