RSM Farrell Grant Sparks is the latest organisation to join the CPA Ireland Approved Employer Programme. The audit, tax and advisory firm has offices in Dublin, Longford and Belfast and is Ireland’s seventh largest accountancy firm.

Deirdre Kiely, Head of Audit, Advisory and Assurance with the firm said the company was delighted to become a part of the programme. “RSM Farrell Grant Sparks maintains a very high standard of training for our staff. We have an excellent continuous training programme delivered by both in-house and external trainers. In addition we offer trainees additional tuition to support them in preparation for professional exams.  We expect that by becoming part of the CPA Approved Employer Programme, this standard will continue to be raised and are looking forward to the future possibilities and opportunities it will unveil.”

The CPA Approved Employer Programme allows employers to become an employer of choice for CPA trainees and to earn a higher return on investment for their training and development costs. Employers who partake in the programme can expect to increase their productivity and employee focus and to improve trainee pass rates.

CPA Ireland has partnered with over 130 approved employers to date, including Microsoft, Glanbia, Apple and State Street. To find out more about the programme, click here.

Figures released by Sigmar Recruitment today showed a 55pc increase in the number of graduate opportunities for 2012, compared to the previous year, with job placements up by 14pc.

There was a particular demand for those in accountancy and professional services, as well as in the ICT, engineering and legal sectors. Half of all positions filled in 2011 were in the financial sector, where accountancy accounted for 32pc.

Robert MacGiolla, Director of Sigmar Recruitment, highlighted confidence in the economy as the biggest factor in companies hiring. “Job placements will continue to further stabilise in the first half of 2012 with steady growth predicted for the second half of the year as the IDA continues to supports jobs through FDI. Jobs in the domestic economy will continue to be largely influenced by confidence on the national and European economy.”

Breakdown of job placements by sector

25%                  Accountancy

22%                  Engineering & Pharmaceutical

18%                  Financial & Professional Services

18%                  IT

11%                  Secretarial

6%                   Sales & Marketing

You can read the full story here.

Professional job opportunities rose by 5pc in the month of June, according to the latest Morgan McKinley Irish Employment Monitor. The number of jobs available compared to the same period last year was up by 1pc, as the job market remained steady over the past twelve months.

The number of professionals seeking new job opportunities fell dramatically by 20pc, from 12,645 in May to 10,150 in June.

Chief operations officer, Karen O’Flaherty said the figures signified a seasonal fluctuation in the jobs market.  "July and August are traditionally quieter months for recruitment and we would expect the hiring process to continue at a slower pace throughout this period."

The main amount of hiring activity was within multinational companies, however the monitor showed a slight increase in the number of indigenous firms hiring.

You can read the full report here.

There are certain stereotypes about CPAs and accountants we’d like to clear up and shed a little light on, so here are the top ten myths about CPA, busted:

1. Myth: CPAs Can Only Work in Ireland

CPA Ireland is by its very name, an Irish institution. We pride ourselves on our roots, however we recognise that the world is made to explore, which is why we try to make working abroad as easy as possible for our members. The CPA designation is the most recognised in the world, meaning your qualifications travel with you. In addition, the Institute has agreements with CPA Australia, CGA Canada and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in India. Under these agreements, our members can apply for membership with these bodies and work and travel with ease. In addition, CPA has Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) in place with professional bodies in Lithuania, South Africa and Zimbabwe. CPA is also statutorily recognised as an approved body of auditors in New Zealand.

2.Myth: CPAs Work in Boring Office Jobs

One of the biggest misconceptions about the accountancy profession is that they are restrained to offices, behind a desk. Some of CPA Ireland’s members’ positions range from an Emmy-nominated casting director to entrepreneurs to CEOs of large corporations. CPAs by their very nature have an understanding of business, which prepares them to work in the world of business, at any level. CPAs can start their own practices and work in at the ground level in their local communities, helping to make the local businesses as successful as possible.

3. Myth: CPAs Need to Excel at Maths

Most people think that accountancy is purely focused on numbers and making them add up. This couldn’t be further from the truth. While a certain amount of numerical literacy is required, accounting is about putting the pieces of a puzzle together, analysing what the numbers mean for a business or a bank manager; be it problems with cash flow, increasing or cutting expenses and where money should be directed within a business. Increasingly, CPAs are taking on a more advisory role, providing executive advice to their clients and ensuring their business plans make financial sense and build a sustainable future for their company.

4. Myth: CPAs Don’t Work with People

The stereotypical image of the shy, retiring accountant does not hold any weight in the world of accountancy today. CPAs work with real people on a real level, whether on personal accounts or in the inner-most workings of their businesses, which puts them in close contact with people 24/7. Good communication skills are one of the most vital assets CPAs need, as they are key to building solid working relationships with clients and colleagues.

5. Myth: CPAs are Mainly Male

This is one myth we especially want to disperse because, even in today’s world, gender inequality is still an issue. Fortunately this is not the case at CPA Ireland, as we are one of the first accountancy bodies in Europe on course to reach gender parity. CPA Ireland strongly believes in the business benefits of diverse and balanced boardrooms, which is why we push all our students and members to reach the peak of their profession.

6. Myth: CPAs are Facing Unemployment with the Recession

It’s hard to envision any profession that is not facing difficulty in the current economic climate. However, the accountancy profession continues to weather the economic storm, with 97pc of CPA Ireland’s 2011 conferees now in employment. The finance sector continues to be highlighted as a growth area, with outstanding opportunities for accountancy graduates in Ireland’s multinational companies.

7. Myth: CPAs Only Work in Small Practices

There is a mistaken believe that CPAs are often restrained to working in small practices in Ireland, however this is not the case. CPA Ireland members work in all of the ‘Big Four’, with KPMG part of CPA’s Approved Training Partner programme. CPAs also have the option of working in ACCA and ACA practices, to ensure that as many doors as possible are open to our CPA graduates and to increase their opportunities to work right around the country.

8. CPAs Only Work in Business

CPA Ireland regulates Ireland’s large and small practices; however some mistake this as our members only working in practice. In reality, CPAs are at the heart of business and industry in Ireland, with some of our members taking the roles of financial controllers in the biggest companies in Ireland. Our Approved Training Programme also provides students with the opportunity to work in industry, with ATPs including international heavyweights, such as Apple, Microsoft, General Electric and Vodafone.

9. Myth: CPAs Work in the Past

While being a CPA can involve regular book keeping and tax returns, this does not mean your work is resigned to the past. CPAs are actively involved in planning for the future for their clients, whether for their personal finances or their professional ones. CPAs can show businesses where they can grow, how to create strategic business plans that guarantee a sustainable and profitable future. While organising past accounts and tax returns is part of the job, so is planning for the future.

10. Myth: CPAs Need an Accountancy Background

People can often be held back from studying CPA because of the unfounded belief that they need an accountancy background. CPA students include school leavers, undergraduate, post graduate, mature students and those seeking a change in career, with study options including full-time, part-time,  distance, weekend and e-learning. The flexible study options and the absence of a registration fee, mean there are no obstacles between you and your career in accountancy.