Yahoo! Finance (01/31/12)

A new survey from Accountemps, a division of Robert Half International, finds that 79% of chief financial officers interviewed said an employee’s sense of humor is important for fitting into the company’s corporate culture. CFOs were asked, “How important is an employee’s sense of humor in him or her fitting into your company’s corporate culture?” Answering “very important” were 22% of CFOs, while 57% said “somewhat important.”

“Sometimes, a little levity goes a long way toward building rapport among colleagues and diffusing workplace tension,” says Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps. “Job candidates should let their personality shine when meeting prospective employers,” Messmer adds. “The interview is no place for a standup comedy routine, but it is the right time to show hiring managers you are approachable and will be easy to work with.”