job description

I work at BearingPoint which is a global management and technology consulting firm, and my job title is Business Analyst. My job encompasses many things, ranging from financial analysis regulatory compliance auditing and technology development to anything in the realm of business; it's really overarching. I've gone from technology implementations and pure financial analysis to technology testing and system strategy and development. I always work on teams and every effort is dependent on a strong teamwork environment. I've been here for a year and a half.

Typically, in consulting you go on a variety of projects in which you have client that you work for, which, by my experience, can be the government or a business. Basically, you work for anyone who is willing to hire you for a need that they have and can't fill with their own staff. Companies fill those spots with a consultant who has a certain amount of knowledge and expertise in the field they are working on. For example, if your client is an insurance company or a bank, you are working for that client, and you and your team join that client's project for a set amount of time. Your responsibilities and duties vary completely depending on the nature of the client's needs and role that you are filling for that client.

My day-to-day activity is never the same, and hasn't been the same throughout the 18 months I've been employed, but I do have recurring duties on specific projects. I was in Washington D.C. for a four month project, and my week was typically the same. I flew to D.C. on Monday, I worked about 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., which were pretty easy hours on that project, and did a whole bunch of financial analysis during the day and reported my results at the end of the day. I came home Thursday night, and spent Friday just making follow up calls. That was my standard week. My role is defined for only the amount of time it takes to complete an effort, which always changes. The goal is to utilize 100 percent of the time, which means bill the client 40 hours a week or more. This year I was utilized about 82 percent of the time and the rest I was sitting on the bench, which means I wasn't billing any hours. During that time, I can do anything from training, project development support, to working with managers from other fields to uncover new business opportunities. Most of these managers are industry experts who have been working in their respective fields for decades.

There are several levels of typical interaction; the client, the rest of the BearingPoint team and management, and there is often a third party, which could be another consulting firm or vendor or both. Usually the term vendor refers to the supplier of the technology being worked with. It is always expected that interaction varies pretty widely.

Actually, my role ends today on a project that I have been working on for fourteen weeks. We were working in the insurance industry, in which an organization was having trouble with their cash processes; cash coming in and out, as well as their accounting and allocation for the cash. We were helping them streamline their process so that it was more auditable, giving them more accountability in everything that happens. We were also helping them select the best vendor to do this, choosing the company with the best technology to satisfy their need.

I don't want to say there are unrealistic time deadlines, but the majority of the time I work well over eight hours a day. It's not a standard nine to five job whatsoever. You get tons of e-mails from people all over the world. This last project there were people involved from India so I was getting e-mails and phone calls at odd hours. It's not a difficulty, but rather something you grow into. The odd hours could be difficult for someone who wasn't used to it in the very beginning.

Also in consulting there is a lot of turnover, which means people come and go pretty quickly. We had a project manager, who holds the majority of the project knowledge, leave midway through the project. The new manager had no experience with this type of project leaving me responsible for transferring a lot of knowledge to him to help him to guide the team, which was kind of stressful.

I pretty frequently interact with the higher-ups of other companies, like presidents and vice presidents, which involves a lot of quick thinking on my feet. You really have to know your clients business on the project and be able to communicate properly, because if you don't, you sink.

It's very professional, even in the most social situations. The majority of the people I interact with are very serious and intelligent about his or her work. Even with the most menial of tasks people remain very professional. It's fast paced and most people seem pretty satisfied.

education & career path

I double majored in Economics and Finance at the University of Illinois at Chicago. After I graduated in December of 2005, I wandered around Europe for a while. After I returned, I applied for jobs in all types of industries, but nothing was hitting too quickly. In mid-May, I got four job offers in one day and decided to work with BearingPoint.

Corporate Finance, Macroeconomics, Econometrics, Organizational Management, Business Statistics, Competitive Strategy, Advanced English Writing and Composition.

The typical entry-level position in the consulting industry is Analyst. Some people work in the industry for a while before arriving at consulting. They may work for a bank or insurance company and then join a consulting firm to use the knowledge they have gained in the industry they came from. There are criteria established for promotion. Most revolve on personal and professional development. At the lower level positions, such as Analyst, Senior Analyst, and Consultant, project experience and demonstrated drive are keys to promotion.

I hope to be promoted to senior analyst in the next three or four weeks. It's very possible it will happen, but I still need to put in my year-end review. A year-end review is a write up of all the projects I've done in 2007, with a description of my challenges and achievements. I submit it to the engagement managers for approval. You have to gage yourself on how you demonstrated the company values and how you grew in your competencies. You do this half way through the year and at the end of the year, which are criteria for promotion. After Senior Analyst is Consultant and then Senior Consultant. At some point I'd also like to go to business school for an MBA.

my day

Working project to project, there is a ton of variety. You have no idea what you are going to do on your next project, unless you hand pick it, which usually isn't the case. You know the overall direction of the project; there is a plan. You look ahead at whom you have to call and get information from, but of course there are always challenges and roadblocks that pop in during that time, which is where the variety comes in. Someone will send me an e-mail stating they can't find a piece of information, so I have to go in search of it before anything else can be done.

I go to the office once every three weeks, usually if I have to meet someone. No one really has his or her own desk, because we travel so much. It's a 1:5 or 1:6 ratio of seats to employees, because most employees are at their client's offices. In terms of day to day, I wake up around seven and check my e-mail and make coffee. I turn on my computers and check my calendar. I see what calls I have to make throughout the day, and start sifting through e-mails I received the previous night, although I usually check it around midnight or one before I go to sleep, but I can still wake up with a lot. I then get to work, maintaining the information I have been developing. Right now, I'm putting together this big matrix of information, which involves tens of thousands of data elements that our client will use to make a decision. I put them all together and organize accordingly, to make sure all the formulas in the spreadsheet are working correctly.

It's 50/50 working on the weekends. If there is a big project milestone coming up, then usually I will. If it's not done on Friday, then you have to get it done on the weekend. Last weekend, I spent five to six hours on Saturday and Sunday getting the deliverable ready that's due this week. I wouldn't say that's typical, though. I'm usually just working Sunday night, preparing for the week and always checking my e-mail throughout the weekend.

Breaks depend on many things. First, if there is work to be done and a tight deadline, breaks aren't much of a priority. Second is location; if I am at a client's office I will probably only break for lunch when they do. While in my office or at home, my breaks are up to me. There is no micro-management of my time but I always have to remain accountable and demonstrate productivity.

salary & lifestyle

Always 40 plus hours, but I've gone on as much as 90 hours, which is rare. I'd say 50 to 60 hours is average.

On a project that requires travel, it's usually 100 percent, Monday through Thursday is typical. If they need me somewhere for meetings Monday morning, then I go Sunday night. Eight months of this year I left on Sunday night and returned Thursday night. They tell you when you interview to prepare to travel 100 percent of the time. I travel anywhere a company is based. For example I was in Washington DC for a couple months. If a client doesn't find it necessary for you to travel, then you can work from home because it costs the client a lot extra to have me onsite with them. I have traveled to big cities and to small towns like Stevens Point, Wisconsin, which was a five-hour drive from Chicago up to the middle of nowhere. I primarily travel throughout the United States.

At the analyst level, depending on experience, total compensation ranges from $45,000 - $70,000 a year, which is pretty varied. I've heard people in the public services sector get less than those in financial services. I know people who are higher up with a lot more experience, and even though his or her title is only a level or two above mine, they make double to triple what I do. I make closer to $60,000. There is also per diem pay, which is money you receive while traveling.

I got yelled at for working during our Christmas dinner, which for us is the week before December 25th, but I had stuff to do because a project was closing the week of Christmas. I was getting bombarded with e-mails all weekend, and I have a Blackberry, so I was sitting there looking at what needed attention. In terms of my social life, this job has definitely slowed it, because I'm not around all the time. Usually, I can set my schedule around other things. I've had the good fortune of going to baseball games in the middle of the afternoon because there is not much going on, but I know I have to make up for that time with work that will come in the middle of the night. There have also been situations where I've planned on doing something, but I'll get e-mail when I'm needed, so plans are cancelled. Also, dating is difficult.

In terms stability with BearingPoint, it's kind of uncertain because the financial services industry is struggling so much right now, so I don't know. Overall though, the consulting industry will always be there, and someone at my level will always have a job,as long as they get in with the right company, which is the hard part.

I get five weeks for vacation. I recently went to Scotland for a week, and I'm going to South America for three weeks. When I return, my vacation balance will be zero. I will probably work non-stop then until July.

pros, cons & trends

I love completing challenging tasks. I start out never knowing how I'll get it done and what tools I'll use, but working through that uncertainty is really satisfying. Actually seeing projects come together, which can take months and months, and years for some people I've heard, is great. When it's done, it's not about the congratulations, but the knowledge that I actually did it.

The initial hump when starting a project, when you think you have more information than you can handle. You are responsible for learning the processes that other people have been doing for years. You need to know within a couple of days exactly how it works, which can be a really big challenge, but I don't know if frustrating is the right word. Also, sometimes the external factors of the project we're working on can be frustrating; dealing with outside management and with people who are responsible for my progress and staffing.

Just time. No personal relationships have been sacrificed, but you definitely start to realize the value of those relationships. I find it a lot more important to answer phone calls from my mom and dad. Also, paying a thousand dollars a month to live where I do and only being there three days a week is sacrifice.

I'd say it's always growing, but there might be some inclination to say it's shrinking because of some issues going on right now in financial services, which might mean less growth in that sector. But usually, growth means problems, and thus more business. These companies need someone to fix them, which is where consultants come in. There are three silos at BearingPoint: financial, public and commercial services. While the economy has slowed business in financial services, public services grew a lot.

It has had a tremendous effect. We have development centers all over the world, which I fully anticipate being apart of. I'll most likely do a tour duty in Bangalore, India, working in a development center sometime in the future. Globalization is the root of a lot of competitive advantages for the company. From a location standpoint, using resources that cost a lot less in such places as India and China is a huge plus. Also, global risk factors into a company's cross-takeout strategy when it wants to limit its operating expenses every year and try to look globally for resources. Additionally, companies are always stressed to keep a global perspective. People and information are more interconnected than ever before, and the smallest change in a distant corner of the world can make a big difference.

advice

Everything that is given to you as a concrete rule is subject to interpretation. This applies to my job in so many different ways.

A person who is focused and driven, and pretty articulate because you have to interface with clients often. You don't have to necessarily be business oriented, but rather goal oriented. You have to be someone who likes challenge.

I have the desire to learn new things constantly, as well the desire for challenge, travel, and change. I constantly see new people, places and processes that are completely foreign to me. I receive new assignments that I've never experienced before and I'm expected to fulfill them; I love that challenge.

There are two important things we look for on a resume. One, in the financial services industry, we look for someone with experience in another firm or in the industry they are trying to get into. For example if they want to work in the banking practice, we look for a couple years in post undergraduate work experience in retail banking or financial services for a bank or some sort of banking related business analysis. Also, a resume should demonstrate the soft skills or the foundation for someone to be trained in that arena: impressive grades and strong course acumen, leadership experience, and extracurriculars. Internships are a huge plus. Also, my references helped me out a lot, from previous jobs and professors. Specifically, I took a class called Strategic Management, which constantly reminds me of my job, and I got a reference from that professor. The most important things that got me my job were the interview and resume.

I researched the firm on Vault, which is a consulting-oriented career website, although I was already familiar with the firm because I had been following the industry for years. I followed this industry and a few others for two years, just to make sure I knew the variety of options I had and where I could get in. I found the posting on Monster and submitted my resume, and got a call a couple weeks later.

Build your own brand; brand yourself. In everything that you do and everyone you interact with, you have to think what this is doing to represent who I am and what I'm capable of, which I received from one of my managers.

You meet a lot of excellent people and make a million connections and it's all about those connections, which can prove to be really good enhancements to your career. Personal relationships mean a lot.