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Industry experience highly valued

December 4 2004 - A recent survey finds that industry experience can make all the difference in getting a job. More than a half, 55%, of chief financial officers (CFOs) polled by Robert Half International Inc., a major staffing service specializing in the accounting, finance and information technology fields, rated industry-specific experience as the most important characteristic, compared with just 1% for people skills.

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, "If two candidates interviewing for an accounting or finance position had similar skills, which one of the following additional qualifications would you find most valuable?" They gave the following responses:

Industry-specific experience
Software/technology knowledge
Certification or advanced degree
International experience
Multilingual skills
Personality/people skills
55%
24%
13%
 4%
 3%
 1%
----
100%

"Executives value job candidates who understand the issues and challenges specific to their industries and who can contribute immediately to the company's success," said Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International Inc. and author of Job Hunting For Dummies(R) (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.).

Messmer added, "As organizations face mounting pressure to meet corporate governance regulations and ensure the security and integrity of their financial data, technical aptitude becomes particularly important. Employers seek accounting professionals who are proficient with the latest database applications and enterprise resource planning programs and also can collaborate with IT staff in implementing upgrades and systems conversions to increase operational efficiencies."

Robert Half International Inc. has more than 330 locations throughout North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and offers online job search services at www.rhi.com.

Job books at Amazon.ca

What Color is Your Parachute?: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters and Career Changers
by Richard Nelson Bolles

The Interview Rehearsal Book: 7 Steps to Job-Winning Interviews Using Acting Skills You Never Knew You Had
by Deb Gottesman, Buzz Mauro

Power Interviews: Job-Winning Tactics from Fortune 500 Recruiters
by Neil Yeager, Lee Hough

175 High-Impact Cover Letters
by Richard H. Beatty

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