Accountants value clear career path

A quarter of accountants have turned down a job offer because they think the position lacks clear opportunities for progression, according to new research.

Forty-two per cent of finance professionals consider a clear career path and promotion opportunities to be the most important factors in job satisfaction, with a third of accountants saying that training courses would help keep them interested in their job.

However, the research by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) found that 17 per cent of people questioned rated their organisation highly with regard to opportunities for promotion and offering a clear career path.

While 65 per cent of accountants under 35-years-old placed value on having a clear career path, only 26 per cent of people aged 46 to 55-years old working in accountancy jobs said this was the case.

Meanwhile, half of all tax specialists questioned said that access to training and development was an important factor in ensuring job satisfaction.

Michael Izza, Chief Executive of the ICAEW, said: "It is reassuring to see the importance that chartered accountants in business place on training and career progression."