Company: Deloitte
Date: 2013-08-19
Overall rating: 5/5
Employment status: current
Experience level: Junior

Great place to work, IF you're in the right place, at the right time and in the right career track.
Pros: Deloitte offers 3 different career tracks, which is great because this allows you some control of your career and work/life balance.  There are pros and cons to each career track, but Deloitte does care about meeting the needs of their employees.  I am in the Associate career track.  I don't get as big of a bonus as those in the PPD or Specialist tracks, but I have the best work/life balance.  I don't get hounded with emails at the end of the day nor do I have to do all the other "extras" that can take you into the late evenings, leaving me time to spend with my family, which is most important.

Deloitte has extremely generous PTO and maternity leave.  No other consulting firm has been able to match theirs in this area.  I do have a high utilization target, but I could take 5 weeks off and still meet my utilization.

People here are smart, friendly and caring - that's my personal experience.  Deloitte really helps those who help themselves.
Cons: Proposal work!  Proposal work!   I don't have to do many, but the ones I have to work on can be very time consuming.  

Utilization!  Utilization!   Although we do get a generous PTO, there hasn't ever been a time when I wasn't making up hours when I got back to work.  Sure I can take 5 weeks off, but I am judged primarily on utilization and 90% is just meeting utilization.  You need a high utilization if you want to achieve a higher performance rating, which translates to higher pay and bonus.

Promotion doesn't always seem fair.  I've witnessed a number of promotions that just didn't make sense.  It's like a cheap car salesman getting promoted.  They talk a good game and embellish quite a bit on their achievements.  You really have to market and sell yourself to move up the ladder.  If you're lucky, you will work with a great manager who recognizes you for your hard work and reward you accordingly.

The up or out model for those on the PPD track.  You can only stay at a certain level for so long.  If you're not moving up, YOU ARE OUT!  And if you're in the Associate track, if your project ends and you don't find something soon, you're OUT too.  They don't let you sit on the bench as long as those on PPD and Specialst tracks.

Management structure is very different than other consulting firms.  You really don't have a "manager" in the traditional sense.  You have project managers.