Pros
Competitive salary and bonus (see cons) Flexible trip and work arrangements Great people that are very personable Opportunities to work directly with the client, very valuable experience Sr. Mgmt are willing to teach if you are willing to learn (see cons)
Cons
Unexpected long hours do not balance well with the salary: Consulting commands long hours, but when Sr Mgmt cannot understand the concept of plans/schedules, then this can put a strain on work/life balance. False opportunity for career growth and expansion: The person who supports you for promotion better be at the top or else you just wasted a year. Huge emphasis on who you know, not how well you performed...funny for a company that embraces their slogan. Internal politics and lack of transparency: Huge firm-wide decisions show up in your inbox overnight with no warning for major changes that greatly affect careers. The "economy is rough" excuse can only go so far without a hint of unprofessionalism. Also, the actual statistics of layoffs may be nice to share with your own employees that are investing their time and stock options in their firm. No tuition reimbursement program: We work like MBA's, so either pay us like it or reimburse us so we can have the title.