Spouses help determine where people work. .

• Position: Brief Article

Some of life's biggest decisions are those associated with work. It may come as no surprise, then, that in a survey developed by Accountemps, a temporary staffing service for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals, that included responses from 150 executives with the nation's 1,000 largest companies, 42% said the person they were most likely to approach first for input if they were considering a job change is their spouse or significant other. Twenty-eight percent said they would consult a mentor.

"Those with the most-thorough understanding of your personal ambitions and professional goals are best suited to help you assess a career move," maintains Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Job Hunting for Dummies. Regardless of whom you turn to for advice, however, he says there are several important factors to consider when determining...