News

Sebastian Brauße 17. November 2023 -

Karriere-Websites 2023: Zwiespältige Bilanz trotz Fachkräftemangel

Die Hochschule RheinMain hat kürzlich ihre 13. Studie über die Karriere-Websites bedeutender Arbeitgeber in Deutschland veröffentlicht. Diese Untersuchung wirft einen Blick auf die Qualität der digitalen Präsenz von Unternehmen, die eine entscheidende Rolle im Personalmarketing und Recruiting spielt. Überraschend offenbart die Studie, dass trotz des anhaltenden Fachkräftemangels nur geringe Verbesserungen bei den Karriere-Websites zu verzeichnen sind.

Kontinuierliche Stagnation trotz “War for Talents”

Die Ergebnisse der Studie zeigen eine bemerkenswerte Diskrepanz zwischen den weitverbreiteten Beschwerden über den Fachkräftemangel und dem tatsächlichen Handeln in vielen Personalabteilungen. Die Qualität der Karriere-Websites, die als zentraler Dreh- und Angelpunkt im Personalmarketing und Recruiting gelten, hat sich in den letzten Jahren kaum verändert. Dies wirft Fragen auf, insbesondere angesichts des intensivierten “War for Talents”, den viele Unternehmen führen.

Karriere-Websites als Schlüssel zur Bewerbergewinnung

Prof. Dr. Thorsten Petry vom Fachbereich Design Informatik Medien der HSRM betont die anhaltende Bedeutung der Karriere-Websites für potenzielle Bewerber. Obwohl die Candidate Journey oft auf anderen Plattformen beginnt, erfolgt zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt fast immer ein Wechsel auf die Karriere-Website eines interessanten Unternehmens. Die Studie bekräftigt diese Wahrnehmung und zeigt, dass die Qualität dieser Websites einen erheblichen Einfluss auf die Entscheidung potenzieller Bewerber hat.

Spannende Erkenntnisse aus der Stichprobe

Die Untersuchung umfasste 126 Unternehmen, darunter nicht nur die größten und beliebtesten Arbeitgeber Deutschlands, sondern auch wichtige Mittelständler und große öffentliche Arbeitgeber. Die Ergebnisse zeigten eine große Bandbreite in der Qualität der Karriere-Websites. Während einige Unternehmen sehr gut abschnitten, hatten andere erhebliche Optimierungspotenziale.

Die Top 3 Karriere-Websites 2023

Die Studie kürte die Karriere-Website von Otto zum Gesamtsieger. Nach zwei zweiten Plätzen in den Vorjahren konnte Otto in diesem Jahr die Spitze erobern. Die REWE-Gruppe und Lidl belegten die weiteren Podiumsplätze. Karriere-Websites von Unternehmen aus der Banken-, Versicherungs- oder Finanzdienstleistungsbranche waren nicht unter den Top20.

Herausforderungen und Potenziale

Die Analyse der Studienergebnisse zeigt, dass die größten Optimierungspotenziale im Bereich der Funktionalität und Interaktion liegen. Trotz neuer technischer Herausforderungen und Möglichkeiten hat sich hier wenig getan. Unternehmen könnten beispielsweise besser darin sein, Leads zu generieren, indem sie potenziellen Bewerbern die Möglichkeit bieten, einfachen Kontakt aufzunehmen.

Schlussbetrachtung

Die Studie “Karriere-Websites 2023” der Hochschule RheinMain wirft einen kritischen Blick auf die digitale Präsenz von Unternehmen und deren Anstrengungen, im Wettbewerb um Talente zu bestehen. Trotz des anhaltenden Fachkräftemangels bleibt die Qualität der Karriere-Websites eine Baustelle für viele Unternehmen, die den “War for Talents” erfolgreich bestreiten möchten.
Sebastian Brauße 13. September 2023 -
CFA can double your chances of getting a job

One of the most prestigious degrees in the financial industry is the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the CFA program and the job opportunities it offers, because pursuing a successful career in finance requires not only commitment and passion, but also the right skills.

The CFA title at a glance

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is an internationally recognized title awarded by the CFA Institute. This certificate is the gold standard for professionals in investment management, portfolio management and securities analysis. The program is known for its demanding training and rigorous examinations, which are divided into three levels.

Level I: Emphasizes the fundamentals of investment tools and concepts.

Level II: Focuses on applying these concepts to asset valuation and portfolio management.

Level III: Tests your portfolio management skills and ethics.

Professional fields, where CFA holders work

The Chartered Financial Analyst title is a valuable seal of approval for professionals in the financial sector and opens up a wide range of career opportunities. After evaluating our candidate database, we have compiled the most common career fields that are accessible to CFA graduates:

1. Research Analyst

As research analysts, CFA holders analyze securities and companies to make recommendations for investment decisions. They are key players at investment banks, hedge funds and asset management companies.

2. Portfolio manager

CFA graduates are exceptionally qualified for the role of portfolio manager. They manage the investment portfolios of clients or institutional investors, make investment decisions and monitor performance.

3. Risk Manager

Controlling and assessing risks is crucial for financial institutions. They are well qualified to take on risk management functions in banks, insurance companies and other financial companies.

4. Sales Managers

CFA professionals can also work in sales, for example in supporting institutional investors or fund sales. It is not uncommon for them to already be able to look back on a career as a fund manager, which helps them in the argumentation and understanding of strategies when selling investment solutions.

Applicants with CFA are prefered for employment

But how good are the chances that the CFA title really offers?
We first filtered our own CV database for candidates who either already hold the CFA title or are currently completing further training and working in the previously mentioned professional fields. A subsequent evaluation showed that there is a small but statistically significant difference between CFA holders/students and non-holders in terms of the chance of being invited for an interview.

The difference between candidates who have started or completed CFA training in getting the job at the end of the application process is almost twice as large and therefore clearly significant. Although a CFA title is not the only criterion when selecting applicants, at least in our sample 14.5% of the applicants interviewed by our customers for for jobs in the area portfolio management, research, risk management etc. had a CFA and only 8.7% haven’t had further CFA training.

Conclusion

The CFA title is an investment in your professional future in finance. It opens doors to high-level positions and offers the opportunity to stand out in a competitive market. If you want to be successful in the financial industry, getting a CFA title is undoubtedly one of the best decisions you can make. Follow the path of excellence and take advantage of the countless job opportunities that come with this coveted certificate.
Sebastian Brauße 19. July 2023 -

Ein Aufschwung nach der Krise: Die Erfolgsstory der deutschen Wirtschaftsprüfer

Nach einem anspruchsvollen Zeitraum während der Covid-19-Pandemie melden die 25 führenden Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaften in Deutschland beeindruckende Wachstumszahlen für das Jahr 2022. Die jüngsten Daten der Lünendonk-Studie 2023 “Wirtschaftsprüfung und Steuerberatung in Deutschland” zeigen eine bemerkenswerte Entwicklung in der Branche.

Starke Wachstumszahlen im Jahr 2022

Die Gesamtumsätze der Top 25 Wirtschaftsprüfer in Deutschland stiegen im Jahr 2022 im Durchschnitt um 10,9 Prozent, verglichen mit einem Plus von 4,8 Prozent im Vorjahr. Besonders hervorzuheben ist das überdurchschnittliche Wachstum von Deloitte, das mit einem beeindruckenden Anstieg von 23,6 Prozent den Markt überraschte. Insgesamt übersprang die Branche die Umsatzmarke von 18 Milliarden Euro, was einem Wachstum von 7,7 Prozent entspricht.

Die Big Four behalten ihre Dominanz

Die sogenannten Big Four – PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Ernst & Young (EY), KPMG und Deloitte – behalten ihre führende Position auf dem Markt bei und verzeichnen im Durchschnitt ein Wachstum von 11,0 Prozent. Besonders Deloitte konnte mit einem Umsatzplus von 23,6 Prozent glänzen, wobei das Unternehmen seinen Umsatzanteil im Bereich Consulting sogar verdoppeln konnte.

Erfolge der Verfolgergruppe Next Seven

Auch die sogenannten Next Seven, bestehend aus sieben WP-Gesellschaften hinter den Big Four, verzeichneten ein beachtliches Wachstum von durchschnittlich 13,2 Prozent. Dies unterstreicht die insgesamt positive Entwicklung der Branche, wobei Unternehmen wie MHL, Dornbach und RSM mit starken Wachstumszahlen überzeugten.

Ausblick und Herausforderungen

Trotz dieser Erfolge stehen die Wirtschaftsprüfer vor Herausforderungen wie Fachkräftemangel und gestiegener Fluktuation. Dennoch sehen sie in Technologien wie künstliche Intelligenz mehr Chancen als Risiken. Die steigende Nachfrage nach Restrukturierungsprojekten sowie die kontinuierliche Entwicklung neuer Geschäftsmodelle signalisieren eine dynamische Zukunft für die Branche.

Bewegung in globalen Netzwerken und Allianzen

Ein weiterer wichtiger Aspekt ist die Bewegung innerhalb der globalen Netzwerke und Allianzen. Unternehmen wie Ebner Stolz und RSM International vollziehen strategische Wechsel, die das internationale Geschäftsumfeld prägen und die Wettbewerbsdynamik verändern könnten.

Fazit

Die aktuellen Zahlen und Entwicklungen zeigen, dass die größten Wirtschaftsprüfer in Deutschland nach zwei anspruchsvollen Jahren wieder auf Kurs sind. Mit innovativen Ansätzen, einer zunehmenden Digitalisierung und einer starken internationalen Präsenz stehen sie vor neuen Herausforderungen, sind aber gleichzeitig gut positioniert, um von den Chancen einer sich wandelnden Wirtschaft zu profitieren.
Sebastian Brauße 1. April 2022 -

Credit Suisse is increasingly offering audit jobs in Zurich

As an evaluation of the job exchange Indeed shows, one company in the greater Zurich area that is currently increasingly hiring in the area of internal audit stands out, namely Credit Suisse.

An autonomous search was carried out for jobs with the keywords audit, revision, auditor or revisor in the job title or in the job description within a radius of 60 km from Zurich on the indeed.com job board. The data was then adjusted (exclusion of internship and working student positions, vacancies in the hotel industry, audit job offers from executive search consultants and standardization of company and city names), leaving 186 audit jobs for further analysis. Of course, not all jobs with the keywords used are “real” audit jobs, but rather risk management jobs, compliance jobs, controlling jobs. In addition to audit, the most common words in the job descriptions were business, compliance, data and risk. Moreover, a background in auditing is often a great basis for other career paths, which is why audit-relevant keywords are reflected in the job advertisements. For the sake of simplicity, all audit-relevant jobs are referred to as audit jobs in the following.

Most jobs for auditors at Credit Suisse

Results: Among the top 10 companies in the Zurich area with the most vacancies for audit jobs are of course the auditing companies PWC, KPMG, EY, Grant Thornton and Mazars, whose core competence is conducting audits. However, Credit Suisse is currently in first place with around 44 internal audit jobs. This means that more than 3 times as many jobs are vacant as at the main competitor UBS (14 auditing vacancies).

Top ten companies by number of audit jobs in greater Zurich area

The majority, namely approx. 86% of external audit jobs, are located directly in Zurich and only a fraction in neighboring cities and cantons such as Zug, Winterthur, Pfäffikon, Opfikon and Nussbaumen.

Top locations in the greater Zurich area for audit jobs

Credit Suisse offers home office audit jobs

The graphic below is also interesting. More than half of the Credit Suisse audit jobs at indeed.com are marked as home office jobs. In the “Location” field, “Home Office” was entered next to the city and canton. We have not checked to what extent other companies also offer the possibility of partial or complete remote work. However, it is known that, among other things, auditing companies carry out the audits at the customer’s site.

Top Companies by Number of Home Office Audit Jobs

German is required for around 70% of audit jobs

Of particular interest to auditors who want to move to Switzerland for career reasons, but also to other foreigners: In German-speaking Switzerland, “German” is still an important requirement for audit jobs. Because about 70% of the advertised jobs are either advertised in German or German language skills are at least mentioned.

Knowledge of German required for Zurich audit jobs

As is so often the case in Zurich, when it comes to internal audit jobs, it can be observed that the more international the employer, the less important German language skills become. In almost a third of the UBS audit jobs and around half of the Credit Suisse audit jobs, knowledge of German is not an issue at all and the job advertisements are in English. Other international banks such as Citi or commodity trading houses are joining the ranks, as this chart on non-German audit jobs is intended to show.

Top companies by number of non-German audit jobs
Sebastian Brauße 22. March 2022 -
No placement fee for Ukrainian refugees

It is already the 27th day of the war in Ukraine and there are no signs of the conflict ending anytime soon. As a result, the number of Ukraine refugees registered in Germany is steadily increasing and is now estimated at over 225.000 or more.

EU decision makes it possible for Ukrainian refugees to start work

We Executive Search Consultants know from personal contacts that there is a great deal of interest in finding work in Germany as quickly as possible in order to provide financial support for the relatives who remain in the Ukraine. Refugees were initially concerned about the lengthy asylum procedures with the accompanying ban on employment, which fortunately are not necessary due to the activation of the so-called mass influx directive by the EU. Because the protection status, which is regulated by this EU directive, means that refugees from the Ukraine do not have to apply for asylum, but receive a residence permit that enables them to work, do an apprenticeship or study in Germany.

According to this, Ukrainians who want to work in this country do not have to report a job change to an authority, nor do they have to go through a professional recognition procedure for unregulated activities, they have “comprehensive access to the labour market”. For all other professions, the regulations of the respective professional groups apply.

Ukraine strong in science and engineering

Even if there are no exact statistics so far, it can be assumed that the majority of employable Ukrainian refugees are women, because men between the ages of 18 and 60 are not allowed to leave the country due to the war. Refugee males aged 18-60 are believed to be foreigners themselves but have a residence permit for Ukraine. It is not yet possible to foresee how many of these refugee women will actually be available for the job market, since the majority of them will possibly take care of their children and families. Overall, preliminary estimates from the Zeit assume that at least 50 percent of the “refugees” are academics.

According to Kooperation International, one of the strengths of the Ukrainian education system is the comparatively high proportion of university graduates who graduate in technical subjects. Ukraine thus surpasses the average values of the OECD.

With regard to the professional profile and scientific publications, a specialization in the following fields can be determined (selection based on the specialization index country share/world share ≥ 1.3):

Physics and astronomy (20.1 percent, world: 7.8 percent, Germany: 9.6 percent)

Engineering (14.9 percent, world: 10 percent, Germany: 9.3 percent)

Materials science (12.6 percent, world and Germany: 6.0 percent)

Mathematics (7.6 percent, world: 4.3 percent and Germany: 4.6 percent)

Energy (4.5 percent, world: 2.1 percent, Germany: 1.6 percent).

Source: Kooperation International

Language barrier could make integration on the job market more difficult

On the other hand, integration into the German labour market could make language skills more difficult, especially with regard to English and German.

According to the EF English Proficiency Index , Ukraine ranks only in the middle, ranking 40th at the “Intermediate” level. So far little is known about knowledge of German and this will only be available in exceptional cases, for example through a linguistics degree or private courses. At least one can say that in the past there was quite a bit of interest in learning German,. According to Welt, Ukraine was the 5th country with the most learners of German.

Free recruiting out of solidarity with refugees from Ukraine

Due to this situation, we, as a executive search consultant for the financial sector at White Horse International, have decided to also set an example and to support refugees from Ukraine, to accelerate their integration in Germany and the German labour market. For the next six months ( Extension possible) we will not charge any placement commissions from our customers such as banks, insurance companies, asset management companies and other financial service providers, should one of our proposed candidates for a vacant position be an Ukrainian refugee. This of course applies to all Ukrainians as well as other foreigners who have also fled Ukraine due to the Russian invasion.

Our executive search and recruitment services are and will always be free of charge for candidates.