Big Four recruitment sets record

Big Four recruitment sets record

Highest-ever number of graduates are hired by Big Four this year as salaries rise

Growth in the profession has exploded this year with the Big Four hiring a
record number of graduates.

With about 3,550 recruits, the four largest firms have between them hired
their greatest number of graduates in the UK for several years. Deloitte alone
has taken on more than 1,000 graduates with ‘still a few openings yet to be
filled’, according to a spokeswoman for the firm.

‘We are taking them in right through until October, with audit and consulting
taking the majority of the demand: 600 graduates will go into audit while around
180 will go into consulting work in London and Belfast,’ she added.

Starting salaries have also risen, with Deloitte’s new recruits in audit
receiving £25,000 and new consultants earning £31,000.

KPMG saw the second highest rise in new staff with more than 850 graduates
employed ‘across the board’. This was an increase of 215 people on 2004’s total
of 635 new starters.

Its starting salary was slightly lower than Deloitte’s at £24,000 for a new
starter based in London.

PricewaterhouseCoopers was the largest employer with ‘just over’ 1,200
graduates reflecting its status as the largest firm. However, the number of new
starters in 2005 was virtually the same as last year.

Sarah Churchman, head of graduate recruitment, was unable to give a figure,
but called it a ‘great year’ with most of the new intake heading towards the
‘assurance side’ of the business. She declined to comment on starting salaries.

Ernst & Young’s intake also rose, but more steadily to 500 from 400 in
2004. An spokeswoman said its starting salary for graduates had risen by £2,000
in two years to £25,000.

The firms, which are posting strong growth, have in the past admitted that a
lack of staff risks holding them back.

Share

Subscribe to get your daily business insights

Resources & Whitepapers

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folders and Embrace Metadata
Professional Services

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folders and Embrace Metadata

3y

Why Professional Services Firms Should Ditch Folde...

In the past decade, the professional services industry has transformed significantly. Digital disruptions, increased competition, and changing market ...

View resource
2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professional Services Firms

2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professional Services Firms

3y

2 Vital keys to Remaining Competitive for Professi...

In recent months, professional services firms are facing more pressure than ever to deliver value to clients. Often, clients look at the firms own inf...

View resource
Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine
Accounting Firms

Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine

3y

Turn Accounts Payable into a value-engine

In a world of instant results and automated workloads, the potential for AP to drive insights and transform results is enormous. But, if you’re still ...

View resource
Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021
Making Tax Digital

Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021

3y

Digital Links: A guide to MTD in 2021

The first phase of Making Tax Digital (MTD) saw the requirement for the digital submission of the VAT Return using compliant software. That’s now behi...

View resource