The accountancy business is booming as a result of the abundance of China-based corporations listing in Hong Kong. The trend has given a huge boost to recruitment and employment figures among the Big Four in the industry.
John Rasheed, national learning partner at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu's Hong Kong office, does not limit himself to accountancy graduates when hiring. As many as half of the 300 people the firm is looking to recruit in September may have graduated in another discipline. While most will carry finance-related credentials, many who joined the firm would be those who showed the right capabilities.
'They might be engineers or, like me, biologists,' Mr Rasheed said. 'Among the things we look for are people skills because we are in the professional services industry and because relationships with clients are critical. It's about people as well as the numbers.
'The question is whether we think they have the enthusiasm, energy and interest to become successful team members. We look for people who pay close attention to detail, apply themselves, prioritise important tasks and deal well with peers and clients.'
Accountancy is experiencing rapid growth in the mainland as China's economy booms. In the late 1980s, Deloitte's Hong Kong operation was relatively small with about 400 staff. Since the launch of a five-year plan in 2004, the headcount has swelled to about 6,500. The goal is to have about 10,000 people in Hong Kong and the mainland by 2010.
Turning raw recruits into professional accountancy service providers is Mr Rasheed's mission, and one of the firm's main goals. Some 65 per cent of Deloitte's US$150 million (HK$1.15 billion) investment in China, including Hong Kong, since 2004 has been dedicated to developing local talent. This is done through such initiatives as the Deloitte Institute and learning centres in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. 'When you join the Deloitte family, at whatever level and from whatever location, you enjoy exactly the same support,' Mr Rasheed said.
