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Pros/Cons of Working at Big R&D Consulting Firm?
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?"
My last corporate job was with an R&D position at a major telco. When things were going well respect was high and so were the perks, however when things werent going so well the pressure was on, it was like they felt that 12 hours days and increased on-call duties would make us suddenly overcome problems caused by red tape and over-zealous marketing clowns than actual hardware and software problems. In the end when budget cuts and layoffs came, the engineers were the first to go while the managers and marketing team stayed on, service suffered the existing product became harder and harder for the lower level engineers to support and eventually the entire service was dropped. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! Would I stick around again as long as I did? Hell No!
I learned in my 5 years there than I have in any other position, it was challenging and personally rewarding, looked impressive on a resume. Besides the cool tech stuff I learned, I learned to pay close attention to what is going on outside the job at hand. Pay attention to what customers are being told, or what they tell you they are being told. Cover your ass, if something isnt going to work, speak up even if you worry it will cost you your job since if your right and let it go eventually it will cost you your job anyway. Endurance and Dedication are admirable traits in a human being but are usually taken for granted in a corporate enviroment. Putting in the extra hours once in a while is great but do it to often and it will become expected of you. The way most companies see it your reward for hard work is getting to have a job the next day, remember that and any kudos that come your way after success will be unexpected surprises. Get out while you still enjoy it, if you keep going until burnout you will find yourself unmotivated to get back into that arena again.
You will have a higher risk of being cut since your work is not core to the business. You will be both admired and hated by the non-R&D folks. You will work on cool stuff and have lots of fun. You'll likely have lower pay and advancement opportunities since your compensation is getting to work on cool stuff and having lots of fun. You will have a higher chance of using Nerf(TM) toys at work. You probably don't have a girlfriend. You will have a conversation about Sci-Fi at least once a week. You will feel that you would be more appreciated and arguably at lower risk (other than company viability...) if you work for a small startup tech company rather than doing R&D in the IT universe.
:-)
The important thing is to follow your heart and do what you are passionate about. If you do that, everything else you want will likely follow. Well, maybe not the girlfriend...
My father retired from the Navy and went to work for one of the government contractors in the area; he wound up going through seven jobs in six years, because every time that a contract ended, the company would lay off all but the top three or four managers from the project, and he'd have to find another employer. After that, he decided to go back to work for the Navy as a civil servant (amusingly, winding up working about fifty yards from where I worked (having gotten hired as a civil servant for the Navy when I got out of college), and eventually retired from civil service. Working for a company that depends on government contracts for its operations is a chancy business until you've got enough experience that you're on the high end of the pile when the cuts go in when the contract ends.
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.
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.
Your mother will keep expecting to see the buildings you designed.
ccalam - acoustic versions of new songs.