Contact: Natalie Webb
Deloitte Services LP
+1 212 492 4037
New York, July 6, 2004 — "With the number of job candidates in short supply, companies will need to develop different strategies for recruiting talent in the future," said Jim Wall, managing director of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu’s Global Human Resources group, in his keynote address to the National Association of Black Accountants’ (NABA) Presidential Luncheon.
In his address to more than 150 NABA professionals from across the U.S., he shared his perspectives on recruitment and retention within the professional services industry. Wall said that today's students have many opportunities from which to choose and may not be choosing the professional services industry due to lack of awareness of opportunities within the industry.
"According to a 2003 AICPA study, enrollments in bachelor of accounting programs have declined in the past few years," Wall said. "The only way we can successfully compete for these ever-demanding talented individuals is to live by a set of values that respects people and responds to their needs."
Wall stressed that Deloitte was guided by its values of integrity, outstanding value to clients, commitment to each other, and strength through cultural diversity when pursing its recruitment efforts. "Values tell us who we are as individuals, even more than what we do. They inform our decisions and behaviors — and make them better. To me, they're the ace in the hole in the recruitment and retention game, and in fact in everything we do," he stated.
"We deploy a diverse group of accounting partners to key campuses for recruiting minorities and women. There's not a more powerful demonstration of our commitment to diversity than when our people convey their personal stories of success at Deloitte," added Wall.
Wall stated that the responsibility to bring others into the profession is not just the role of accounting firms, but also the role of each individual within the audience. He challenged them to seek out those who demonstrate an aptitude and may potentially have an interest in an accounting career. He also encouraged them to provide opportunities for them to be exposed to the profession.
The Presidential Luncheon is one of the most important events that take place during the convention. This was a particularly significant luncheon because it marks the end of Kim Griffin-Hunter's (Deloitte & Touche LLP partner) final year as NABA president. Deloitte is also a double platinum sponsor of NABA's 33rd National Convention. Wall also will give the keynote address at the convention's Distinguished Collegian Dinner on July 7.
View highlights of Jim Wall's speech (Optimized for Windows Media Player 9; High speed = 256k; Duration = 4:44 minutes)
Low speed = 56k Audio only
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Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu is an organization of member firms devoted to excellence in providing professional services and advice. We are focused on client service through a global strategy executed locally in nearly 150 countries. With access to the deep intellectual capital of 120,000 people worldwide, our member firms, including their affiliates, deliver services in four professional areas: audit, tax, financial advisory services and consulting. Our member firms serve more than one-half of the world’s largest companies, as well as large national enterprises, public institutions, locally important clients and successful, fast-growing global growth companies.
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