|
KPMG PEAT MARWICK MAIN & Co.
|
"You can be an entrepreneur; cut out a niche and run with it."
— Mark Levin, Principal in Charge, Information Technology Practice
• Micros to mainframes •
• COBOL, CA-IDMS, DB2, PACE •
• Professional services • Mid-size shop •
|
|
| |
|
KPMG Peat Marwick Main & Co. is the world's largest professional services organization. Their Information Technology consultants focus on systems integration projects, data center moves and consolidations, vendor-to-vendor conversations, large-scale database conversions and the design and improved performance of networks.
Peat Marwick was founded in 1897. The company has 50,000 employees worldwide, with 24,000 in the United States and 700 in the Boston, Massachusetts and Hartford and Stamford, Connecticut areas. New York City is corporate headquarters for the U.S. operation. KPMG is based in Amsterdam. Ninety-five percent of their business is with commercial clients. KPMG earned revenues of $3.8 billion in the last year.
|
|
Technology
Computer professionals work on clients' hardware and software, which ranges from IBM PCs, Compaqs, and Wang PCs to Sun workstations, DEC, Wang, and AS/400 minicomputers to IBM, UNISYS, and Honeywell mainframes. Programming is mostly in COBOL. Software used includes database management systems, such as CA-IDMS, DB2, ORACLE, and PACE.
The Boston office has 60 computer professionals. They work in the Information Technology, Health Care, Government, Financial Institutions or Employee Benefits business units within the Consulting Department. Job titles include Staff Technician (nonexempt), Consultant, Senior Consultant, Manager, Senior Manager, and Partner. Consultants perform both new development and maintenance work. A recent project involved opening 1,600 Assembler programs and 4,000 COBOL programs to expand the lengths of fields such as sales figures. KPMG has developed a product called React, designed to translate Assembler code to COBOL to ease conversion projects.
|
|
|
Culture
Computer professionals work at client sites in the Boston, Hartford and Stamford areas, and at KPMG's offices in Boston. At corporate offices, consultants and senior consultants work in cubicles and managers work in offices. Everyone has at least one IBM PC. Smokers are expected to be considerate of non-smokers.
Approximately 50 percent of the work is out of town. The average workday is 10 hours, including travel time. There is no overtime compensation for computer professionals, but the amount of time spent traveling may affect bonuses.
KPMG is proud of its environment, which provides staff members with the opportunity to run their own businesses within the umbrella organization. They feel they offer computer professionals excellent compensation and an entrepreneurial environment.
KPMG grants 20 days of personal time off (PTO) to start, which increases to 30 days at a given job level (not tied to years of experience with the company). The company pays for medical insurance for employees and contributes to family coverage. They pay for disability, dental and life insurance (one times the annual salary). The company contributes to a retirement plan and adds $.025 to every $1.00 an employee adds to a 401(k) plan. There are no layoffs.
|
|
|
Candidates
KPMG looks for solid technical skills in such areas as COBOL and database management systems and for the ability to communicate well. Candidates should have a college degree, not necessarily in a technical area. A consulting background is preferred. The average computer professional has 7 years of experience and some graduate education.
There are entry-level positions available for those with good technical skills. One to two years of work experience is expected from those without a college degree. New employees are found through vendor user groups such as SHARE and GUIDE, and college recruiting. The company hired 10 computer professionals for their consulting practice nationwide in the last year.
|
|
|
Contact
Letters are preferred.
Mr. Mark Levin, Principal in Charge
Information Technology Consulting Practice
(617) 723-7700
KPMG Peat Marwick
1 Boston Place
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
Copyright 1991. Vandamere Press. Covin’s New England Computer Job Guide
|
| |
|
|
|
|