Attracting young talent
Hannes Pfitzner is Manager International & Corporate Tax at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Hamburg. In his interview he explains why his company – one of the global leaders in the market for auditing and consultancy – chooses to cooperate with universities like Bucerius Law School to attract young talent.
Since when have you been cooperating with Bucerius Law School? What does this cooperation entail?
We have been working closely with the Bucerius Master of Law and Business for about two years now. The cooperation with the school takes many different forms, but with regard to the Master of Law and Business its main focus lies on providing internships to students of the Master’s program, each year. We also regularly give presentations on campus, during which we present our company to students who are interested in a career with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Last but not least, we attend the annual Career Day – another chance to meet and talk to students of the program.
Why do you take part in these kinds of activities?
They are an interesting platform to present our company to students of highly renowned universities such as Bucerius Law School. These students receive an outstanding education, which makes them as attractive for us as PricewaterhouseCoopers is for them.
Which qualities do you look for in a job applicant? Is there a certain profile, which is particularly relevant?
Applicants should be able to work independently. Ideally, they also have a certain degree of experience in our line of work. However, most importantly, we are looking for distinct personalities! The students and graduates of Bucerius Law School definitely meet these criteria.
What would be your advice to (foreign) applicants, who are interested in working for PricewaterhouseCoopers after graduation?
They should be extremely well prepared for the position they aspire to and they should have work experience in that particular field. Furthermore, even though German language proficiency is not a criterion for an internship position in the international departments, we do recommend at least basic German language skills. Being able to communicate in German has proven considerably valuable in terms of teambuilding, and it facilitates the contact with local clients.
