Booz Allen Hamilton reviews

After going public, the company changed. There is a full-time emphasis on 'billability' with little regard to an employee's career track. Employees are afforded 40 hours of training per year, but that time needs to be made up through proposal work, etc.

Although I've made a couple of amazing friends, I have to say that the large majority of people I worked with or engaged with at Booz Allen were very difficult and challenging. There is a egotistical hierarchy within the firm and expect to work with overly aggressive and hostile people. Further, the firm does not work as a meritocracy, it is all about who you know and building those relationships. If you expect to put your head down and work hard to achieve great results for your clients, don't expect to be rewarded for that - unless it is rewarded with additional work. Further, you should expect to work a great deal. You will be expected to deliver to clients full-time, work a ridiculous 360 degree assessment process, and build business. This is when the firm is not asking you to volunteer time to administrative tasks and meetings, help develop marketing materials, or build employee resource groups, etc. Don't be expected to be provided the resources you need to do good work either. You volunteer your own cell phones, home office equipment, etc. Booz Allen definitely creates barriers to success and is looking to decrease costs in order to maximize profit margins on billing rates. Your compensation will likely be low - negotiate up front. I've seen some truly remarkable resumes accept lower than market salaries and job titles. Security is also at risk. If you are unable to find a project in 60 days, expect to receive notice that you will be leaving the firm. I observed a time when we went on a hiring spree and were unable to staff those individuals, just to see them let go in droves. Further, I watched loyal employees with 10+ years with the firm be fired in the most gruesome way. Individuals were told on Friday that if they received a phone call Monday morning by 10 AM, they would no longer have a position with the firm. For many that must have been a terrible weekend with their families and a long anxious wait in the morning. Overall, your experiences will be highly variable. You will see some high highs by working with some fun intelligent people, but you will also work with some nightmare scenarios and ridiculously difficult individuals.