"Tougher job market" for 2008 accountancy graduates

News Article - 12 February 2008
Category: Regulatory

There has been a 22 per cent increase in applicants for Deloitte's accountancy graduate programme, reports the Financial Times.

Sarah Shillingford, graduate recruitment partner at the firm, told the newspaper that increasing competition in the industry has led many students to apply earlier than ever for the vacancies.

Ms Shillingford said that Deloitte opened its graduate process three months earlier than the previous year and had already received 2,400 applications by October - its usual opening date.

"Students graduating in 2008 face a tougher job market than those who graduated last year," she stated. "Economic uncertainty has led some graduate recruiters to reduce the number of jobs they have available."

However, a recent report released by recruitment firm Robert Half stated that accountancy salaries were at a record high following concern over a shortage of talent.

The financial services industry experienced more growth during 1996- 2006 than any other UK business sector, according to the National Statistics' Economic and Labour Market Review.

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