No one fooled by accounting’s ‘sexy’ image

Attempts by the profession to change its boring image have been dismissed as unsuccessful despite the efforts of Big Four firm KPMG and CIMA.

Ruth Stokes, head of recruitment at KPMG, claimed the profession was now sexier following the Enron scandal, something which had helped the firm recruit new talent.
At the same time Chartered Institute of Management Accountants has sponsored the website www.extreme-accounting.com where auditors can post online photos of themselves doing accounting jobs in dramatic and unlikely settings.

But, according to the FT, an ad hoc e-mail survey of fresh talent working in finance, media and law revealed that accountants were still viewed as being dull and boring.

On recruiter called it a ‘predictable, safe job that pays reasonably well’ and said students chose it ‘because they don't know what else to do’