What is not so common in the current context

Last January, while the world economy experienced crisis head-on, KPMG announced without shiver, that he would recruit hundreds of employees in 2009. Even speech at Deloitte, as in all the audit professionals. Since January, the "big four", the largest four firms market, have continued to hire mass: today 400 recruitment, excluding trainees, have already taken place at Deloitte, KPMG 337, more than 300 at PricewaterhouseCoopers and almost all at Ernst & Young.

Thus, have trades of the audit been spared Yes and no. It is true that legal, audit certification of the accounts, stand up well, because missions are recurrent. But contractual audit has been most affected, whether it is to implement new accounting standards or to verify the health of a company for acquisition, benefits in which listeners are involved with their colleagues in the Council. For law firms, continue hiring is a question of image, but not only, according to Lise Azria, manager specialist recruitment Mac Allister: "audit companies are obliged to recruit, even in times of crisis, but it is 90 of graduates." Their "business model" is that, each year, employees are level. However, they may not end up with an empty pyramid at the base.

Less than turnover

Compared to previous years, the "big four" were nevertheless decreased by a third their recruitment. First affected, experienced listeners: "part for some profiles of niche, we have no claims on the part of firms," continues Lise Azria, including the number of mandates for confirmed profiles fell in one year, 30 to... four. By contrast, trainees, who are six to ten months in the business between the two years of studies, have almost not declined: "Keep a pool of recruiting." "Especially as the time they join us, the market will be better oriented", explains Antoine de Riedmatten, responsible for the recruitment and training at Deloitte. Another effect of the crisis, the audit firms received more CV. Alone, KPMG have stirred by 35,000. Unsolicited applications increased by 40 in Deloitte and 30 at Ernst & Young, KPMG, Mazars and PwC... Coming primarily renowned as HEC, ESCP or Edhec business schools. "Profiles are also richer." "Some have already a first experience in London, Bank of business or financial analysis," Note Sylvie Bernard-Curie, associate and HRD of KPMG Audit. This influx has however forced Mazars to refine its recruitment process: "When there are less opportunities, some of the candidates want to especially quickly find a job, note Caroline Haquet, Director of the recruitment of Mazars." The risk is that they leave in finance or in the Council as soon as the activity will leave. We have therefore trained our recruiters so they know to evaluate the real motivation of each.

If their activity has been less affected than the Council, auditing professionals must nevertheless face a double problem. First, turnover has considerably fallen since November: 20, it is passed to 10 at Deloitte, PwC and Ernst & Young. Then, the activity is declining: Deloitte turnover should increase by 1 this year, against 10 in previous years. Flat brain also at PwC and Ernst & Young. So how can we continue to ensure Career progressions, a pyramid balanced, campaigns of hiring... in summary, maintain their current model

Last March, Ernst & Young chose to launch a 304 voluntary departures (including 80 listeners). The new was loud because it was a first in the area of the audit Board. The plan was collaborators so-called "seniors" with more than three years seniority. "In certain activities, there has even been more applications for departure places, which proves that the turnover was latent", says a representative of the Committee. The key, the Group has established measures of support: aid in the creation of business plan of training, or boost for employment. "All of the partners have enabled their network and managed to collect 400 offers for their colleagues on the departure," said Alain Perroux, partner in charge of HR at Ernst & Young strategy.

Pushed towards the exit

With respect to other firms, how have they faced the economic storm Discussion forums have arisen on the Net, denouncing go-ahead: periods of test which have a little too often, not resulted in IFA, dismissals for "professional failure" that multiply... "It identifies those that we would like to see go and it orients them gently towards the exit." "Without PSE, which would prevent to hire beginners they need, and plan of voluntary departures, because they are often expensive", says recruitment consultant. "Ernst had the merit of transparency and, in the end, his image has been less wounded than others," he continued.

Audit firms to correctly recognize: "Previously, the underperforming, who knew that their future was limited, were opportunities in the financial directions, for example." "We stayed in this logic", admits in one of the "big four". "Assistance to reposition our customers", says, modestly, in PwC. With respect to those who remain in the business... Internal promotions have become more selective and less systematic: KPMG, 75 of the wizards (against 85 usually) moved to mission, after two years of experience. Same trend among Deloitte and Ernst to go to the post of manager.

However, if some methods are hardened, the auditing market remains carrier. What is not so common in the current context. Candidates not to is wrong also: "seen in maintenance, they are less attracted by flakes recruitment business banks or the"private equity", note Annick Chaumartin, associate and head of HR at PwC.". There is a return to safe values, and is part of the audit.