Reply to: Working for a consultancy - pros/cons?

[Whorty]

Having worked in a big 4 consultancy, I can certainly say it's not for me. Apart from much of what others have said, another foible is the targets that are set for consultants. Where I was it went thus:

80% billable days
20% sales days
20% internal development

Yes, I know this comes to 120%. And that really is the case. When I was at client sites for 3 months solid (so 100% billable) I still had to meet the other 2 targets. 12 hour days in the office, then say goodbye to your weekends

[redgiant]

Funny you mention DeLorean, I saw one just the other day, in good condition it was actually.

Had plenty of time to check it out as the driver had broken down and pulled up to the side of the road

They are making them again so Alphas (and new Range Rovers) have some company on the hard shoulder!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DeLorean_DMC-12

[MrMarkyMark]

You are correct, they were excluded from govt contracts because of their involvement in the DeLorean fiasco. They spent the next decade sucking up to New Labour, on the assumption that sooner or later, NL would get back in, and they'd be first in the trough. It worked. I'd offer names, but CUK's lawyers will be having kittens at the mere suggestion, so I won't.

Funny you mention DeLorean, I saw one just the other day, in good condition it was actually.

Had plenty of time to check it out as the driver had broken down and pulled up to the side of the road

[Mordac]

The Andersen who were banned from government work under Maggie? Or another part of the same company?

You are correct, they were excluded from govt contracts because of their involvement in the DeLorean fiasco. They spent the next decade sucking up to New Labour, on the assumption that sooner or later, NL would get back in, and they'd be first in the trough. It worked. I'd offer names, but CUK's lawyers will be having kittens at the mere suggestion, so I won't.

[ChimpMaster]

Absolutely this.

The Mrs has just started a contract for a boutique type of consultancy. I have to say I liked their method of engagement and things seem to going well thus far.

One fly in the ointment is Accenture are involved, as they have had a number of goes at trying to catch her out.
One attempt was suggesting she did a big presentation (requiring business domain knowledge) to the business on day 3

She soon nipped that in the bud and presented just her specialist knowledge part. The client then commented on a number of occasions how good her part of the presentation was

Unfortunately, they are hugely out played by my Mrs and sometimes, unknowingly to them, I feed in a few choose suggestions too

Love it.

But yes some of the smaller consultancies can be good because they usually have the smart people working for them.

Thoughtworks was one such place a while back, but not sure now because it has grown quite rapidly.

[SueEllen]

I was contracting at Andersens when the big split happened (for younger viewers that was when Andersen Consulting threw their toys out of the pram and went off to become Accenture). Personally I wouldn't touch any of the big consultancies, but there are plenty of smaller ones out there who are very good and well respected, and to those in the know, they wouldn't look bad on your CV.

The Andersen who were banned from government work under Maggie? Or another part of the same company?

[MrMarkyMark]

I was contracting at Andersens when the big split happened (for younger viewers that was when Andersen Consulting threw their toys out of the pram and went off to become Accenture). Personally I wouldn't touch any of the big consultancies, but there are plenty of smaller ones out there who are very good and well respected, and to those in the know, they wouldn't look bad on your CV.

Absolutely this.

The Mrs has just started a contract for a boutique type of consultancy. I have to say I liked their method of engagement and things seem to going well thus far.

One fly in the ointment is Accenture are involved, as they have had a number of goes at trying to catch her out.
One attempt was suggesting she did a big presentation (requiring business domain knowledge) to the business on day 3

She soon nipped that in the bud and presented just her specialist knowledge part. The client then commented on a number of occasions how good her part of the presentation was

Unfortunately, they are hugely out played by my Mrs and sometimes, unknowingly to them, I feed in a few choose suggestions too

[Mordac]

I used to be a permie (senior) consultant on a salary of 65k plus a highly geared utilisation bonus structure that would add up to around £25k. It was sometimes fun, when I was in my mid 20s but I soon tired of the constant travel and living out of a suitcase.

Lack of control was the single biggest problem; I would come back from one country on a Friday evening and be told that I had to fly out to a different country on Monday, with no choice given because I was ‘owned’ by the company and they had to cover my salary and make sure I was billing for them. I missed out on going out with friends, being there for family events and just ‘living’ like normal people do. I spent many a week and weekend alone in a hotel room because I was the only consultant on-site. It was sad. I was sad.

The final straw was when I got married and bought a house, only to be told I’d have to go work 300 miles away on a year-long project. I quit on that day and ‘fell’ into contracting. The contract itself was 100 miles but you know what, it didn’t matter because it was my choice and within my control (and a heap more money….). 6 months later I chose to come back closer to home when a contract came up nearby.

Consulting is a good experience when you’re younger and I do have some really good memories of eating at plush restaurants, drinking out with clients/colleagues, big Xmas parties etc, everything on all expenses paid. But that’s the good side. The bad side will eventually catch up with you and cause issues in your personal life, if you have one.

And if you’re a consultant billed out by Accidenture or DeToilet or whoever, you are costing the end-client £1000+/day. As a contractor you might go in at £500 or £600, a heck of a lot cheaper and if you can prove yourself then more likely to be retained and trusted.

I have personally made the choice never to work for a consultancy again.

I have no idea what this Adultery is all about. There were pretty much only ever blokes on my assignments!

I was contracting at Andersens when the big split happened (for younger viewers that was when Andersen Consulting threw their toys out of the pram and went off to become Accenture). Personally I wouldn't touch any of the big consultancies, but there are plenty of smaller ones out there who are very good and well respected, and to those in the know, they wouldn't look bad on your CV.

[Fronttoback]

I would imagine that if they let you go, then they cannot invoke an anti-poaching order because you've not been poached.

This happened to me. I had to get the end client to threaten the consultancy with no more work in the organisation ever, to force the consultancy to write me a waiver to go direct after they were booted (and so was I since I contracted into them). They did it. But before that they were threatening to enforce it if I went back direct within a year (since the end client approached me but made it clear I had to handle any legal issues myself).

[MrMarkyMark]

All consultancies do, that's one of the biggest things about working for one. They do not see you as a human being. You are a number, a cost that must be mitigated and turned into a profit by billing out wherever and whenever. They have no regard for your personal life. You are simply one of many drones for them to farm out.

I think I've made my position clear too.

I know, having worked for 5 others.
I just CSC were particularly bad from a number of people.

[SueEllen]

And now corrected

I also know a couple of contractors who were let go by CSC and went contracting... at their most recent CSC client! Not sure how they got around the restrictive clauses, but it was all above board.

Lots of restrictive clauses are so restrictive they are legally unenforceable.

[ChimpMaster]

All I know about people who contracted for CSC, was they said they wanted their pound of flesh, then some.

For that reason, alone, I'm out

All consultancies do, that's one of the biggest things about working for one. They do not see you as a human being. You are a number, a cost that must be mitigated and turned into a profit by billing out wherever and whenever. They have no regard for your personal life. You are simply one of many drones for them to farm out.

I think I've made my position clear too.

[LondonManc]

And now corrected

I also know a couple of contractors who were let go by CSC and went contracting... at their most recent CSC client! Not sure how they got around the restrictive clauses, but it was all above board.

I would imagine that if they let you go, then they cannot invoke an anti-poaching order because you've not been poached.

[MrMarkyMark]

And now corrected

I also know a couple of contractors who were let go by CSC and went contracting... at their most recent CSC client! Not sure how they got around the restrictive clauses, but it was all above board.

All I know about people who contracted for CSC, was they said they wanted their pound of flesh, then some.

For that reason, alone, I'm out

[ChimpMaster]

Thats exactly how I started contracting

Did you miss a word out of that though?

And now corrected

I also know a couple of contractors who were let go by CSC and went contracting... at their most recent CSC client! Not sure how they got around the restrictive clauses, but it was all above board.