Accenture Graduate Recruitment 2009

emmabrighton

Ok here is my problem - like everyone else im actively looking for employment. I am a 2009 graduate (writing up a PhD thesis due Sept 2009). I have applied to every graduate recruitment programme out there. I got a few interviews: Microsoft and Ericsson but their recruitment programmes were either put on hold or I got pfo'd in that order. Now, im not an idiot, I realise that the job market is a tad competitive these days but I do have a pretty good C.V.
Today I received a pfo from Accenture and I was just wondering did anyone get hired by accenture for the 2009 graduate recruitment programme or even get a second interview? I seriously thought my first interview went pretty well and when I emailed Accenture in March regarding the status of my application, they responded positively. In their pfo letter they asserted that I can still apply for their 2010 graduate scheme. Im starting to get a little old - Ill be hitting 30 next year and I really dont think 30-somethings are supposed to apply for graduate programmes.
I have a few friends working there and I am aware that there have been lay offs but still, I have commercial experience and as a graduate im cheap. Accenture has always been my Holy Grail and I spent time preparing for that interview. I really thought I was in with a shot on this one.
I suppose im hoping that nobody got hired. Or, if they did, that they were children of Accenture management so nepitisim was in play and its really not that i just suck.
Oh, and now that that Accenture are off the table, do you know is anywhere hiring??? I mean, i even got pfo'd from Lidl. I think im doomed to be unemployed.

Inscrutable

I know an undergrad from engineering in UCD who got accepted. He had applied and done all the interviews before Christmas. They had all asked why they were still hiring given the current climate and the reply was that
Accenture were taking out some middle management and putting in cheap replacements to do the brunt work. Apparently there were 50 jobs going. The final interview round had 80.

I presume they had a second round after Christmas which you applied for but maybe they decided not to take on many as they saw economic conditions deteriorate.

Cheer up, all the lecturers say they've never known someone with a phd not to find work. Although the times are a' changin'.

Kipperhell

I worked with an Accenture team of graduates and I pity anybody who ends up working for them. They massively under estimate time lines and then make employees work ridiculously long hours in order to finish the project on budget. After they burn the employees out they replace them with more graduates and the cycle begins again.
I watched people who stayed long hours be promoted over those who were more effective. Two guys doing the amount of work but one takes 18 hours and the other 10 they think the guy who did 18 has done more work. As those promoted are the ones that take along time they aren't very good and promote people on the same basis they were promoted. Very frustrating to observe let alone be involved with.
If you have a choice I would avoid them but it does look good on your CV to anybody who hasn't worked with them.

pearcider

^Agreed. Bullet dodged OP. They're practically criminals ffs.:pac:

dade

i know someone that works for them and they cut a load of jobs recently. can't tell you anything about their graduate program or anything like that but thought that info may help

emmabrighton

Phew! After my little rant and a trip to the gym, feeling more positive about the future...

Heres my next question... Ive tried graduate programmes, ive tried and then avoided recruitment agencies and ive tried contacting the employers directly... Im lucky if I get a PFO these days - aparantly job seekers arent even worth the effort...

Im going to give the agencies another shot but dont know which are reliable... I went for a pre-interview interview with one agency who called me in really excitidly telling me about one particular employer in my exact field of research looking for someone just like me... Total B.S. The employer contacted me and told me that they have put a freeze on hiring new staff but that if things improved they would be in touch in the summer.

Well, I dont know much, but i dont think the economic climate is improving much haha

So, Im looking for someone to recommend a recruitment company or person in a company who wont BS me. If there are jobs, they will tell me there are and if there arent they wont.

So, my research is in IT/Web Development/Mobile Applications but will pretty much do anything from admin to sales so just need a recruitment company that wont pigeon hold me as a PhD graduate and only suitable for certain roles...

Any ideas...

Didnt have much luck with Harvey Nash or CPL so...

stepbar

Try and stay away from the Recruitment Agencies TBH. Crowd of bullsh1tters. And don't believe all HR people will tell you either. A similer stock to the recruiters.

Accenture are seriously biased towards who they employ anyhow. Unless you went to the top Dublin colleges and have +400 points in the leaving they just don't want to know. Would I want to work for a company like that? No because if thats the sort of crap from the off, you can be sure there's other things they'd try to do to screw you over.

AlanKJM

I don't intend to brag or anything but I was lucky enough to get an offer from them. It's in SI&T and if all goes well I start in Nov. I've heard some nasty things about Accenture over the years but I wouldn't agree with some of the comments above.

Have you signed up and created a profile on monster.ie? I have a few friends who are getting calls & emails from recruitment agencies quite regularly.

Your research sounds very interesting and I'm sure you'll get something sorted soon. I hope all goes well.

gollem_1975

I follow Chris "Iona technologies" Horn on Twitter and he tweeted something about Bell Labs in blanchardstown having had an open day today ( wednesday ) out in their Blanchardstown campus.

<http://www.alcatel-lucent.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLd4w3MQ4ESYGYFs4B-pFghpchRMwg3hEigqTKyNUUIebrkZ-bqh-k760foF-QGxoaUe6oCAC0LvjC/delta/base64xml/L3dJdyEvd0ZNQUFzQUMvNElVRS82X0FfN0RJ#tabAnchor4&gt;

SFanonymous

AlanKJM wrote: »

I don't intend to brag or anything but I was lucky enough to get an offer from them. It's in SI&T and if all goes well I start in Nov. I've heard some nasty things about Accenture over the years but I wouldn't agree with some of the comments above.

Have you signed up and created a profile on monster.ie? I have a few friends who are getting calls & emails from recruitment agencies quite regularly.

Your research sounds very interesting and I'm sure you'll get something sorted soon. I hope all goes well.

to AlanKJM, I was lucky enough to get an offer in the SI&T from accenture also.. I have a start date in november as well. What office are you going to be staffed at? Do you know anything about their hiring statistics.. ie how many were hired? If they pulled any offers?

PK2008

I know someone who was got on the management conuslting programme and it has been postpone duntil next year- (or so they said)

Anyway, OP- check out the gradireland website they have alot of grad postions still going, itraineeship is also a good site (though alot of the programmes are either UK or international). Theres defintely some still recruiting though

Agencies are hit and miss, if you use a recruitment site you'd be better off just searching for jobs "by employer" ie the actually company is recruiting directly

useless

Several (20+) of last year's Accenture graduate intake have been on 'Flexleave' since the spring, and are due back in the autumn. People I know in ACN tell me that some will be deferred until 2010 because the company simply isnt able to sell enough new work at the moment.

Im also told that the 2009 graduate intake will be tiny compared to previous years. For the last 5+ years, ACN has taken on 50-70 grads. This year it'll be more like 15. As a PR/brand maintenance exercise, they will still spend the money on all the grad job fair stuff, grad recruitment marketing etc, but just won't make that many offers. As for the layoffs, I'm told there have been close to 100 people (out of a consulting workforce of about 550) who have left the company in 2009.

OP- you're probably unlucky in that you've graduated two years too late. In 2007 you might well have an offer by now. If its what you want to do, by all means apply again next year. Be prepared to work for guys who are the same age as you and are 3 levels higher than you in the hierarchy though. As someone with a PhD, at ACN you may struggle to find the level of intellectual challenge you're used to. A *lot* of analyst work is repetitive and boring. It's reasonably well paid (for a graduate job), the craic is good (especially if you're under 30 and single), and IMHO is a good place to start a career. Best of luck.

monkeerina

Hey, I've an interview for SI&T this week...

From what I'm reading here I'm not really sure that it's worth going to.

I did a placement as a summer intern in PwC 2 years ago, and dear god it was one of the least intellectually challenging jobs I've ever had (and I'm only a recent graduate). I was expecting so much more given the fact that it's so hard to get into those companies. But like someone was saying on this thread it was all about BS, looking like you were busy, and ass licking. From what I saw you don't even begin to use your brain until about 5 years into the job...and I'd never last that long without some kind of intellectual stimulation. Thank god I didn't presue a career in auditing...

So basically my question is, is working as a graduate in SI&T at accenture as dull and fustrating as working as a trainee at one of the big4?? I realize that no job is always interesting, but is it that bad? If so I think I'll focus my energies elsewhere this week...