Seventy-nine percent of chief financial officers believe an employee's sense of humor is important element to fitting into a company's corporate culture, according to a survey by Accountemps, a specialized staffing agency for accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals.

In fact, the survey, which is based on interviews with more than 1,400 CFOs, finds that 22 percent of respondents say it is important for an employee's sense of humor to fit into a company's culture while 57 percent of respondents say it is somewhat important. Another 20 percent of respondents say an employee's sense of humor is not at all important, and 1 percent of respondents are unsure.

"Sometimes a little levity goes a long way toward building rapport among colleagues and diffusing workplace tension," says Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps. "All work and no play can erode employee morale. Job candidates should let their personality shine when meeting prospective employers. 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."