Pros
-Paid for certifications -Had a good manager who made sure everything was going well and would follow-up on any issues I had. Not everyone is so lucky. -Good salary -Lots of opportunities for training & group get togethers -Pretty clear path to advancement -I find I work less overtime as a consultant because the client companies don't want to have to pay for more time than was contracted for, so better work/life balance.
Cons
-Internally disorganized - when something goes wrong it's difficult to figure out who to go to to get things fixed. -Bench not streamlined - they will give you some time to wait for a good assignment, but if they don't have something that fits you they will put you wherever you can be billable, no matter if it fits your career goals or is just completely dull. Pretty much like any other consulting firm in that respect. -The bonus they offer (over so many hours in a quarter is bonus pay) is pretty much not possible to get unless you are working a lot of overtime - vacation days count against it. I preferred when I worked for a consulting company that paid it's full time employees hourly - I was more likely to work overtime, if allowed by the client. -No tuition reimbursement, no 401k match