“四大”未来的招聘模式？

“四大”未来的招聘模式？

“四大”的福利待遇令不少毕业生心驰神往，然而是否真像预测的那样：大型审计机构将减少招聘应届毕业生？而与此同时，哪一领域的应届毕业生却越来越吃香？想进“四大”，或许本文会给你启发。

测试中可能遇到的词汇和知识：

audit 审计；[审计] 查账['ɔːdɪt]

mundane 世俗的，平凡的['mʌndeɪn; mʌn'deɪn]

entry-level 入门的；初级的

adoption 采用；收养；接受[ə'dɒpʃ(ə)n]

interrogate 审问；质问[ɪn'terəgeɪt]

四大 普华永道（PwC）、德勤（DTT）、毕马威（KPMG）、安永（EY）

阅读即将开始，建议您计算一下阅读整篇文章所用时间，并对照我们在文章最后给出的参考值来估算您的阅读速度。

Technology transforms Big Four hiring practices （506words）

By Harriet Agnew

* * *

The Big Four professional services firms — among the largest employers of graduates globally — are drastically rethinking their hiring practices as technology transforms the way companies are audited.

As parts of the audit process are automated, and firms embrace artificial intelligence, much of the mundane administrative work often given to entry-level employees is being eliminated. This has led to predictions of a significant fall in graduate recruitment at some of the biggest auditors.

“Over time our graduate needs are coming down,” said Steve Varley, chairman and managing partner for the UK and Ireland at EY. “We hired 650 graduates in 2010 and 1,200 graduates in 2015. Given the rate at which technology is speeding up audit, that number could drop by 50 per cent in 2020.”

At the same time, the increasing adoption of technology means graduates with skills in areas such as data analytics and computer sciences are in high demand.

Over the medium term, the hiring model of the professional services firms will change dramatically, according to Jim Peterson, a US-based accounting specialist and author. “Firms will no longer need armies of junior staff but instead will need the best algorithm design geeks in the world,” he said. “They will audit large companies with a team that can fit into a conference room, rather than occupying an entire office tower.”

As firms embrace data analytics, a big challenge is making sure they have the right balance of skills.

Adrian Stone, UK head of audit at KPMG, said: “We’re not at the stage of computers replacing people. Right now the challenge is to make sure we have the correct balance of people who will do the interpreting and people who will make sure computers are set up to interrogate properly.”

Jon Raphael, chief innovation officer at Deloitte in New York said the firm was “starting to hire more specialists to help with data analysis and data acquisition”.

The greater emphasis on technology skills means firms may have to cast the net wider during their hiring search, putting them head to head with tech groups such as Apple and Alphabet.

Stephen Griggs, managing partner of audit and risk advisory at Deloitte UK, said: “We may have to start recruiting from technology companies. In the modern world these guys will be hot talent so they will be an expensive resource.”

William Kring, a senior academic researcher at Boston University also said he expected to see “a greater emphasis on the IT background of the applicants from business schools”.

“I would expect recruiters to focus increasingly on the analytical ability of the auditors,” he said.

James Chalmers, head of assurance at PwC, which is a top three graduate employer in the UK, did not believe the number of graduates the firm hired would decrease.

“If you take the view that this is the fourth industrial revolution we think the increased adoption of technology and artificial intelligence creates opportunities around solving new and different problems,” he said. “We think that will fuel growth for the business”.

请根据你所读到的文章内容，完成以下自测题目：

1. What phenomenon led to predictions of a significant fall in graduate recruitment at Big Four?

a. increased cost of entry-level employees

b. unrealistic job intension

c. popularization of artificial intelligence

d. change of policy

2. What could help graduates to join the Big Four as mentioned?

a. high education

b. study abroad experience

c. abundant human resources

d. with skills in data analytics computer sciences

3. What is the big challenge, as firms embrace data analytics?

a. the right balance of skills

b. a conference room

c. shortage of design geeks

d. competition with technology companies

4. Why James Chalmers did not believe the number of graduates the firm hired would decrease?

a. few companies accept the new technology

b. we are not at the stage of computers replacing people

c. technology companies control the world

d. more opportunities around solving new and different problems

[1] 答案c. popularization of artificial intelligence

解释：随着部分审计流程实现自动化，随着各事务所采纳人工智能技术，过去往往交由初级员工完成的单调的行政工作有很大一部分正被消除。

[2] 答案d. with skills in data analytics computer sciences

解释：会计师事务所越来越多地使用技术意味着，具备数据分析和计算机科学等领域技能的毕业生非常吃香。

[3] 答案a. the right balance of skills

解释：随着会计师事务所采用数据分析，一大挑战在于确保它们拥有搭配合适的技能。

[4] 答案d. more opportunities around solving new and different problems

解释：英国排名前三的毕业生雇主普华永道的James表示：“如果你认为这是第四次工业革命，那么我们认为更多地采用技术和人工智能将围绕解决新的、不同的问题创造出种种机遇，”他说，“我们认为这将促进业务增长。”