Just received a call from Deloitte telling me that my experienced hire assessment centre round needs to be postponed from this Friday to early January (9th to be exact) as they are not in a position to make firm offers this side of xmas.Obviously I understand why this is, but does any have any experience with this situation and whether its likely that they'll actually assess me and offer a job in the end?Just wondering if I'm wasting my time if I wait on them until January and find out there's nothing at all available (despite applying for a specific job advertised online).

Apply elsewhere while you are waiting - there is no guarantee of an offer even if you go to the assessment centre anyway.

My experience of Deloitte was that they had a number of positions to fill, then when they filled them they have a pipeline of potential candidates they don't quite know what to do with, so pas them on to other practices or come up with some rejection reason. Companies don't like to say they are stopping hiring. It is bad for the share price.In the current climate it sounds like they are doing similar - trying to postpone the pipeline of new resource. Keep applying elsewhere, but it is a tough time. If you do get the role, well done.

The traditional pattern is that, once postponed, the assessment centre will keep getting moved back until it is eventually cancelled or all of the candidates get bored and move on. This isn't unique to DC - the other Big 4 do it too. In the context the current headcount reductions, I'm sorry to say that the post you're interviewing for is most likely a dud.

Deloitte is not (yet) reducing headcount.