科技將改變四大招聘模式
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.
在科技改變企業審計方式之際，躋身於全球最大畢業生僱主之列的“四大”專業服務公司正在徹底反思各自的招聘實踐。
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.
隨着部分審計流程實現自動化，隨着各事務所採納人工智能技術，過去往往交由初級員工完成的單調的行政工作有很大一部分正被消除。這導致人們預測，某些最大審計機構將顯著減少招聘畢業生。
“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.”
“隨着時間的推移，我們對畢業生的需求正在下降，”安永(EY)英國及愛爾蘭董事長和管理合夥人史蒂夫•瓦利(Steve Varley)表示，“我們在2010年招聘了650名畢業生，在2015年招聘了1200名畢業生。考慮到技術加快審計流程的速率，到2020年這個數字可能會下降50%。”
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.
與此同時，會計師事務所越來越多地使用技術意味着，具備數據分析和計算機科學等領域技能的畢業生非常吃香。
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.”
在美國工作的會計專家和作者吉姆•彼得森(Jim Peterson)表示，從中期來看，專業服務公司的招聘模式將出現戲劇性改變。“事務所不再需要大批初級員工，而是需要世界上最優秀的算法設計怪才，”他說，“事務所會派出一間會議室就能容納的團隊來審計大公司，而不需要佔據整棟寫字樓的龐大團隊。”
As firms embrace data analytics, a big challenge is making sure they have the right balance of skills.
隨着會計師事務所採用數據分析，一大挑戰在於確保它們擁有搭配合適的技能。
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.”
畢馬威(KPMG)英國審計業務負責人阿德里安•斯通(Adrian Stone)表示：“我們還沒有到計算機代替人的階段。現在的挑戰是確保我們在從事數據詮釋的人員和設置計算機使其恰當查詢數據的人員之間達到正確平衡。”
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”.
德勤(Deloitte)紐約的首席創新官喬恩•拉斐爾(Jon Raphael)表示，該事務所“開始聘用更多幫助進行數據分析和數據採集的專業人士”。
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.
對技術方面的技能更爲看重意味着，各事務所或許在搜尋人才時需要更大面積地撒網，這使它們難免和蘋果(Apple)及Alphabet等科技公司正面交鋒。
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.”
德勤英國審計和風險諮詢管理合夥人斯蒂芬•格里格斯(Stephen Griggs)表示：“我們可能必須從科技公司那裏招聘人才。在現代社會，這些人將成爲搶手的人才，因此他們將是一種昂貴的資源。”
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”.
波士頓大學(Boston University)資深學術研究者威廉•克林(William Kring)也表示，他預計“對來自商學院的求職者的IT背景將更加重視”。
“I would expect recruiters to focus increasingly on the analytical ability of the auditors,” he said.
“我預計招聘人員將更加關注審計師的分析能力，”他說。
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.
英國排名前三的畢業生僱主普華永道(PwC)的鑑證業務主管詹姆斯•查默斯(James Chalmers)並不認爲該公司招聘的畢業生人數將會降低。
“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,” .
“如果你認爲這是第四次工業革命，那麼我們認爲更多地採用技術和人工智能將圍繞解決新的、不同的問題創造出種種機遇，”他說，“我們認爲這將促進業務增長。”
