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Pros/Cons of Working at Big R&D Consulting Firm?

Posted by Cliff on from the room-to-grow dept.

pagalvin asks: "I'm being recruited for an 'R&D Architect' position at a Big 4 consulting firm in the U.S. Does the community care to share its experience working as 'overhead' in a large organization that is most famous for its consultants working 60 hour weeks and billing 'til the fat lady sings? In such places, do non-billable R&D types get any respect? Is there a a long-term career path that sticks with the technology track?"

5 of 41 comments (clear)

  1. To answer your questions by megaditto · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Yes, no, and yes.

    --
    Obama likes poor people so much, he wants to make more of them.
    1. Re:To answer your questions by ElectricRook · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Put me down for Yes, No, No.

      BTW, The company will allow you to work yourself to death. In fact, the culture will setup the conditions for that career track.

      Manage your work-life balance. When you find yourself coming in early and leaving late, it's time to take really long lunches. Not in the cafeteria, get a buddy of like mind, and walk to a restaurant across the street to get some exercise. Try to find something a half mile away or more. Flirt with the help, browse the local shops. It may be the only life you get.

      Don't ever skip your lunch... Ever, just once leads to a lifetime habit, claim health reasons. When you can't manage your work-life balance. Stick to an eight hour day. Get a hobby that does not involve the PC, get outside and meet people.

      Basically, don't let work become your life. Nobody ever regretted "working too little" on their death-bed.

      The company won't value your time (the stuff life is made of). In order to save a few bucks, they'll cut back on resources, make you stand-by during the day, then work late at night. Of course this will be presented as an exciting challenge. Everyone else is "on-board", get with the program... NOT!

      Hope I didn't come off as too cynical...

      Oh Shit... It's Friday night, and I'm surfing /. At least I'm on vacation next week.

      --
      - High Tech workers, please say NO to Union Carpenters, their Union sees fit to control our compensation.
  2. R&D at Texas Instruments by erroneus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    My father was R&D at Texas Instruments back when I was a kid and TI was hot and all that. He brought me into his lab once and they had liquid nitrogen and helium and oxygen faucets! How cool is that?!

  3. From my experience by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 3, Interesting

    From my experience, the ones who aren't billable are the ones who get cut first.

    --

    "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
  4. I would skip it by gelfling · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have a personal aversion to the bullshit at consulting firms. The pressure to generate revenue the brutal social Darwinism, the massive hours just to show your face and the fact that after all that it's bootlickers and sociopaths who get ahead. The only thing worse than a consulting firm is one of those Market Research firms like Gartner or Yankee group. They used to give people personal valets because they didn't want them to EVER leave work. Not ever. May they all sexually service mythological beasts in hell, all of them.