KPMG Europe, one of the ‘Big four’ accountancy firms, plans to reduce its reliance on recruitment agencies. Ruth Elwood, head of recruitment and resourcing at KPMG Europe, told Recruiter that the firm is looking to increase its direct sourcing of experienced hires.

“What we want to do is build our own talent pool from people who apply to us and be able to data mine that ourselves because it is the people who can sell, who can identify what we want, who we want,” said Elwood.

During the last two years KPMG had reduced the proportion of experienced hires from agencies from 50% to 30% through improved data mining of its own talent pool and other sourcing methods such as increased use of job boards. Before the economic downturn, KPMG recruited around 3,000 experienced accountants a year. However, this year because of the economic downturn, it expected to hire 500.

“It is vital particularly in this economic market that we are not only efficient but cost effective in our recruitment while ensuring we recruit the top talent we need for future business growth and opportunities,” added Elwood.

Elwood said that KPMG continued to use a preferred supplier list of around 100 recruitment agencies that specialise in specific areas.