I've recently interviewed at Accenture and PwC for experienced hire roles (senior consultant / manager-level), and have passed through all the recruitment process stages towards the end of last year.
However, things have ground to a halt as both companies are assessing their resource demand and ability to take on new headcount. It's been somewhat frustrating trying to move things forwards, though I appreciate the need to be cautious.
Just wondered if anyone else has experienced the same in the last few months and if things have started to gain momentum again?
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I'm sure you'll understand if I don't comment on Accenture and PwC specifically, but I would say I've heard this kind of situation described at most of the major consulting brands over the last months. Our own client survey about hiring intentions for the latter part of 2011 was conducted at the end of August / beginning of September and the overwhelming feeling in the industry at that time was that hiring would be stronger in the second half of the year than the first half. The reality has actually been that within weeks of that survey the economic outlook and general business confidence were severely dented by the Eurozone situation taking a turn for the worse.
In the aftermath of this, I heard of most major consulting brands (with the exception of the strategy firms) having implemented a massive slowdown or freezing of hiring. In some instances hundreds of candidates part way through the interviewing process have been put on hold. I would say this was pretty commonplace across the industry in the last 2 months of 2011. There were some exceptions and within firms there were some positions that were so critical that they were still being recruited for, but overall there's been a loss of momentum in hiring activity exactly along the lines you've described.
From my soundings of the market so far in 2012, I would suggest that this situation will be reversed - and hiring back on the agenda - just as soon as confidence in the market returns. Consultancies now run what you could describe as "just in time recruiting", so any worsening of expectations about project wins feeds through almost immediately to hiring activity; but similarly any turnaround in market sentiment will quickly feed through too. Whether there is an improvement in the economic headlines and a stabilisation of the eurozone situation in the coming weeks will I think largely determine the speed with which hiring momentum returns.
In the meantime - and it's small consolation I appreciate - rest assured that this is in no way a reflection on you or your attractiveness as a hire; it's something that's swept across the industry and affected most in the recruitment pipeline over the last months.
PS we'll be surveying our clients towards the end of this month to gauge market expectations for hiring, so will have a more meaningful update a few weeks from now.
Tony Restell
Top-Consultant.com
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TCO, same thing here... Passed all the interviews stages with ACN and they kept telling me that they would make me an offer and that i should not go in another company until i hear their offer. They claimed that they were waiting for a partner to come from holidays...
In the end i received an email from their HR stating that the role is no longer available!
Fortunately i had already accepted another offer :D
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Hi TCO,
I have also had the same experience as you. I passed Accenture Assessment and was made an offer in November but then was quickly told that they have frozen all hiring and I would have to wait until Q2. The same thing happened at Capgemini although they told me the Assessment Centre would be postponed to November, then December, then January and now it’s meant to take place in February but I wouldn’t place any money on that!!
Luckily I was also going for a Senior Manager (Experienced Hire) position with PwC. I passed their assessment centre and partner interview and was made an offer. However, the Partner was quite honest and did explain to me that there was a recruitment freeze and could not engage me as a permanent employee but they desperately needed me for a project and would I consider a contract for 6 months until the freeze had been lifted.
I was happy to be engaged by PwC via a Contract for Services until the recruitment freeze has been lifted. Initially I was a little concerned because I had gone through the entire permanent recruitment process and was only told at the last minute about the hiring freeze but all the professional services firms are doing the same thing. I think we just have to be flexible right now until the climate improves. My gut feeling is it probably won’t pick up until Q3.
Tony Restell ‘s post to your original thread was excellent (thank you Tony) and really backs up what I’ve experienced.
Hope my little post shows that you are not alone with your experience.
Cashe
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Cashe, Ref Capgemini assessment centre, have they told you that is going to take place on the 3rd of Feb?
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No. They told me on 12th January that they are trying to hold one in February and it might be the 3rd. I'm to wait for confirmation from HR nearer the time. This happened last month and then they pulled it about 5 days before it was due to start.
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Cashe - which area are you interviewing for at Capgemini?
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Hi Cosmo - It was for Finance & Employee Transformation.
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Thanks very much to Tony, Cashe and others for your responses to this post. It's comforting to know that others have had similar experiences and that the industry is being cautious across the board at the moment.
Cashe - it sounds like we're in a similar spot, as I too have started a contracting post with PwC to tide things over until a permanent position is available. Hope you've been enjoying the work you've done with them so far; I know I've definitely enjoyed it and very much hope the tide starts to turn towards longer-term recruitment. From your interactions, have you had any indication of when you might see a change in perspective? Q2, Q3 2012, or maybe later in the year?
Tony - look forward to the report on market expectations for hiring in the coming weeks!
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Hi TCO,
It certainly is too early to tell yet. Market conditions keep changing and the good old press keeps talking the economy down which doesn't help!! After speaking to HR and a few line managers including a partner, they dont think any meaningful perm recruitment will take place until after Q3.
I'm taking the view that it's likely that I will be on contract for 2012 and I'll push for perm to begin 2013. If it happens sooner then happy days, if not then I'll just continue to enjoy these day rates ;-)
Did you apply for a permanent position and then made to go contract?
I also interviewed with IBM and they too have frozen their process. They did send me a nice Xmas Card email and said they would get me back in as soon as conditions improve.
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Hi Cashe,
I had started the process for permanent hire, and was referred by a partner on to a project for the contracting role in parallel. Did the last stage of the process (assessment centre) about a month or so into the contract post and was informed about a week later that I had passed it. Since then (back end of 2011) have been waiting patiently for that hallowed call/email for a start date.
Sounds like things may not stabilise fully until mid-year. I've heard similar noises from Accenture and Deloitte as well - keeping the recruitment pipeline on but not making any firm commitments to take on individuals unless the business absolutely demands it.
Contracting is a nice position to be in (day rates are pretty generous), and it's been great to get this insight into the firm - from what I've experienced so far I've been mightily impressed (and the London head office in particular is pretty stunning!) and it would be a shame not to be able to convert my current role into something permanent in the coming months.
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Cashe, just to let you know that they have confirmed to me that the assesment is going to take place oon the 3rd of Feb...However i have applied for a different role..
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Papous - Thank you for letting me know. They have not confirmed anything with me yet. What area of work did you apply for? Are you still going to go to CG assessment centre?
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Hi TCO,
We are both in the same situation. I would love to go perm with PwC. My assessment and interviews did take place at More London and I have to agree it is a very cool place however I do not get to spend a lot of time there now!! ;-)
My focus is just doing a really good job for them and hoping I will go perm.
What area are you working in?
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Cashe, yes i am still going as they haven't changed the date (at least not yet)
I've applied for the Digital Transformation - Logistics
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I agree with Tony absolutely. Consulting companies are putting recruitments on hold till they understand how 2012 is going to pan out. KPMG Advisory has put many on hold but those who have been lucky enough to interview between August to November have been offered roles
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Anyone knows about McKinsey? Are they hiring or not?
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The top strategy firms have not been hit nearly as much by the Eurozone crisis and from all my sources I understand hiring at these firms has continued apace.
Tony Restell
Top-Consultant.com
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Hi Cashe,
I'm part of Operations, with sector specialisation in pharma/life science.
Agreed... trying to do a good job on the engagements I've been staff on and hoping this will transition to a full time role in the coming months. Are you working on specific projects as well, or involved in a more general sense with the firm?
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Hi TCO,
I'm working as a project manager on a specific Transformation & Change Management programme. All my deliverables are scheduled within the next 6 months so hoping they either extend my contract or engage me as a perm after that. I'm not making any noises yet!
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