The Secrets of Deloitte's Recruitment Strategy

Deloitte is a network of member firms that operate in more than 150 countries and territories, with over 330,000 professionals. This gives Deloitte a unique advantage in terms of diversity, scale, and impact.

2023 has been a good run for Deloitte as the leading professional services network achieved many accolades and milestones. This includes becoming one of Fortune World’s Best Workplaces, Being named as one of the Best Workplaces for Parents, entering the Equal Opportunity’s Top 50 Employers, and more. Goes without saying that these achievements reinforce Deloitte’s image and help the company establish itself as a desired workplace for talent out there. How does Deloitte do it? Let’s find out.

What Does Deloitte Look For?

Deloitte searches for talented, creative, and innovative people who share its values and vision.

Here are some of the preferences that the company has for its candidates:

• Independence: Deloitte expects its workforce to maintain a high level of integrity, objectivity, and professional skepticism. 
• Cultural fit: The global size company values candidates who can fit into its culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence.
• Leadership potential: Deloitte invests in developing its people into leaders who can make an impact in their profession and society. So, the company is likely to have an interest in candidates who show signs of leadership right from the get-go.

Deloitte’s Key Recruitment Strategy

Deloitte focuses on several key elements in its recruitment process, ensuring that it identifies and hires the best candidates who align with its values and goals. Here are some key elements of Deloitte's recruitment strategy.

1. The Deloitte Brand

Deloitte understands the importance of a strong employer brand in attracting top talent. They have developed a reputation as an employer of choice by fostering a positive reputation in the marketplace.

2. Diverse Hiring

Deloitte actively seeks candidates from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that their talent pool represents a wide range of perspectives and experiences. By promoting diversity, Deloitte fosters innovation, creativity, and collaboration within its teams which can lead to better client solutions.

3. A Unique Process for Each Candidate and Role

The global networking service giant recognized that a completely different skill set calls for a completely different way of recruiting. This is why Deloitte refuses to follow the same methods that most companies use. The company attends gatherings like Hackathon, an event in which a huge group of people meets to engage in collaborative computer programming, which allows it to see how the tech talent it sets its eyes on performs under pressure, how they think, how they solve their problems, and so on. [2] Then Deloitte adapts its recruiting process to fit with each individual.

4. Cultural Fit is as Important as Skills

Aside from technical skills, Deloitte also puts interpersonal skills as its top criterion when it comes to selecting the right talent. The company is looking for someone who’s able to work collaboratively and communicate effectively without ego and pride to join its team. Again, attending events like Hackathon can reveal those aspects of talent as the participants are there out of pure passion and a desire to solve complex problems. It gives Deloitte an opportunity to see people who rise above and will be able to successfully and confidently solve its client’s problems in tight timelines. [2]

5. Competency-Based Interviews

During the recruitment process, Deloitte employs competency-based interviews to assess candidates' skills, abilities, and potential fit within the organization. These interviews focus on evaluating specific competencies and behavioral traits required for success in the role, such as problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. This approach allows Deloitte to identify candidates who possess the desired qualities and align with its culture. [3]

6. Emphasizing Leadership Development

Deloitte recognizes the importance of leadership development in its recruitment strategy. The company provides opportunities for employees to enhance their skills and capabilities. This commitment to continuous learning attracts candidates who are ambitious and value personal and professional growth.

Applying Deloitte’s Game Plan to Yours

Deloitte’s strategy to attract talent is based on its clear and compelling value proposition, which showcases its purpose, culture, opportunities, and rewards. Here’s how you can apply some of the practices inspired by Deloitte’s strategy to your own.

• Define and communicate your purpose: Having a clear and meaningful purpose can help you attract and retain talent who share your vision and values. Articulate your mission, vision, and goals. Demonstrate how your work makes a positive impact on your stakeholders and society.
• Create and promote an inclusive environment: An inclusive environment can help you attract and retain talent who appreciate and respect diversity and belonging. It’s a good idea to implement policies and programs that support your diverse workforce, such as flexible work arrangements, parental leave, wellness, and employee resource groups. You can also showcase your inclusive environment across your site and social media.
• Invest and support learning and development: Attract candidates who seek growth and development with a learning and development culture. Provide resources and opportunities for your employees to enhance their skills, knowledge, and capabilities, such as online courses, virtual classrooms, podcasts, and gamified simulations.

Conclusion

Deloitte has a unique and rigorous recruitment process that assesses the fit, potential, and readiness of the candidates for the roles they apply for. Learning from Deloitte’s strategy and adapting some of the practices to your own game plan can help you improve your talent attraction and boost your competitive advantage in the market.

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Citations:

1. Deloitte

2. LinkedIn

3. Deloitte