Grammar review

Verb + ing or to-infinitive

Fill in the right form of the verb given. Use -ing or to + infinitive

1. You don't find Charted accountants ... (search)  for a work in this firm.

2. We did not expect  ... (see)  her at work.

3. I don't dare ... (think)  how much it's going to cost.

4. If you continue ... (invest) in this business you might become a bankrupt.

5. I think we should discuss ... (apply)  for some kind of government help.

6. The hardest part will be ... (find)  a good lawyer.

7. They arranged  ... (hold)  the meeting the following month.

8. Will this program be able ... (help)  us?

9. They anticipate ... (receive) several applications for the job.

10. They assigned me ... (interview)  the candidates.

11. I like ... (keep) all my credit card receipts just in case the bank makes a mistake.

Complete the following letter

complaint contradictory enhance invasive offset the lack promulgate score write up work

Words and expressions to remember

Unit 8 ACCOUNTANT AND SOCIETY

8. 1

1. Language check

Compare two sentences below. What part of speech is the word demand in both sentences?

1. This work demands skill and energy.

2. Poor demand led to fall in coffee prices.

2. Read the title of the Internet (Accountancy Age) article By Michael Layton. Can you suggest what it is about?

Opportunity knocks

3. Read the article. Check you know the words in bold type which may be helpful for understanding in the dictionary supplemented.

Last years a growth in accountants’ job availability is noted across all sectors, with banking and finance, professional services, and retail and distribution leading the field.

Accountants salaries have, yet again, kept pace with inflation and in some cases increased dramatically. Salary expectations for newly and recently qualified accountants continue to increase and when compared to other professions accountants come out on top.

Accountants working in banking and financial services continue to attract top salaries but entry to these positions is extremely competitive, and the skills and qualifications demanded are very high. However, personality and communication skills are often the determining factor.

In the City, banking and financial services recruitment remains very strong with employers seeking quality staff. From over 2,000 available positions 70% are in the merchant and investment banking sector. The City is providing a very active jobs market for accountants. There is continual demand for those who will consider working on temporary contracts.

For accountants in the profession, firms are looking for chartereds and certifieds with skills for litigation support, forensic, technical/compliance and training. There are also numerous opportunities for CIMAs with industry experience who are in demand for areas such as management consultancy services and internal audit consultancy. Taxation accountants are in the market for personal, private-client, corporate, international, expatriate, VAT/ Customs and tax experience at most levels and for unqualified tax assistants who have one year's experience or more.

Within the public sector and not-for-profit organizations there is demand across all sectors for qualified CIMAs, CAs and ACAs and for systems accountants and internal auditors.

Current opportunities for newly qualifieds are continuing to boom and they are still outstripping supply across all sectors. There is demand for newly qualified ACAs and CAs for operation-review roles within blue-chip companies in manufacturing and service-based industries, and for ACAs with impeccable academic mathematics or science degrees in the banking and financial services sector.

For the most ambitious accountants, a second language is prerequisite for success, especially for those seeking international careers. The Top Six table indicates that French has now overtaken German as the language most in demand - although there is not much in it. As reported in the previous Barometer, Russian-speaking accountants are often required which reflects the trend for UK trained and qualified accountants to work in Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Bloc. Polish is another eastern European language which is becoming increasingly useful. Oriental languages are occasionally requested but are difficult to find.

A snapshot survey was carried out in canvassing the views of 486 young accountants on their alternative career preferences. In answer to the question 'If you could no longer be an accountant, which job would you prefer instead?' 38% cited banking/finance as the most preferred alternative career with sport/leisure (21%) coming second. The legal profession (14%) was deemed to be the third most important, followed by the medical profession (11%).

Teaching (10%) and media/journalism (6%) were seen as the least favourable career alternatives.