Pros
-It can be a good learning experience if you happened to be staffed on one of the very few first rate projects with a competent project manager who knows how to COMMUNICATE. -We have some very smart folks who can dissect complex issues. Most are better off working alone, few can work well with others in terms of giving proper guidance and team leadership. -Good brand for litigation consulting, but forget business consulting. - Decent benefits, but not sure how much longer that will lasts. - If you are independent and possess a lot of initiative, this will be a great entry level job if you are a Junior staff (Analyst/Associates), since most do end up in good/top programs for MBA/Phd/Law. Just remember, people with strong initiatives get very far in life regardless of where they work.
Cons
-Think of an upside down pyramid: Vice Presidents far outnumber the mid and junior staff, yet there is always a lack of project work to keep the few remaining mid and junior staff utilized. - For mid-level consulting staff, professional training is a joke. The bare minimum is provided, and the VPs do very little in terms of taking a vested interest in developing future leadership from within. -Employees are only incentivized to have a myopic focus on utilization alone. Marketing/ proposal work is "appreciated" but not rewarded. And we wonder why we are having trouble filling the pipeline in terms of potential work? - Can be very political, depending on in which practice you are working. - Trouble retaining top employees: Lack of professional development, only utilization is rewarded, low morale due to a continuous high attritrion rate of good/top performers leaving for better opportunities, Sr. management says "A" but does "B", and do very little in terms of inspiring employees. -Lack of transparency in terms of bonus compensation: no one really knows what efforts are being rewarded until after bonuses are already doled out. -Only downward feedback processes, but no upward feedback. Senior management does not want to know what they are doing right or wrong.....nor do they take time to give proper downward feedback as well. -Lack of strategic direction for the company overall. At the practice level, some are better managed than others.