So far, in 2021, there has been a surplus of roles for the number of qualified accountants that had any interest in moving jobs in Malta. This has resulted in the job market for a qualified accountant becoming highly candidate-driven.
This has resulted in companies throughout the finance sector moving quickly and acting more effectively to secure the top finance professionals. Employers who are having the most success recruiting and hiring for senior accountants and for a finance manager are minimising periods between interviews and offers to candidates. There have been some minor increases in salaries throughout the finance sector however there was some excess capacity brought on by the COVID’19 outbreak.
While the gaming sector still proves to be the most popular sector for candidates due to higher salaries and potentially better work-life balance, there has also been a noticeable increase in accounting professionals looking to work in client-facing roles or auditing based environments. We are seeing an increased interest in these roles as they offer exceptional 360 hands-on accounting experience – something the gaming world doesn’t typically offer. They also offer an exceptional level of exposure both locally and internationally allowing an employee to gain more experience and knowledge.
The Insurance and Private Aviation industries are just as popular as the gaming sector, primarily due to exceptional salaries, only rivalled by the gaming sector. With the insurance industry going through such changes to its legislation, the need for quality insurance accounting experts with excellent IFRS 17 experiences has made them some of the most valuable accountants in the market. Within the private aviation world, it seems their clients have remained loyal during the COVID pandemic resulting in exceptional growth and allowing new roles to be created with decent salaries while offering international exposure.
There has been an increase in the number of clients demanding to interview and hire external auditors, knowing their skills and training are exactly what is required to make them an excellent addition to their finance team. This has proven a great way for many external auditors looking to transition from a client-facing role into an in-house role.
The amount of regulatory reporting roles has increased over the past 6 months in line with the new regulations being enforced in Malta. Once again there seems to be an increased desire for external auditors resulting in a rise in the number of auditors moving in-house. Given the sheer demand, many companies are now focusing on recruiting expert audit professionals globally.
Qualifications required are ACCA or a masters in accountancy. The qualified accountants that are highest in demand have qualified in either CPA, ACA or ACCA.
Here is a full list of information on warranted accountants in Malta.
Hiring managers are searching for strong applicants that are not only fully qualified but are also skilled in Excel. Many hiring managers are also looking for management and leadership experience, as well as problem solvers and those that can think outside the box. Candidates are looking for job security and the opportunity to grow both professionally and personally. The elusive work-life balance and a progressive work environment is another major pull for most candidates.