| Topic Name: |
technology background->consulting |
| Message Name: |
Please |
| Date Posted: |
01/13/2003 |
| In Reply To: |
with some of the other replies.
I graduated with a BS in CS and an MS in engineering. I've been with a big four consulting firm for 4+ years on large custom development projects. I've been doing very technical work that also involves heavy interaction with clients.
On my projects, as soon as someone has shown s/he has the ability to take more responsibility, they've gotten it. I feel I've picked up a lot of industry knowledge. I've lived through poorly managed projects and well managed projects. Even the times when we worked 12 hour days for a couple of months straight were good experience, because it taught me how not to manage a project.
Everyone is thrust into the first role that is open when they start. It's up to YOU to pick up the skills in the area in which you want to work and to make a role for yourself. No one is just going to give the plum role to you until you give them some hint that you can handle it.
To succeed in IT consulting, you need to
- have strong technical skills and/or the ability to quickly pick up those skills.
- be able to discuss very technical issues with very non-technical people without making them feel stupid.
- be able to manage yourself and learn to manage others, especially client teammembers who are typically less motivated and knowledgable.
If all you want to do is code in a dark room and never learn the business, then consulting is not for you. The firms are trying to make a place for pure techy people, but when it comes right down to it, there are enough people out there who can both code and be presentable to clients.
As to your question about missing recruiting dates, I think it'll be difficult to get the big consulting firms to look at you. Most of them have probably already made their offers to May grads by now. I'm not part of recruiting, but that's what I remember from previous years. |
| Message: |
My experience is the technology consultants are the least knowledgeable programmers. They generally go through a week or two of high level VB, Java, or whatever assignment is required for the client and that's it. The rest is learned on the clients dime. "Presentable" generally means a kid right out of school who fits the image of the firm. This is very important when you are locked in a dark room at the client site.
There are few people with extensive experience because if you are good, you either leave the firm or get promoted to a non technical role.
Clients are "less motivated" because they tend to be older and have a life outside of work. They also don't particularly like the fact that management is paying a consulting firm 2x as much to bring some useless kid to write spaghetti code.
To succeed, you need to be able to fake your way through programming just long enough for the project to end and kiss ass to your partner and managers (the only people you really answer to).
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