Just make sure you are happy with the compensation that Booz offers as raises are minimal and bonuses do not start until the level after Lead Associate. I switched from Booz to Deloitte and recommend Deloitte over Booz. My projects were dependent on the team I was hired on... and my team wouldn’t allow me to change projects.
I left and I now work 40 hours a week for more money because I taught myself the technical skills I needed to enable that.
I have small kids and being expected to bill 45 on top of additional activities was actually quite difficult for me, particularly because there wasn't flexibility around telework.
PTO at Booz Allen counts towards utilization. Taken 15 days off PTO this year with 0 impact. I am not going to hit my utilization target as an associate this year and it will never be mentioned
I know a lot of folks that swapped between the two. More people that went from Booz to Deloitte than Deloitte to Booz though
My $.02 is to just follow the money since they don’t seem to be different. From an outsider perspective, it looks harder to move around clients in Booz than Deloitte
From what I've heard and experienced, they offer slightly better pay at the upper-lower to middle tier. But in the higher positions, like VP, their pay is pretty low. That's why lots of them are coming over to Deloitte as MD's
I did. Was a great move actually. But BAH is sort of like a start up inside a big company... you have some groups and teams that are straight up amazing... and some that just hammer the nail.
Want to reiterate differences among teams. I started at Booz on a team I had 0 interest in but was able to move laterally by networking my way around. Some teams are really great, but others are like a wasteland. I don't know anyone who's gone from Deloitte to BAH, but I have friends at Deloitte. Compared to them I certainly work fewer hours than them and have more work-life balance
We don’t have SMs at Booz. The big push towards BD work starts at the Lead Associate/Senior Associate levels, but can depend on your career track. If your focus is more functional/technical, you’re supposedly not gonna be pushed into BD work...but if your management team is gung-ho for BD, they’re going to push you that way anyway, and ding you if you don’t pick it up.
I jumped from D to BAH, albeit with a small detour in between. My experience at BAH as an A was very laid back. 40 hours of client work, no util pressure when taking PTO and parental leave, no expectation for BD (though I worked on BD anyway), and overall great people and valuable work we were doing for the client.
That said, raises were trash. I absolutely crushed it my first year and got a massive 3.25% raise (I wasn't in cyber, so no bonus at the A or LA levels). I was also told by my CM that the account couldn't afford a promo to LA, so I was out of luck despite he and my SA being conceptually in support of the promo.
Frankly, if my comp had been higher in the first place, I'd probably still be there, I really liked my experience besides the raise and account affordability issue.
I did the opposite switch but I had a similar experience at BAH regarding minimal raises. I would say the WLB is dependent on the team. My last project consistently had 60 hour weeks. The project was federal. Also a difference is that you often have projects based on your team vs Deloitte where you have to find your project. My former team was very strict about not switching to other projects that weren’t under my senior associate. It was a huge reason why I left after a year on this crazy project, my leadership said we could discuss a potential move after another year. I then sent my resume to Deloitte and had an offer within a few weeks.
I would also check to see if BAH has switch to an up and out model. I left 7 years ago but at that time you could stay at the same level. My team had several lead associates (equivalent to manager at Deloitte) who didn’t want to go to the next level because of sales targets. This became problematic as it limited the levels below from being promoted. I’ve heard it may have changed because of this issue, but not 100% sure.
McKinsey & Company I’m considering joining Mckinsey SF/ Silicon Valley office. Hoping to know more. How often do you go the office ? Which areas do people live at? Given the Covid situation, is it okay to not be physically present in SF? McKinsey & Company
Just make sure you are happy with the compensation that Booz offers as raises are minimal and bonuses do not start until the level after Lead Associate. I switched from Booz to Deloitte and recommend Deloitte over Booz. My projects were dependent on the team I was hired on... and my team wouldn’t allow me to change projects.
5% raise and a 10k bonus every year Im only a level 3 as well. Compensation depends wholly on what contract you're working.
We aren’t penalized for taking PTO.....
I left and I now work 40 hours a week for more money because I taught myself the technical skills I needed to enable that.
I have small kids and being expected to bill 45 on top of additional activities was actually quite difficult for me, particularly because there wasn't flexibility around telework.
Moved internal from Deloitte to internal at Booz. Much nicer culture at Booz!
PTO at Booz Allen counts towards utilization. Taken 15 days off PTO this year with 0 impact. I am not going to hit my utilization target as an associate this year and it will never be mentioned
Coach
Booz doesn’t use the term “utilization” any more. We have billable targets, but PTO is built into those numbers.
I know a lot of folks that swapped between the two. More people that went from Booz to Deloitte than Deloitte to Booz though
My $.02 is to just follow the money since they don’t seem to be different. From an outsider perspective, it looks harder to move around clients in Booz than Deloitte
From what I've heard and experienced, they offer slightly better pay at the upper-lower to middle tier. But in the higher positions, like VP, their pay is pretty low. That's why lots of them are coming over to Deloitte as MD's
I did. Was a great move actually. But BAH is sort of like a start up inside a big company... you have some groups and teams that are straight up amazing... and some that just hammer the nail.
Want to reiterate differences among teams. I started at Booz on a team I had 0 interest in but was able to move laterally by networking my way around. Some teams are really great, but others are like a wasteland. I don't know anyone who's gone from Deloitte to BAH, but I have friends at Deloitte. Compared to them I certainly work fewer hours than them and have more work-life balance
Omg don’t goooooo. I went to Booz from PwC and it was the worst. I find Accenture to be a great balance.
Yeah pretty curious. No judgment or sarcasm, truly curious . That is all. I feed off of perspectives
80%, but you are penalized basically for taking PTO
OP, that impacts SC and below the most. You should be able to take all your PTO and still hit 80%.
Basically no compliance and way less utilization stress because Booz “variance” (utilization) targets aren’t a big thing
And they have a much better 401k match with 9k a year for training.
What level are you? What industry?
What’s the utilization target at D? At what staff class?
Manager DS&J
What’s your utilization target?
Is it similar to Deloitte that it turns into a sales job around the SM / PPMD level?
We don’t have SMs at Booz. The big push towards BD work starts at the Lead Associate/Senior Associate levels, but can depend on your career track. If your focus is more functional/technical, you’re supposedly not gonna be pushed into BD work...but if your management team is gung-ho for BD, they’re going to push you that way anyway, and ding you if you don’t pick it up.
I jumped from D to BAH, albeit with a small detour in between. My experience at BAH as an A was very laid back. 40 hours of client work, no util pressure when taking PTO and parental leave, no expectation for BD (though I worked on BD anyway), and overall great people and valuable work we were doing for the client.
That said, raises were trash. I absolutely crushed it my first year and got a massive 3.25% raise (I wasn't in cyber, so no bonus at the A or LA levels). I was also told by my CM that the account couldn't afford a promo to LA, so I was out of luck despite he and my SA being conceptually in support of the promo.
Frankly, if my comp had been higher in the first place, I'd probably still be there, I really liked my experience besides the raise and account affordability issue.
I did the opposite switch but I had a similar experience at BAH regarding minimal raises. I would say the WLB is dependent on the team. My last project consistently had 60 hour weeks. The project was federal. Also a difference is that you often have projects based on your team vs Deloitte where you have to find your project. My former team was very strict about not switching to other projects that weren’t under my senior associate. It was a huge reason why I left after a year on this crazy project, my leadership said we could discuss a potential move after another year. I then sent my resume to Deloitte and had an offer within a few weeks.
I would also check to see if BAH has switch to an up and out model. I left 7 years ago but at that time you could stay at the same level. My team had several lead associates (equivalent to manager at Deloitte) who didn’t want to go to the next level because of sales targets. This became problematic as it limited the levels below from being promoted. I’ve heard it may have changed because of this issue, but not 100% sure.
Up or out model only happens at the Partner level. Until then - no up or out.