Pros
- Very informal / casual atmosphere - Partners share offices and all non-partner titles are "unofficial" - Bright, friendly colleagues - If you want it, opportunity for near limitless travel - Great expense policy means you can live well while travelling - Work is interesting & becoming moreso as build relations at higher levels of the company. Lots more true "strategy" work - Good brand name within FS. We regularly win business away from Mckinsey & Bain in the top tier clients.
Cons
- Time to partner is increasing (last year's promotes all ~9 years experience). Compensation at partner level is higher than other firms, but lower for non-partners. You will be underpaid relative to your peers at all levels until partner. Hence if you do not intend to become partner (and there are no promotions to track your progress to partner), financially it makes less sense. - Very "eat what you kill" approach to partnership. Must bring new new clients and revenue to be considered. - Travel is constant - assume 4 days a week. Potentially three weeks at a time if further away. Difficult to balance with a home life. - Poor communication from management and general sense of distrust between management and consultants (although consultants & partners generally get on very well) - Note: All these comments are for Oliver Wyman FS - there is little / no interaction with the other OW businesses.