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The shitty part is that utilization is largely out of your control but is what your "performance" is heavily evaluated on.
Scenario:
Consultant 1 is hired and there is an immediate need at the local office's anchor client where the new consultant is place in a staff aug role for 2 years. The consultant is essentially an employee of the client but is 100% utilized and gets the elusive 1 rating.
Consultant 2 is hired the following week and no deals have been inked. Consultant 2 builds relationships beyond the local office through networking, proposal work, and volunteer events. Consultant 2 is invited to participate in 3 different (shorter) engagements that hone critical hard and soft consulting skills. Consultant 2 is awarded an achievement award for success by engagement mgr, but with 40-60% year end utilization, receives a 3 or 4 rating for "performance".
There is also a conflict of interest in leaders being evaluated on project returns vs staff on utilization, which creates pressure to eat hours, thereby, negating the value that utilization has in planning.
I applaud the firms that have moved away from utilization as a measure of performance.
Good for you. Sincerely.
Seriously, congrats on tier 1. What did you do differently?
Happy for you OP!
Alternative: 1st yr, fresh out of college, tier 4, laid off. 2nd year, new job, increased confidence due to having found a better fit, raise/recognition, on track for business school. Lesson: if things haven't worked out, then it's not the end yet 👍
We don't use it but if you aren't staffed it's hard to get reviewed.
It's out of your control often times but you can create good relationships with all ppeds and senior managers so they staff you when you're on the bench. Way to stay positive and get the promo!
We don't use it either and every post I read like this makes me thankful. OW1's point is valid for us too tho, more work you do the better your reviews tend to be
@K1 which firms are you talking about out of curiosity? I haven't heard any consulting firm which has moved away from using utilization as a key performance metric