Non Big 4 People: Are you expected to devote X number of hours per week in addition to client work for internal "firm initiatives"?

OP, Oh honey...welcome to the green dot.

Having spent time there and having been now at 3 consulting firms (4 if you include our transition to PWC) Deloitte is quite frankly out of control. Nothing has ever come close. It also breeds really bad culture and weird behavior. Top three reason why I left

Deloitte S&O puts an incredible emphasis on extra curricular activities so much so that it is commonplace for practitioners of all level to do said work while on client site. They call it "double billing." It's common practice and incredibly unethical and unprofessional. It's the only place I've seen it done. At my last 2, and if you include PWC 3, firms extra work like BD and IP is required when on the beach and expected as a "differentiator" to help you get promoted but by no means does it ever take the place of billable work. I had a friend at Deloitte S&O who had over a 100% utilization but was "short" PRD hours so they gave her a 4 and a PIP at YE (and bonus ineligible). That same year a kid with about a 30% utilization but an assload of PRD hours was given a 3, received bonus, and life continued as if he was fine (in my mind he should've been fired because he was turning down projects that weren't 'finance' related). Deloitte staff and partners are great. I didn't like the managers / senior managers. In the DC area there are a lot of bearing point legacy folks and many are great - but a lot were not in my opinion high caliber consultants. Deloitte is the only place when people throw up away messages on email where they list like 5 million activities and who to reach out to during their absence (e.g., project his person, BD this person, IP this person, some ridiculous social committee this person, etc etc)

Yes but it is a "nice to have". From what i understand, Deloitte is pretty strict about that. At ACN, you do more for visibility and recognitions.

I'm in the same boat - weekends and evenings spent doing random non-skill work just because I'm a Sr. Con. Wonder how it is at other non-Big 4/ACN firms.

PRD should be something you want to do or want to learn more about - like an elective in college - you choose. And you choose who you want to work with / for. Except proposals - those choose you. Pick PRD you care about. And if you're stuck in something lame, say you're reshuffling your commitments and you're going to step aside. Then part ways amicably. Know how to say no to stuff you don't want to do ("my plate is full -- don't want to overcommit and disappoint you"). Keep busy with P/Ds you admire. #drinkingthekoolaid #makingthekoolaid

DD1 I honestly was so in love with Deloitte and it was hard to leave. Then I left and I have been given way more responsibility and encouraged to work on my skills instead of spending countless hours on a deck for a project I will never be a part of...

At Bain, you're supposed to take part in a few "Extra 10%" efforts, but there isn't a set number of hours that you need to dedicate to them. Most people pick a few things that they're passionate about (recruiting, training, volunteering, planning social events, etc.) and find ways to get involved with them.

New firm - Appendix Consulting LLP

Explain*

It was a big relief moving from D to Acn. Can actually focus on building some skills and charge ability haha

@acn2, S&1: I'm considering the same. For me, I feel that I'm wasting my time and skill working under inept managers who do only excel work and have outdated skills. Firm initiatives I can live with.

Firm initiatives are good/should be used for building a skill in a "risk free" environment. If you don't want a 1, don't kill yourself over the outside stuff. Just do what you're interested in.

My two cents. Sorry for the long post

S1, couldn't agree more! Of all the ones you've worked at, which had the most emphasis on the skill/impact? I've been with Deloitte for six years and it's all about the number of success stories and how well you phrase it.

Small boutique start up I was at - there's no room for poor delivery or performance. Also strategy& as well. The bill rates and compensation are too high to warrant consistently bad work. I would say at the small firm flawless delivery was expected which had its faults because you couldn't learn and grow really. Strategy& is a decent blend - expected to execute at a high caliber but won't be fired right away for striking out every once in a blue moon. I think they all have their cons. S& hours are really bad in my opinion and some guys do get promoted for simply going through the steps instead of truly being entrepreneurial. Think the answer is to start your own firm haha

My manager made the entire recruiting team (9 BAs) write PEs and then gave me (and some others) a 3, which is actually going to hurt me at year end (my only 3, all projects are 2s). WTF. That's how seriously some people take PRD at the green dot #2andout

Strat&: evaluate?

Seriously? I'm interviewing with them tomorrow to get a promotion via changing teams. This is disappointing.

And don't get me wrong - it's a GREAT stamp on the resume and a lot of great people and good work