Vault Guide To The Top 25 Technology Consulting Firms (2004)

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2004 Vault Inc.
VAULT GUIDE TO THE
TOP 25
TECHNOLOGY
CONSULTING
FIRMS
STEPHANIE CLIFFORD, MARSHALL LAGER
AND THE STAFF OF VAULT.
2004 Vault Inc.
VAULT GUIDE TO THE
TOP 25
TECHNOLOGY
CONSULTING
FIRMS
SPONSORED BY:
TATA CONSULTING SERVICES, DELOITTE & TOUCHE,
DIAMOND CLUSTER, COVANSYS CORPORATION, KAPLAN
INC., ACCENTURE, KEANE, INC., FREE TECH TRAINING
BLAST
Copyright 2004 by Vault Inc. All rights reserved.
All information in this book is subject to change without notice. Vault makes no claims as to
the accuracy and reliability of the information contained within and disclaims all warranties.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Vault
Inc.
Vault, the Vault logo, and the most trusted name in career information
TM
are trademarks of
Vault Inc.
For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, contact Vault
Inc.,150 W. 22nd Street, 5th Floor, New York, New York 10011, (212) 366-4212.
Library of Congress CIP Data is available.
ISBN 1-58131-265-2
Printed in the United States of America
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to everyone who had a hand in making this book possible,
especially Ed Shen, Todd Kuhlman, Marcy Lerner, Elena Boldeskou
and Laurie Pasiuk. We are also extremely grateful to Vaults entire staff
of writers, editors and interns for all their help in the editorial and
production processes.
Vault also would like to acknowledge the support of Matt Doull, Ahmad
Al-Khaled, Lee Black, Eric Ober, Hollinger Ventures, Tekbanc, New
York City Investment Fund, Globix, Hoover s, Glenn Fischer, Mark
Hernandez, Ravi Mhatre, Carter Weiss, Ken Cron, Ed Somekh, Isidore
Mayrock, Zahi Khouri, Sana Sabbagh, and other Vault investors, as well
as our family and friends.
In order to ensure that our research was thorough and accurate, we
relied on a number of people within the consulting firms that we
profiled. A special thanks to all of the recruiting managers, public
relations executives, marketing professionals and consultants who
graciously provided feedback whenever we needed it.
To the hundreds of consultants who took the time to be interviewed or
to complete our survey, we could never thank you enough. Your
insights about life inside the top consulting firms were invaluable, and
your willingness to speak candidly will be a great service to job seekers
and career changers for years to come.
Visit the Vault Consulting Career Channel at http://consulting.vault.com with
insider firm profiles, message boards, the Vault Consulting Job Board and more. ix
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
INTRODUCTION 1
A Guide to This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
THE VAULT PRESTIGE RANKINGS 5
Ranking Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
The Vault 25 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
OVERVIEW OF THE TECHNOLOGY
CONSULTING INDUSTRY 11
The State of Technology Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
THE VAULT 25 19
IBM Global Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Deloitte Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Accenture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Cap Gemini Ernst & Young . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
BearingPoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Perot Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Keane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
Sapient Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
EDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Computer Sciences Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80
Logica/CMG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
META Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
DiamondCluster International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .96
Infosys Technologies Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
American Management Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .110
PA Consulting Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Telcordia Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126
Wipro Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Tata Consulting Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Table of Contents
Vault Guide to the Top 25 Technology Consulting Firms
Table of Contents
2004 Vault Inc. x
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
The Titan Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
Syntegra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
T-Systems International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
SBI and Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Atos Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Fujitsu Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
THE BEST OF THE REST 161
Alliance Consulting Group Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .162
Aquent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Ciber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Commerce One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .172
Computer Task Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
Covansys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
GFI Informatique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188
SchlumbergerSema . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Technology Solutions Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .196
Tiax, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Xansa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
APPENDIX 207
Index of Firms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .209
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 211
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insider firm profiles, message boards, the Vault Consulting Job Board and more. 1
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Welcome to the first edition of Vaults Guide to the Top 25 Technology
Consulting Firms. While Vault has published a guide to consulting for six
years, 2004 is the first year we ve put out a guide to the very top technology
consulting firms. The 25 top technology consulting firms were chosen and
ranked by 315 practicing IT consultants though an exclusive Vault survey.
In total, you ll find 36 technology consulting firms in this guide.
The technology consultants in this book range from Big Four powerhouses
to specialized boutiques, and are headquartered all over the world. One
thing s for certain, though they re all top, desirable technology consulting
employers.
Technology consulting has seen a few slow years, but the industry is poised
for a renaissance a resurgence that many industry observers think has
already started. Do your research. Take a look at the firms in our guide
you might be choosing your next employer.
Good luck with your technology consulting career!
The Editors
Vault, Inc.
A Guide to this Guide
If you re wondering how our entries are organized, read on. Here s a handy
guide to the information you ll find packed into each firm profile in this
book.
Firm facts
Locations: Alisting of the firm s offices, with the city of its headquarters
bolded. For firms with a relatively small number of offices, all cities are
included. Countries for international offices are typically not specified
unless the location is uncommon.
Introduction
Practices Areas: Official departments that employ a significant portion
of the firm s consultants. Practice areas are listed in alphabetical order
regardless of their size and prominence.
Uppers and Downers: Good points and, shall we say, less positive
points of the firm, as derived from consultant interviews and surveys, as
well as other research. Uppers and downers are perceptions based on
surveys, research and interviews and are not based on statistics.
Employment Contact: The person, address or web site that the firm
identifies as the best place to send resumes or the appropriate contact to
answer questions about the recruitment process. Sometimes more than
one contact is given.
The Buzz
When it comes to other consulting firms, our respondents are full of
opinions! We asked them to detail their opinions and observations about
firms other than their own, and collected a sampling of these comments in
The Buzz.
When selecting The Buzz, we included quotes most representative of the
common outside perceptions of the firms, even if in our opinion the quotes
did not accurately or completely describe the firm. Please keep in mind
when reading The Buzz that it s often more fun for outsiders to trash than
praise a competing consulting firm. Nonetheless, The Buzz can be a
valuable means to gauge a firm s reputation in the consulting industry, or at
least to detect common misperceptions. We typically included two to four
Buzz comments. In some instances we opted not to include The Buzz if we
did not receive a representative array of comments.
The Stats
Employer Type: The firm s classification as a publicly traded company,
privately held company or subsidiary.
Stock Symbol: The stock ticker symbol for a public company.
Stock Exchange: The exchange on which a public company s stock is
traded.
A Gui de to thi s Gui de
2004 Vault Inc. 2
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Chairman, CEO, etc.: The name and title of the leader of the firm.
Sometimes more than one name, or the name of the head of the firm s
consulting business, may be provided.
No. of Employees: When disclosed, the total number of employees,
including consultants and other staff, at a firm in all offices (unless
otherwise specified). Some firms do not disclose this information;
numbers for the most recent year the information is available (if at all) is
included.
Revenue: The gross sales (in U.S. dollars) the firm generated in the
specified fiscal year(s). Some firms do not disclose this information;
numbers for the most recent year the information is available (if at all) is
included. In some cases, revenue is given in Euros (EUR).
The Profiles
The profiles are divided into three sections: The Scoop, Getting Hired and
Our Survey Says.
The Scoop: The firm s history, clients, recent firm developments and
other points of interest.
Getting Hired: Qualifications the firm looks for in new associates, tips
on getting hired and other notable aspects of the hiring process.
Our Survey Says: Actual quotes from surveys and interviews with
current consultants of the firm on topics such as the firm s culture,
feedback, hours, travel requirements, pay, training and more. Profiles of
some firms do not include an Our Survey Says section.
Best of the Rest
Even though the name of this book is the Vault Guide to the Top 25
Technology Consulting Firms, we didn t stop there, including 11 other
firms we thought notable and/or interesting enough for inclusion. These
firms are listed alphabetically.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
A Gui de to thi s Gui de
THE VAULT
PRESTIGE
RANKINGS
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Ranking Methodology
This year, for the 2004 edition of the Vault Guide to the Top 25 Technology
Consulting Firms, we selected a list of top technology consulting firms to
include on the Vault survey. These firms were selected because of their
prominence in the technology consulting industry and their interest to job
seekers.
The Vault survey was distributed to the firms on Vaults list in the summer
and fall of 2003. In some cases, Vault contacted practicing consultants
directly. Survey respondents were asked to do several things. They were
asked to rate each consulting firm on the survey on a scale of one to 10
based on prestige, with 10 being the most prestigious. (Consultants were
unable to rate their own firm. They were asked only to rate firms with which
they were familiar.)
Vault collected the 315 survey results and averaged the score for each firm.
The firms were then ranked, with the highest score No. 1, all the way to No.
25.
We also asked survey respondents to give their perceptions of other
consulting firms besides their own. A selection of those comments is
featured on each firm profile as The Buzz. We typically included two
to four Buzz comments. In some cases, we opted not to include the Buzz
on a profile.
Remember that Vaults Top 25 Technology Consulting Firms are chosen by
practicing consultants at top consulting firms. Vault does not choose or
influence the rankings. The rankings measure perceived prestige (as judged
by consulting professionals) and not revenue, size or lifestyle.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
The Vaul t Presti ge Ranki ngs
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
RANK FIRM
1 IBM Global Services
HEADQUARTERS
Somers, NY 6.1806
2 Deloitte New York, NY 6.1707
3 Accenture New York, NY 5.9209
4 Cap Gemini Ernst & Young New York, NY 5.5549
5 BearingPoint McLean, VA 5.3514
6 Perot Systems Dallas, TX 4.8367
7 Keane Boston, MA 4.6286
8 Sapient Cambridge, MA 4.537
9 EDS Plano, TX 4.4681
10 Computer Sciences Corporation El Segundo, CA 4.4658
11 Logica/CMG London, UK 4.4286
12 META Group Stamford, CT 4.4063
13 DiamondCluster International Chicago, IL 4.3200
14 Infosys Business Consulting Services Bangalore, India 4.2286
15 American Management Systems Fairfax, VA 3.9767
16 PA Consulting London, UK 3.8889
17 SAIC/Telcordia Technologies Piscataway, NJ 3.8333
18 Wipro Services Bangalore, India 3.7674
19 Tata Consulting
Mumbai, India (HQ)
New York, NY (U.S. HQ)
3.6111
20 Titan Corporation San Diego, CA 3.6000
21 Syntegra
Fleet, UK (HQ)
Arden Hills, MN (U.S. HQ)
3.5682
22 T-Systems Frankfurt am Main, Germany 3.5667
23 SBI and Company Salt Lake City, UT 3.5263
24 Atos Origin
Hoofddorp, Netherlands (HQ)
Paris (Financial HQ)
3.475
25 Fujitsu Consulting/DMR Consulting Edison, NJ 3.431
SCORE
The Vault 25 2004
[The 25 most prestigious technology firms]
Vault Guide to the Top 50 Management and Strategy Consulting Firms
xxxx
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
OVERVIEW
OF THE
TECHNOLOGY
CONSULTING
INDUSTRY
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Overvi ew of the Technol ogy Consul ti ng I ndustry
The State of Technology Consulting
IT consulting traces its roots from several parents. Traditional management
and strategy consultants found their clients wanted more than just advice
and reorganization; forward-thinking CEOs wanted their computers and
electronics to be more than just a convenience. Another dollop of DNA
comes from the engineers and Web heads who facilitated the rise of the
Internet in the late 1980s and early 1990s. As technology became more
complex, these Silicon Alley gurus scaled up their offerings to keep pace.
Thirdly, traditional technology firms, like IBM, have moved strongly into
the consulting field over the past 20 years as sales of their mainstay
hardware have stagnated.
The technology consulting industry arose in response to the growing
availability of computer technology in the workplace. Businesses realized
that effective technology and technological processes were essential to
maintaining competitive footing in the workplace. However, many
companies found themselves without the internal capability to update their
tech. The solution? Technology consulting companies. Outdated internal
tech departments (or the absence of such a department altogether) prompted
companies to employ computer savvy offered by IT consulting firms. The
growth in governmental outsourcing of technology needs both from the
United States and other nations has also been a boon to technology
consulting firms.
The Big Five er, Four
Five firms (Andersen, Deloitte & Touche, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers
and Cap Gemini Ernst & Young) rose to dominate professional services,
including both accounting and consulting. These so-called Big Five
developed noteworthy technology consulting practices in the 20th century.
Unfortunately, they also developed some noteworthy conflicts of interest;
the highly-publicized accounting scandals of the late 1990s and early 21st
century came from these sources. Ethical lapses at Andersen, in particular,
led to its dissolution and sale to its rivals. Another result was the passage
of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which established rules and penalties for
professional services firms. The act made it less practical and more difficult
for a firm to provide both accounting and advisory services; of the
2004 Vault Inc. 14
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
remaining Big Four (or, more popularly, Final Four), only Deloitte has
maintained a unified practice.
Blue skies?
Like many businesses, technology consulting firms have suffered in recent
years as the United States economy fell into a recession. Corporations cut
back on technology spending and outside hiring during the slump, forcing
the technology firms that depended on their business to endure falling
profits and layoffs. (Technology firms that rely on government contracts,
however, suffered a lighter downturn, especially with the increase in
defense and security technology work contracts after the September 11
attacks and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.) However, the
beginning of 2004 is bringing brighter times to the industry. The United
States economy is apparently in recovery, and companies are beginning to
turn an eye to deferred technology upgrades. The cost-saving measure
known as business process outsourcing (BPO) continues to grow in
popularity. Revenue growth outside the United States has been a plus for
many technology consulting firms BearingPoint, for example, grew its
business by just 1 percent in the United States in 2002, but 33 percent
overall.
The internationalization of technology
consulting
One of the most noteworthy trends in technology consulting has been
outsourcing engagements outside North America and Europe. India, China
and a number of other countries (including Singapore, the Philippines and
Pakistan) have benefited from the outsourcing of development and tech
support to those countries. According to US Banker, a Forrester Research
report projects that 3.3 million service- and knowledge-based jobs will
migrate to other countries by 2015. Market research firm Gartner predicts
that up to 40 percent of U.S. companies will develop or test software,
provide tech support, or provide storage functions overseas by 2004. The
loss of American jobs to foreign corporations is a hot campaign issue;
Democratic presidential candidates Howard Dean and John Edwards have
both made this a plank in their platforms. There has been some talk among
legislators as well of action to limit the practice of offshoring, as it is
also called, but so far it s just talk.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Outsourcing started in India, as U.S. consultancies, financial firms and
other businesses tried to take advantage (literally) of a large pool of
technical personnel who were willing to work for less. Alok Aggarwal,
head of outsourcing-expediter Evalueserve, estimated in a Business
Standard article that new consultants in India earn about a fifth what their
U.S. counterparts do. The smarter firms also used their Asian locations as
a selling point; Sapient Corp. instituted a global distributed delivery
model, passing engagements across time zones to speed completion. Other
firms have either independently developed similar models or copied
Sapient s.
What goes around, comes around
Now, however, the influx of work has created offshore powerhouses that
compete with the very companies who provided the work. The Indian
government has worked to create a business-friendly environment by
instituting economic incentives and infrastructure investments. In addition
to India holding 70 to 80 percent of the outsourcing market, India-based
firms such as Infosys Technologies and Tata Consultancy Services have
become major players in their own right. As a result, wages are on the rise
among Indian technicians, and their firms may in turn begin to outsource as
well, perhaps to China. Stefan Spohr, a principal with EDS s A.T. Kearney,
predicts that new outsourcing hot spots will include Mexico, South Africa
and Hungary, to name a few candidates.
Mergers and acquisitions
IBM made big news when it acquired PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting
in October 2002. Big Blue saw its revenue surge as a result; IBM Global
Services and IBM Business Consulting Services account for half of IBM s
revenue today. Since that merger, there have been a large number of
acquisitions in the tech consulting industry. Announcements of firms
buying rivals, software developers and just about anybody else they think
will improve and increase their business occur almost daily. Details of the
more significant mergers may be found in this book s profiles, but many
more are in the works. For example, SchlumbergerSema would have been
ranked in this guide but the company was acquired by Atos Origin in
2003.
2004 Vault Inc. 16
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Harvesting the tech consulting crop
Recently, there s been a blurring of the lines between management and
technology consulting. Big strategy firms such as McKinsey and Booz
Allen Hamilton have been beefing up their technology capabilities (Booz
Allen Hamilton is especially prominent in the government consulting
sector) while some IT firms look to make a name in management consulting
(EDS, for example, acquired A.T. Kearney).
A major reason for this is inherent to the sort of work consultants do. A lot
of engagements don t fit neatly into one category or the other; revamping a
company s business strategy might very well involve nuts-and-bolts
changes to the infrastructure. Similarly, a simple technology
implementation might spark a client to change its organization to take full
advantage of the new tech resources. The result of a management process
audit might show the client can work more efficiently by outsourcing some
of its business processes, and all of a sudden a management project is an
operations job.
Less concrete, but still important, is the matter of image and perception.
Consultants are problem solvers by nature and profession. To succeed, a
firm must either own a niche or have a reputation for being able to do it all.
Though most firms have specialties, competition makes niche ownership
difficult to achieve, so a full-service image is often the solution.
There s also a perception, erroneous but driven by potential clients cost-
cutting efforts, that strategy consultants don t deliver anything that the
company s own personnel couldn t come up with in time. Management
firms have always had to overcome that prejudice, whereas technology
specialists tend to work with deliverables a client can see and touch
hardware, software and personnel.
Engagements
Security
The world is still coping with the effects of the September 11 terrorist
attacks and trying to prevent backlash from military expeditions. IT
businesses have realized there s money to be made in designing and
implementing better security and identification methods. Strides have been
made in biometrics (the science of identifying a person via retina patterns,
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
voice, fingerprints and other unique biological characteristics), contraband
detection and secure communications. SchlumbergerSema, acquired by
Atos Origin in September 2003, devotes its DeXa suite of services to
firewalls, security badges and disaster recovery.
Research and development
Some consultants spend their time in the lab creating new hardware and
software. Often, this work is geared toward creating new products (servers,
analysis software and the like) that will help the consultancy sell work or
accomplish the engagements is undertakes. In other cases, the consultants
must create something entirely new for a client s use; for example, this is
the realm of military contractors like Raytheon.
System Integration
This is one of the traditional jobs of the IT consultant. When two
companies merge, or a single company wants to implement new hardware
or software, they turn to consultants to make all the technology compatible.
Sometimes, this is a simple matter of installing upgrades or changing
settings. More often, it s a long and arduous process of writing new code
to force all the machines to play nicely together.
Outsourcing
Another long-time area of tech consulting expertise, business process
outsourcing (BPO) is the bread and butter of many firms. Some companies
find it easier and more cost-effective to pay somebody else to manage their
technology for them. The consultants, in effect, become the client s IT
department. They handle everything from help desk and call center
operations to server maintenance to passkey and ID tag issuance. Even
governments and their armies outsource nowadays; CIBER has a number of
contracts with the U.S. Army Reserve s Regional Support Commands and
the U. S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command,
while Computer Sciences Corporation has outsourcing deals with the U.K.,
Germany s armed forces and Australia.
2004 Vault Inc. 18
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L I B R A R Y
Web services
Long the domain of design and hosting companies based in Silicon Alley
(New York s tech center), Web services include e-commerce
implementation and other secure-transaction work, though consultancies do
some page design and site hosting as part of their overall deliverables as
well. This specialty is receiving a lot of attention from major technology
players like IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Accenture. Gartner predicts Web
services spending will reach $14.3 billion by 2006, and a 2003 article in
ConsultingCentral s Global IT Services Report claims, Each week
acquisitions and business alliances are announced, with dozens of firms
jostling for position in the space. Clearly, this is an emerging business
that bears watching.
THE VAULT 25
C A R E E R
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2004 Vault Inc. 20
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L I B R A R Y
Route 100
Somers, NY 10589
Phone: (914) 499-1900
Fax: (914)765-7382
www.ibm.com/services
LOCATIONS
Somers, NY (HQ)
300+ offices (data centers) in 160
countries worldwide
PRACTICE AREAS
Application Management Services
Business Consulting Services
e-Business Hosting Services
Integrated Technology Services
Strategic Outsourcing Services
THE STATS
Employer Type: Corporate business
unit of IBM
Stock Symbol: IBM
Stock Exchange: NYSE
Senior Vice President & Group
Executive: Doug Elix
2002 Employees: 172,000
2001 Employees: 162,500
2002 Revenues: $36.4 billion
2001 Revenues: $35.0 billion
UPPERS
Pulls in big business
DOWNERS
Layoffs in not-so-distant past
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
Computer Sciences Corporation
EDS
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.ibm.com/services/career
IBM Global Services
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
1
THE BUZZ
WHAT CONSULTANTS AT OTHER FIRMS ARE SAYING
Massive and knowledgeable
B-team
Convincing, comprehensive
The McDonalds of IT
THE SCOOP
Biggest of the big
IBM is the world s largest high-tech firm, and business unit IBM Global Services is
the world s largest IT services organization, including IT consulting services. With
170,000 employees, it is also the parent company s largest division (one of every two
IBM employees is in Global Services), and with a 45 percent share of Big Blue s total
revenue, its most profitable. Global Services biggest operation is outsourcing
running IT systems for some of the world s largest companies but it also provides
customer relationship management, hosting and IT consulting. Business
management and strategy engagements are taken by IBM Business Consulting
Services, a division of Global Services.
Despite being the center of the IBM universe, Global Services might seem something
like the odd man out. Much Global Services work is in areas outside IBM s
hardware and software expertise, and because of its commitment to brand neutrality,
it often recommends the products offered by IBM s competitors. This fact has, at
times, led to internal competition among other business units. (These conflicts have
largely been put to rest. The division is in the catbird seat: Big Blue s new CEO, as
of March 2002, is Sam Palmisano, former head of Global Services.)
Collecting awards
Global Services is not only the biggest firm in the IT consulting services world, but
it is one of the most respected. Its reputation was confirmed in February 2002, when
it won the Management Consulting Association s Best Management Practice Award
for IT. The business unit won the award after the successful completion of a project
for the British government in which it created an online system allowing U.K. civil
servants 24-hour access to policy papers and statistics. Global Services has attracted
other accolades as well. In 2003, the United States Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) named IBM one of America s best workplaces for commuters. (IBM
offers its employees such perks as transit passes, van and carpool subsidies, ride-
matching, telecommuting and compressed work schedules. These perks are both
environment- and employee-friendly.)
I BM Gl obal Servi ces
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
A demanding business
One of Global Services biggest challenges has been the increase in customer demand
for hosting.. As companies face pressures to reduce their IT budgets, they have
begun looking for vendors to provide them with an easily scalable, full-service
product that they can tailor to their specific needs. Global Services is responding to
this demand with a new e-hosting set of services. Essentially an IT department for
hire that treats computing as a utility, e-hosting services offer all the personnel and
applications a company might need for a simple user fee, which can be scaled to fit
a client s exact needs. The service has been very successful in the mid-market and
in Asia, already inking a multibillion-dollar deal with a large, unnamed (but very
important!) conglomerate.
Signing on the dotted line
With the economy in a downturn and the high-tech sector in a tailspin, one might
expect the last few years to have been rough for Global Services. On the contrary:
thanks to increased demand for outsourcing and hosting services, the division s
market position is rather rosy. In February 2002, IBM and American Express signed
a $4 billion e-business on demand deal. The seven-year agreement, which contains
an option to extend the contract to 10 years, is designed to enhance American
Express systems performance while lowering their total costs. More than 2,000
American Express employees joined IBM under the terms of the agreement.
In December 2002, financial services bigwig J.P. Morgan Chase signed a seven-year
outsourcing agreement with IBM. The deal was valued in excess of $5 billion.
Under the terms of the deal, J.P. Morgan Chase outsourced much its IT operational
services to IBM, including data centers, help desk services, distributed computing
and voice and data networks. As a result of the deal, approximately 4,000 J.P.
Morgan Chase employees transferred to IBM in the first half of 2003.
Probably the biggest news for Global Services in 2002 was IBM s October
acquisition of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting, (PwC) along with all 30,000 of
its personnel. This prompted the formation of a new business unit, IBM Business
Consulting Services (BCS), created from PwC and the Business Innovation Services
branch of Global Services, which doubled in size with the acquisition. BCS is now
a distinct operation within Global Services.
Around the time of the PwC acquisition, IBM also announced that it was buying
EADS Matra Datavision, a French consultancy specializing in product lifecycle
management (PLM) solutions. Adding the group s capabilities to IBM Global
2004 Vault Inc. 22
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Services would put the company in line to take advantage of the PLM growth, a $2
billion market that advisory firm IDC predicts will grow to $5.5 billion by 2006.
Psst! Its a secret
In November 2001, IBM expanded its existing privacy services by introducing its
Safety and Security practice, in response to emerging worldwide security issues.
This corporate-level office provides businesses and the public sector with improved
security solutions, from enhanced intrusion detection services and vulnerability
assessments to classes for corporate officers. Global Services also aligned itself with
New Yorks Kroll, Inc., a specialized security firm, to offer corporate defense, crisis
management and business and asset protection solutions.
Trimming the fat
Despite its dominant industry position, Global Services laid off 2,100 employees
during 2001 in an attempt to cope with its rapid expansion during the 1990s it added
10,000 employees in the first part of 2001 alone. In July 2001, it cut 1,500 jobs for
what it termed changes in client demand. Then, in April 2002, it released another
600 workers, mainly customer engineers working in computer and software repair.
Even more cuts came at the end of May 2002, when IBM slashed almost 2,000 jobs,
mostly in its large computer, software and global financing divisions. (Culled
employees were given 30 days to try to find another position within the company.)
The proliferation of pink slips reportedly the largest IBM has undergone since the
company s struggles in the early 1990s is part of an effort to slash costs throughout
IBM s operations. Some more layoffs came in February 2003, when IBM announced
it was cutting 1,000 U.S.-based people in the software and Global Services divisions.
According to The Wall Street Journal, IBM CEO Samuel J. Palmisano did not dispute
Sanford C. Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi s prediction that the company as a
whole could cut as much as 6 percent of its workforce, or 20,000 jobs. The actual
total was closer to 15,000 throughout 2002, but twice that many became IBMers
when PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting was acquired in October 2002.
Billion-dollar engagements aplenty
IBM Global Services has been pulling in high-value business lately. Notably, in 2002
the massive firm took on five separate projects, each valued at $1 billion or more. All
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
are technology outsourcing deals, and in several cases a significant number of the
hiring company s employees will join IBM.
Boots and all
In October 2002, the group signed a $1.1 billion contract with Boots, the U.K. s
largest pharmacy chain, to outsource the company s IT needs, enhance its already
well-liked customer service and improve cost efficiency. Boots believes that the
project will enable it to save nearly $210 million over the term of the contract. IBM
will garner more than 400 Boots employees.
Dealing with Deutsche
December 2002 saw Deutsche Bank sign a 10-year, $2.5 billion outsourcing
agreement with IBM, which will take over the operation of the financial giant s
computer centers in eight European nations, absorbing 900 employees in the process.
IBM Global Services will also build a brand new data center in Germany. Deutsche
Bank hopes to save $1 billion over the course of the contract by changing its IT cost
structure and focusing on its core business. Also in December, IBM Global Services
took on a $5 billion outsourcing project for J.P. Morgan Chase, the financial services
powerhouse. The seven-year deal will include the transfer of 4,000 Chase employees
to IBM.
Car support
Visteon Corporation, an automotive technology manufacturer, engaged IBM Global
Services in February 2003 for a $2 billion agreement, which will involve a wide
range of IT outsourcing, architecture and process rebuilding, as well as general
support over the course of 10 years.
Scandinavian overhaul
IBM inked a 10-year, 2.2 billion Euro agreement with Nordea in October 2003. The
deal calls for IBM to transform the bank s IT systems into on-demand infrastructure,
thus reducing the Nordic bank s costs.
2004 Vault Inc. 24
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GETTING HIRED
A big and blue employer
IBM, as a whole, aggressively recruits graduates in technical degree programs with
ideal majors including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical
engineering, computer engineering, computer science and information systems. The
company also seeks candidates from other disciplines such as math, finance, human
resources, business and marketing. Other key attributes are creativity, tenacity and
passion. Interviews, insiders say, are designed to uncover a candidate s background,
attitudes, knowledge, enthusiasm [and] flexibility.
Big Blue prides itself on attractive compensation and benefits, including tuition
reimbursement plans, flexible work schedules, global opportunities, activities, clubs
and child care options. Interested applicants can search job opportunities through
www.ibm.com/services/career, IBM s career web site. Resumes can be submitted
through the site as well.
One insider hired by IBM says he received two rounds of interviews. The first
interview was on campus, where I talked briefly with HR. HR asked the normal
questions, describe an instance in which you showed leadership, etc. The
candidate was then interviewed by three hiring managers. I discovered that the three
hiring managers, along with some of the employees we met, then convened in a big
conference room and discussed each candidate.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Life in a big consultancy
At a large consulting firm like IBM, consultants can expect to be working with a wide
variety of clients. If there s one thing that consultants agree upon, it s that everything
depends on the engagement. The culture of IBM Global Services at the
implementation level [is] learning to adapt quickly to new client cultures. You are in
a dichotomy of two worlds neither the client culture nor the true IBM world.
Dress code also varies widely by client, say insiders. Sometimes too much, in my
opinion! grouses one wardrobe-challenged consultant.
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L I B R A R Y
Clock watchers
Hours, like clients, vary widely, say insiders. One consultant claims that hours are
what you decided them to be, while another contends that 60-hour workweeks are
not rarities. Hours span the spectrum of the rainbow,
summarizes a third consultant. Long schedules may also be due in part to
professional pride as much as client expectations. Although normal hours are
defined by the client, IBM contracts and reputation often demand that employees
work excessive hours. One thing that insiders do agree on is that utilization is
important when it comes to year-end reviews. Year-end ratings are a mystery, says
one consultant, but one thing is for sure, if you have not met your minimum billable
hours, all hope obtaining [a rating] beyond satisfactory is lost.
2003 Vault Inc. 26
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L I B R A R Y
You are in a dichotomy of
two worlds neither the
client culture nor the true
IBM world.
IBM consultant
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2004 Vault Inc. 28
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L I B R A R Y
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
Phone: (212) 492-4500
Fax: (212) 492-4743
www.deloitte.com
LOCATIONS
New York, NY (HQ)
Offices in 150 countries
PRACTICE AREAS
Consumer Business
Energy
Enterprise Applications
Financial Services
Health Care
Human Capital
Manufacturing
Outsourcing
Public Sector
Real Estate
Strategy & Operations
Technology Integration
Technology, Media &
Communications
Transportation
THE STATS
Employer Type: Unit of Deloitte
Touche Tohmatsu
CEO: William Parrett
2002 Employees: 37,790 (consulitng
only, now includes parts of Deloitte
& Touche)
2002 Revenue: $6.1 billion
(consulting and advisory services
only)
UPPERS
Emphasis on friendly, supportive
culture
Consultants can move between
practices
Clear, detailed promotion system
DOWNERS
Uncertainty about future
Failed Braxton spin-off
Salary cuttin
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
BearingPoint
Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.deloitte.com
Deloitte
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
2
THE BUZZ
Spartan
More creative than Accenture
Low key, thorough
Excellent IT work
THE SCOOP
Changes afoot
In the wake of the Enron-Andersen implosion, accounting firms accepted that they
would have to reform in order to regain the public trust. As a result, many industry
participants chose to separate their consulting practices from their auditing practices
to eliminate conflicts of interest.
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu announced in 2002 that it would solve the problem by
relaunching its consulting wing as a separate and privately-owned firm. The new
consulting firm was to be called Braxton, (after a smaller consulting firm Deloitte had
previously acquired) and would have become the world s largest private consulting
firm.
It came as something of a shock when, in March 2003, Deloitte announced that the
separation would not proceed, citing a lack of funding and the bad economy. Deloitte
is now the last of the Big Four (the others are KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and
Ernst & Young) in which consulting and auditing are housed under the same roof.
Deloitte says it will comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley law by focusing on consulting
just for clients not using Deloitte s auditing services.
In early April 2003, DC announced that Paul Robinson would become its new CEO.
He had previously been global leader of Deloitte s Public Sector Consulting Practice,
and had clocked over 20 years with the firm.
All you need is Deloitte (for branding purposes)
Since the March 2003 announcement, Deloitte has moved to further consolidate
Deloitte Consulting under the Deloitte umbrella. The firm, as of October 2003,
operates simply as Deloitte. Consulting is a function in Deloitte, not a separate
firm. However, the Deloitte Consulting name and identity is still in use on occasion
as the company transitions. (The name will also be used in this profile.)
Size matters
Deloitte Consulting ranks among the world s largest consulting firms, with nearly
38,000 employees in consulting and advisory services offering a tech-heavy menu of
services. Clients range from automotive companies to telecom firms to governments,
including large companies such as Kaiser Permanente, Hewlett-Packard and Nestle.
Del oi tte
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
The tech approach
Deloitte s tech-consulting capabilities fall into three main areas. The Enterprise
Applications practice handles software implementations for clients, working
particularly with J.D. Edwards, Oracle, Peoplesoft and SAP programs. The
Outsourcing practice manages those applications (and more) for clients. And the
Technology Integration practice weaves various programs together, as well as
develops custom solutions for customers.
Deloitte s two other consulting practice areas are more management consulting-
focused, but have an IT element as well. The Human Capital practice focuses on HR-
related issues, including technology adoption, ERM, and enterprise learning. And the
Strategy & Operations practice handles more big-picture issues, including IT
strategy, customer relationship management and supply chain management.
Research savvy
The company has a fine asset in Deloitte Research, which conducts surveys and
publishes books, articles, reports and forecasts (often in conjunction with top
universities around the world.) Besides strengthening Deloitte s public reputation-
with these publications, Deloitte conveys the wisdom of consultants
recommendations. Some recent reports include Cutting Fat, Adding Muscle: The
Power of Information Technology in Addressing Budget Shortfalls ; The Enterprise
Mobile Data Adoption Survey ; and Inside Outsourcing.
A secure engagement
In December 2002, Deloitte won a five-year $250 million contract from the
Transportation Security Administration (now part of the Department of Homeland
Security) to build its e-government strategy and develop an e-gov platform. SAP
Public Services is collaborating with Deloitte to create a tax program for public-
sector tax agencies, which DC is putting to work at the Florida Department of
Revenue. Deloitte is also working with Sun Microsystems on a five-year program
that commenced in 2002 to offer a unified server consolidation solution to clients
as well as RightSize, a strategy-oriented IT consulting methodology.
Happy history
Despite the flak over Braxton, Deloitte Consulting has a long history of success. Two
consultants-chief economists for Deloitte Research Carl Steidtmann and CRM
practice leader Stephen Pratt made Consulting Magazines list of the most
Del oi tte
2004 Vault Inc. 30
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influential consultants in 2003. Deloitte was named the best generalist consultancy
in North America by Global Finance magazine in 2002, and it is the only consulting
firm with six consecutive appearances on Fortune s list of 100 Best Companies to
Work for in America.
Women on top
In order to increase diversity, Deloitte runs a formal program called the Women s
Initiative that is meant to ensure that women are being hired, promoted and treated
fairly. The Women s Initiative sponsors networking events, career advice and
mentoring, among other programs. Numbers indicate that the program is working:
the gap between male and female turnover has disappeared; and 17 percent of DC s
partners were women in 2003, up from 6.5 percent in 1993. To top it all off, Deloitte
has made Working Mother Magazine s list of the best companies for moms to work
for 10 years in a row.
GETTING HIRED
This way in
Deloitte Consulting, according to one source, takes two different approaches with
regard to recruiting. First, it recruits undergraduates and advanced degree candidates
(MBAs and MPAs) from a broad cross-section of top universities. When these
cream-of-the-crop candidates are given job offers, they are allowed to choose which
office they want to work out of. Once the firm has filled several slots with top-tier
students, each local Deloitte office then goes to fill gaps based on local schools. So
Chicago will look at Notre Dame, University of Chicago and Northwestern.
However, one employee notes that while [Deloitte Consulting] used to do a
significant amount of on-campus recruiting, it is scaled down.
Industry recruits follow a different path. Experienced hires are considered on a
one-by-one basis, notes an insider. Often, [industry candidates] identify the partner
running a certain practice and say I have experience in doing X, I d like to work with
you. Successful hires typically have significant industry experience.
Del oi tte
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
What theyre looking for
When looking at candidates resumes, an insider says, the point is to see how they
performed, and what does this mean. They re involved in 20 organizations-is that
good? Probably, if they re active in 20, they re not good in any.
Interviews are based on case studies. Usually, for would-be senior consultants, the
company takes a fairly difficult client we ve had, and a case that usually concerns
an acquisition, or a company is facing significant pressure. The interviewer will
ask the candidate to analyze what could be the problem with this company, and what
could be the way to address that issue. Deloitte will have available all the
financials, and competitive information, a ton of stuff , but the candidates must ask
for this specific information. Your first question should be, why is this company
coming under competitive pressure? says an insider.
For analyst applicants, the setup is similar, but we ll lead you more. We ll tell you,
they re facing a problem because the product is commoditized. Say they re selling
bars of soap. So we ll ask, Who do you think the competition is for bars of soap?
We ll say, Here are the major soap providers. Among these, which are the most
competitive? In sum, we ll talk you through it more. Deloitte does not use
brainteasers, insiders say.
To evaluate the case study answers, an insider says, we look at their creativity, at
their approach to the problem, at how structured they are in understanding how to get
the data, how to place that data in some meaningful framework, and what the
conclusions are that the person derives from that analysis.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Culture clash
The widely hyped Deloitte culture seems to have taken a beating with the Braxton
failure, the troubles of accounting/consulting in general and the bad economy. I have
been with Deloitte for over five years, says one manager, who has seen the firm
deteriorate from being one of the best places to work to one of the regular bodyshops.
It used to be a place where partners would roll-up their sleeves and work with
[employees] to resolve issues. It had the small firm feel with a big firm muscle.
These days, the source says, a lot of the old-timers have moved on. What we have
now are dropouts from other consulting firms like Accenture and
Del oi tte
2004 Vault Inc. 32
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L I B R A R Y
[PricewaterhouseCoopers]. The morale among the staff is rather low and combined
with the fact that last year we had pay cuts and this year we will have no raises makes
it worse. The attrition rate among [partners and managers] is rather high.
Another source characterizes the culture as fairly cutthroat. A litany of complaints
stems from a different employee, who says, It s impossible to get staffed on a real
project, and they grade you almost exclusively on utilization. You re always
interviewing for new projects the way most people interview for new jobs. The
expectations vary tremendously per project.
Some sources are more upbeat about the culture, though. The corporate culture at
Deloitte was, as publicized, laid back, down to earth and collaborative. Most of the
full-time, permanent staffs I met were friendly and helpful, says one. Another finds
that the corporate culture is very collegial. Can be too much so, depending on what
you like. Going to happy hour with colleagues is expected. Jokes, laughter prevail.
In the mix
Diversity gets high marks from those we surveyed. The company as a whole is quite
diverse, says a New York source, a statement echoed by other employees: there s
tons of diversity , it has a diverse employee body. One consultant sees few
minority practitioners, almost no partners. Women, on the other hand, are in
abundance. Firm is about 50/50 male/female, although partnership is probably 70/30
male.
Deloitte days, Deloitte evenings
Life s not exactly a beach at Deloitte. Hours vary significantly by project, but
typically start at 8 or 9 and go through 8 or 9, reports one source. Another finds the
hours are either extraordinarily low or catastrophically high. Athird insider calls the
hours grueling. There s a very heavy workload (in terms of hours), affirms
another source. Work hours average 55-60 hours per week plus significant travel
time. In two years with the firm I traveled every week with the exception of
vacations, says a systems analyst.
Fight for promotion
Many sources report that advancement has become quite difficult lately. It s almost
impossible to advance without an MBA, says one source. Another says that the
career track is slowing down due to challenges the firm is experiencing. There s
Del oi tte
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
little say in determining assignments, reports another insider, mediocre
opportunities for advancement, insignificant bonus structure, subjective performance
evaluation process, and non-challenging project roles, resulting in low morale
amongst colleagues. Another source finds that promotion [has been] certainly more
political than performance based.
Del oi tte
2004 Vault Inc. 34
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L I B R A R Y
Del oi tte
In two years with the firm
I traveled every week with
the exception of vacation.
Deloitte consultant
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
2004 Vault Inc. 36
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10105
Phone: (917) 452-4400
Fax: (917) 527-5387
www.accenture.com
LOCATIONS
More than 110 offices worldwide
PRACTICE AREAS
Global Service Lines:
Business Process Outsourcing
(includes Human Resources,
Finance Services and Learning)
Customer Relationship Management
Finance & Performance
Management
Human Performance
IT Outsourcing
Solutions Engineering (Systems
Integration)
Solutions Operations (Outsourcing)
Strategy & Business Architecture
Supply Chain Management
Technology Research & Innovation
Operating Groups:
Communications & High Tech
Financial Services
Government
Products
Resources
THE STATS
Employer Type: Public Company
Stock Symbol: ACN
Chairman & CEO: Joe Forehand
2003 Employees: 83,000
2003 Net Revenue: $11.8 billion
UPPERS
Learning worldwide
methodologies and approaches
The ability to transfer your
knowledge to others
DOWNERS
Working on meaningless
deliverables
Infrastructure-heavy firm,
communications can be difficult
KEY COMPETITORS
BearingPoint
Deloitte Consulting
EDS
IBM Global Services
McKinsey & Company
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
careers3.accenture.com/
Accenture
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
3
THE BUZZ
Strong brand, smart
Very demanding on its
employees
Expensive school kids
THE SCOOP
Almighty Accenture
Accenture, one of the leading providers of management consulting and technology
services, was born when Andersen Consulting, the consulting practice of Arthur
Andersen, stepped out from under the Andersen Worldwide umbrella in January
2001. Now renamed after its $1.7 billion IPO in July 2001, the 80,000+-person
Accenture operates over 100 offices in 47 countries (as of October 2003.).
Consultants in its five operating groups (Communications & High Tech, Financial
Services, Government, Products and Resources) work together to design and deliver
strategies and solutions for 92 of the Fortune Global 100 and more than two-thirds of
the Fortune Global 500 not to mention several hundred startups and spin-offs.
Accenture divides its operations into two capability groups that roughly correspond
to the classic distinction between management consulting and technology consulting.
The Business Consulting capability tracks to management consulting. The
Technology & Outsourcing capability, which focuses on technology consulting,
comprises four service lines. These service lines are Technology & Research, Global
Business Solutions, Global Technology Solutions and Outsourcing and Infrastructure
Delivery. The group also manages Accenture s alliances with technology companies
and oversees the company s intellectual property program.
Accenture, which works with more than 2,500 client organizations worldwide,
earned revenues of $11.8 billion in fiscal 2003. Alliances are central to Accenture s
strategy, its client service business and the way it meets clients needs. It has more
than 100 sales and delivery alliances with companies whose capabilities complement
Accenture s.
Taking leave
Like most of its competitors, Accenture underwent layoffs in 2001. In June 2001,
600 support personnel were cut, followed by an additional 1,500 staffers in August
(1,000 of whom were consultants). All told, about 2 percent of the workforce
received pink slips. The firm, however, primarily has attempted to reduce its payroll
costs through its innovative FlexLeave program. In this program, consultants
voluntary may take sabbaticals of six to 12 months at 20 percent of their current pay
and continued benefits, and their job at Accenture is guaranteed when their time off
is finished. About 2,400 consultants had taken FlexLeave as of December 2001; the
Accenture
C A R E E R
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program has also been extended to Europe and Asia and remains in effect where
needed. In September and October 2003, Accenture added 800 people to its
workforce.
Outsourcing excels
Demand is growing in the services industry for outsourcing as the call for tradtional
consulting services declines. As Accenture expands its outsourcing business (which
grew 33 percent in 2002 and 37 percent in 2003), changes are being made to the
roster. In September 2002, it cut 1,000 managerial positions worldwide, but
simultaneously announced plans to hire as many as 8,000 entry-level employees to
bolster outsourcing capabilities.
It appears that Accenture s move into outsourcing is paying off handsomely. While
technology consulting revenues have fallen by approximately 7 percent, outsourcing
revenues have continued to rise.
International moves
Accenture opened a software development center in Bangalore, India in October
2002, becoming one of many consultancies to expand its Indian operations in recent
years. The center employs approximately 600 software engineers. After cutting 900
personnel in 2001, the Australia group of Accenture announced in November 2002 it
would hire 100 new consultants throughout 2003. Chief executive of Asian
operations David Hunter cited 10 percent local revenue growth as cause for
optimism. In fact, Business Times claimed in January 2003 that Accenture was on a
hiring spree in the Asia-Pacific region, with plans to bring in 500 or more new
recruits during 2003.
In February 2003, Accenture took over the operations of Zurich-based IT company
Systor AG, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection two months earlier. The
acquisition, the terms of which were not disclosed, would include more than 500
personnel if approved by Systor s creditors.
Forehand comes to the forefront
Joe W. Forehand, CEO and managing partner since November 1999, has done well
with the firm in the face of an adverse business climate. His firm ranked fourth in
the 2002 Universum European survey of the most ideal employers according to
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European graduates, and also took third among all employers in terms of diversity in
Universum s survey of U.S. undergrads.
Forehand doesn t seem to buy into the loneliness of command, and created an
expanded Office of the CEO, which initially included Chief Operating Officer
Stephan James as sub-leader of the company s Group Chief Executives. The pair
expanded to become a triumvirate in March 2003, with the addition of William
Green. Green will assume the title of COO Client Services, while James position
will be renamed COO Capabilities. At the same time, Accenture announced the
creation of a new position, CEO Business Process Outsourcing, which reports to
Forehand. The first titleholder is Jackson Wilson, the firm s Corporate Development
Officer.
Out of the VC game
It seems that Accenture s venture capital ambitions will not come to pass. The firm
had originally planned to sink as much as $500 million in emerging Internet
businesses through its Accenture Technology Ventures unit, but reversed field when
many of its investments yielded losses. (The firm tells us that what actually
happened was that the VC exit window lengthened and volatility began to impact
corporate earnings. ) In March 2002, Accenture announced that it would sell its
entire minority stakes in such companies. CIBC World Markets bought the portfolio
in August 2002 for an undisclosed sum; Accenture retained a 5 percent stake.
The controversial move offshore
While the company claims to have to no corporate headquarters, in February 2001
Accenture became the first professional services firm to move its official residence
to Bermuda. The scenic island has no income or capital gains tax, and has a number
of other favorable business rules and regulations (or, more to the point, a relative lack
of business rules and regulations). The firm points out, though, that it has never been
a U.S.-based or -operated organization and has never operated under a U.S. parent
organization. With more than half of its 2,500 partners non-U.S. citizens, it says that
as a cultural matter it chose the neutral location of Bermuda after considering a
variety of options for its post-IPO parent company. Meanwhile, Accenture also
purports to own an operating company in Luxembourg, another tax haven.
The U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) is not pleased that one of the
government s biggest contractors (Accenture had $279 million in federal contracts in
fiscal 2001) operates in this manner, putting it in violation of the Patriotic Purchasing
Accenture
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Act. The legislation, part of the bill that authorized creation of the Department of
Homeland Security, prohibits companies incorporated in tax havens from acquiring
new government contracts. Nonetheless, Accenture s government operating group
enjoyed strong results in fiscal 2002, growing about 20 percent.
The issue appears to be one of semantics: the GAO s accusation also names three
other companies (including fellow Bermuda resident Tyco International) that moved
from the U.S. and reincorporated in tax havens, performing a so-called corporate
inversion. Accenture, which was first incorporated in Bermuda when it split from
Chicago-based Andersen Worldwide, claims it was technically never a U.S.-based
entity and thus not an inversion, a claim it feels is supported by the GAO s own
report. The issue has largely been settled in Accenture s favor, though the issue of
outsourcing government contracts to non-U.S. companies still occasions a few
squawks from some members of Congress.
Pruning
Layoffs continue at Accenture, but at a slower rate. In March 2003, the firm quietly
told its personnel that it would have to cut another 1 percent of its workforce, mostly
from the pointy end of the management pyramid at U.S. offices a small comfort to
the still quite large pool of analysts and consultants, but a definite worry to
engagement managers and above. The job trim was handled by regional managers,
and recruitment actually increased Accenture s total headcount by the end of the year.
Voting for the e-vote
In July 2003, Accenture purchased election.com, a New York-based startup.
Accenture hopes to use the company as the basis for an e-voting business, making
money from running online elections. The United States has made very limited
forays into online voting; armed forces service personnel will be able to vote online
in the 2004 elections. The British government, on the other hand, aims to make e-
voting a reality in the United Kingdom by 2005, and thus it is the British market that
Accenture is most immediately targeting.
Tiger swings for Accenture
In October 2003, Accenture launched an advertising campaign headed by popular
golf phenomenon Tiger Woods. The campaign coincided wiht Accenture s new
advertising campaign High Performance Delivered, which replaces Accenture s
previous slogan, Innovation Delivered. To the relief of Accenture marketers, 2003
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has been a good year for Woods; as of the launch of the campaign, the golfer has won
four tournaments. According to James Murphy, Accenture s global marketing
director of marketing and communications, the Accenture brand is ranked as one of
the 100 most valuable brands in the world.
GETTING HIRED
Variety is the spice of hiring
Accenture recruits at more than 100 U.S. universities and colleges, as well as many
international campuses, both through on-campus events and virtual/online methods.
Candidates may have up to two interviews on campus. The first is a screening
interview, while the second tends to be with Accenture employees (partners or
experienced managers, though usually also a peer). A source in Asia/Australia tells
us, The four stage interview process begins with a phone hook-up, then a peer
interview, then a critical behavior interview, then a partner interview. A contact at
the Chicago office adds, There were two campus interviews and an office visit with
three additional interviews. These interviews can vary, according to a contact in the
recruiting office: In some cases these interviews are behavioral, and in others
they re case-based. Also, questions definitely depend on service line. Strategy
gives case interviews while [other service lines] give behavioral interviews. One
insider reports that at the second round I was asked a lot of tell me about a time
when questions. One was tell me about a time when you had to work with someone
you didn t know. Our sources report different sorts of questions, due to variations
in each office s hiring methods. One person said he faced cases and skills questions,
while another said her interviews were more behavioral.
Employees say, Selectivity depends heavily on which service line you are aligned
with. Strategy is extremely difficult to enter even with excellent credentials
Process, Technology and Organization & Human Performance a little less so. We
hear that Offers are usually extended to successful candidates shortly after the office
visit.
Accentuate the positive
The firm has identified several qualities that it believes make a successful Accenture
consultant. One recruiter tells us, The type of person we look for performed well
academically and is well-rounded, a lifelong learner, committed to developing a
Accenture
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
career, interested in and understands what we do. The perfect candidate also has
strong written and oral communication skills.
Insiders say that even the strongest candidates can improve their chances of being
hired by reading through the [Accenture careers] web site and educating yourself
on what [Accenture] does, how the company is structured, and what the various
organizations and their respective career paths are. Sources also suggest that
candidates be prepared to articulate which is the best fit for you. Finally, It s also
tremendously helpful to have someone in the firm to talk to, so you can get a better
sense of what the many choices are. There s only so much you can glean from
public sources of information, insiders conclude.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Welcome to the grindstone
Maintaining a balance between work and home at Accenture is described as
challenging by one consultant, who feels they have a very hard workload, worse
than most consultants. However, he adds, The company is open to work-from-
home and while 4-1 is not official, it is standard practice. That opinion seems to
be the minority, though; another insider claims there is no work-life balance work
is first, and this replaces the need for a life. Another source says, What life? I am
on call 24/7. There are no specific work/life balance initiatives that are enforced
firm-wide, notes another. Be prepared to give up Monday morning through Friday
night to the firm, and an occasional weekend.
Clouds in the atmosphere
Reports about the culture at Accenture are generally positive. One person in a cross-
industry functional group calls it a learning atmosphere, saying he has never
worked for a person I didn t enjoy. According to one fellow, You make instant
friends, but if you are not part of the group you might as well quit. Another
consultant says, The firm s culture is generally relaxed, upbeat and fun, but notes
that recent layoffs and continued angst toward senior management have put a
damper on the mood. Another states, Analysts and consultants generally possess
little to zero big picture business knowledge. Most are just engineers that are very
task oriented. One professional notes, The training program is good but heavily
skewed toward tech skills. That s a good thing for people who work in IT. The few
Accenture
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respondents who had anything to say about their supervisors weren t charitable. One
describes supervisors as Average. Just average.
Paid like a programmer
New hires may face an issue with compensation; according to one insider, While
current economic conditions have prompted [Accenture] and others to be much more
selective, they are low-balling everyone even the Ivies. Another complains,
Don t promote me to [consultant] and give me the base amount for a systems analyst
level II. A third notes that the pay isn t bad, saying that he gets a good base but no
bonus yet, since the company just became public two years ago. Alateral hire notes
that, for some, there are profit-sharing, employee stock purchase plans and restricted
shares. Another source laments the shrinking perks We used to get lots of fruits
and candy!
At any rate, it doesn t seem that Accenture employees suffer for their surroundings.
The San Francisco office is fairly nice, says one insider, with the top several floors
of a nice building. Nothing fancy, but what a view! Another says, The New York
office is used and battered, but the others are beautiful. And there s a spirit of
philanthropy there as well. One source mentions such activities as a Light the
Night walk for the leukemia and lymphoma society, the Make a Wish Foundation,
helping the Washington, D.C. schools, etc. Another agrees that the firm is very
involved in community activities. However, says one, they could use more social
events.
Accenture
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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Five Times Square
New York, NY 10036
Phone: (917) 934-8000
Fax: (917) 934-8001
www.cgey.com
LOCATIONS
Paris, France (HQ)
CONSULTING SERVICES
Business Consulting
Finance and Employee
Transformation
Strategy and Transformation
Supply Chain
Technology Consulting
OUTSOURCING
Applications Management
Business Process Management
Infrastructure Management
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
Application Packages ERP
Data and Control Services
Development and Integration
Services
Network Engineering Infrastructure
Systems Architecture and
Engineering
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: CAP.PA
Stock Exchange: Paris Bourse
CEO: Paul Hermelin
Chairman: Serge Kampf
2002 Revenue: 7.0 billion EUR
UPPERS
Strong healthcare group
Reasonable hours
DOWNERS
Shift in culture
Managers IT types, not people-
people
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
EDS
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.cgey.com/career
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
4
THE BUZZ
Great brand depth
CG is killing E&Y
Reputable and interesting
Microserfs
THE SCOOP
Feathers in its cap
Operating from 30 countries around the world, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
(CGE&Y) provides IT outsourcing and consulting for some of the biggest global
companies, along with governments and NGOs (non-governmental organizations).
Formed through the May 2000 merger of Ernst & Young s consulting unit and the
French consultancy Cap Gemini, the firm employs more than 50,000 people
worldwide.
2002 retrospective
The firm called 2002 a difficult year, and its financial results seem to agree.
Revenue dropped 16 percent, and income went from a gain of EUR 152 million to a
loss of EUR 514 million. Though the year was tough, it also underlined a shift in
strategy for the firm. The company is implementing a major three-year restructuring
plan, which it announced in June 2002. First, it will organize its business into four
areas: consulting, technology, outsourcing and local professional services. Second, it
will streamline operating structures. Third, it will launch a sales assault on the
fastest-growing market segments. Fourth, it will speed up the industrialization of
its delivery capacity.
In 2002 outsourcing represented 27 percent of the company s 2002 revenue, versus
21 percent in 2001. Consulting and Systems Integration make up 73 percent of
revenue, down from 79 percent the year before. The company is making a push in
the Health and Public Services sector, which now makes up 26 percent of its revenue,
versus 16 percent in 2001. Life sciences made up 7 percent of 2002 business, versus
6 percent in 2001; Telecom dropped to 13 percent from 18 percent; and Financial
Services dropped to 15 percent from 17 percent.
The company also cut its workforce from 2002 to 2001, laying off about 5,100
staffers, about 9 percent of its workforce. Another big development: in July 2002,
longtime employee Mark Hauser was promoted to CEO of the North American
division.
Making headlines in 2003
In July 2003, Mark Hauser was followed as the new Americas CEO by non-senator
John McCain. Before joining the firm, McCain served as President of competitor
Cap Gemi ni Ernst & Young
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
EDS CIO Services unit and as President in charge of EDS Global Solutions
consulting line of Business.In August 2003, John Graham joined CGE&Y as the
Americas Sales Leader and Tim Critchfield as CFO.
HP pals
In November 2003, CGE&Y and Hewlett-Packard (which lately goes by the sleeker
name of HP) signed an agreement to deliver storage management services together,
extending a preexisting alliance agreement. The plan is to focus on storage solutions
for top database and application providers like Oracle, SAP and Siebel. HP will train
100 storage architects at CGE&Y as part of the arrangement.
Telecom tyros
Cap Gemini Ernst & Young has sought other, more promising markets as well. In
December 2000, CGE&Y and Cisco Systems formalized their March 2000
agreement by launching a new industry practice, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
Telecom Media Networks. The practice operates under Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
auspices (CGE&Y), providing software and other strategic telecommunications
technology solutions to over 150 clients. Its work in this arena won the TeleStrategies
Billing World 2002 Excellence Award for Integration Project of the Year. The
specific project involved overhauling and integrating Nextel s business networks.
Been round the world in 2003
A look at some of CGE&Y s recent 2003 projects indicates its global scope. It s
working on SAP outsourcing for Mlnlycke Health Care; lending IT support to
government councils in five New South Wales, Australia locations; providing
outsourcing for the Steilmann Group, a German company; doing software
implementation for HBOS, a large U.K. financial-services company; making
suggestions to Phoenix Children s Hospital on how to become profitable again; and
providing IT outsourcing for a number of GE s European businesses.
School again
CGE&Yhas an educational wing called, not surprisingly, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young
University. Its courses are offered to clients and employees, and include on-campus
programs (the main campus is in Les Fountaines, France), as well as distance-
learning channels. The university also puts out Focus, CGE&Y s online magazine
about business and technology.
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GETTING HIRED
The few, the proud, the CGE&Y target schools
Cap Gemini Ernst & Young typically recruits on campus at only a handful of top
business and undergraduate schools, and also accepts applicants who fill out a
detailed application form through the Internet. Selectivity depends on what service
line and industry you re interested in.
There are two rounds of interviews, first with recently promoted graduates from the
development community and then a vice president, says one source. Another says
his interviews were with managers or above and at least one VP in the second
round.
Insiders suggest highlighting your technical skills during interviews. The hiring
focus is now on technical skills (as announced in Februay 2003). Questions vary
one source says the main questions I remember are what university you were at, and
do you mind travel. Some report having been given up to sixcase studies, while
others say they were not these are at the discretion of the interviewer and are
typically real world scenarios that the individual has experienced, notes one
CGE&Y-er.
After the interview, interviewers complete a detailed form regarding the
interviewee, and a group discussion is made over each candidate. Many times a
decision is made at that time.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Identity issues
With offices all over the world, different practices and a recent merger, Cap Gemini
Ernst & Young s culture is hardly set in stone, our sources say. The original Cap
Gemini culture harnesses smart casual dress, and an eight-hour workday in a very
male-dominated culture, notes one source. Another says that After the merger with
Cap Gemini the organization became obsessed with internal functions and placed its
best people on these functions rather than client or market-facing opportunities. The
level of this internal focus and lack of risk taking meant that senior executives are
unable to make decisions without approval from elsewhere. This slows down the
organization s ability to respond to the market.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
There seems to be a move toward pure IT offerings, which traditional management
consultants don t seem to be too thrilled about. The corporate culture is that of an
IT integrator, which is very difficult to bear when you are a management consultant,
says one consultant. Assignments are more and more IT-oriented. Especially in
France, notes one source, CGE&Y is essentially an IT integrator.
While there seems to be a sense of insecurity around CGE&Y these days, some do
find it friendly and competitive. One U.S.-based source remarks that being a
French-owned company has been a challenge [in 2003]. In general, though, our
surveyees seem to agree that there is no defined culture as one says, it s still trying
to find an identity post-acquisition. However, the health care group is growing, and,
says an insider, managed to avoid layoffs: Most layoffs were in telecom and
financial services. Healt hcare appears to be very strong, with only the typical fat
cutting.
Promotion commotion
CGE&Y seems to have a tenure-based system regarding promotion. The culture is
the exact opposite of the traditional up-or-out policy: no promotion before several
years, a very small salary increase (if any), says one source. Another reports that
the company is not as selective as in previous years. There seems to be more
emphasis on getting the cheapest people available rather than the best available.
Once you re in the company, the way to be promoted, one consultant says, is you
must network and be identifiable by many people. An effort both internally and
externally must be made. The source notes, Agood relationship with your internal
career counselor may be vital to your promotion and raise.
An insider provides this in-depth look: There are two kinds of reviews. The first one
is called project evaluation and is made by the project manager. He evaluates the
performance of the consultant on a specific client engagement when the engagement
is completed. The second review is made at the end of the year and has broader
perspective: your performance throughout the year, salary increase, promotion.
Health is happiness
The consultants we surveyed had varying opinions on life at the firm. Regarding
managers, one found that there was a strong team in healthcare. Training,
meanwhile, is reportedly getting better as Cap Gemini continues to split from E&Y
services.
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Charity work is encouraged, so to speak. What does that mean? Well, there are
some locally driven efforts, while others are national. It can range from family
fundraisers for a local trauma center to the national United Way campaigns. It s very
much encouraged and organized, but not forced.
Salary report
Salary increases are pretty rare and the increase is very small (2to 3 percent), says
one consultant. However, after two years at CGE&Y consultants can generally join
a competitor for a 50 percent increase. In addition to these salary schemes, there is
limited profit-sharing.
Benefits include accidental death/dismemberment policies, long-term disability,
tuition reimbursement, an employee assistance program, laptop computers, cell
phones, an employee referral bonus and, in some offices, free snacks and drinks.
Hours on the job
Since the merger, one source reports, hours are longer and the working life is much
more intense and driven by competition. True though that may be, another source
reports, I have had no problem balancing my work and personal life. Consultants
at CGE&Y work about 50 hours a week. The workload spikes quite a bit you re
usually challenged on multiple deadlines with high volume.
CGE&Y consultants should also expect a fair amount of travel, which is often
arranged on a 3-4-5 schedule. Three nights away, 4 days [away], and you work for
the client all 5.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
2004 Vault Inc. 50
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L I B R A R Y
1676 International Drive
McLean, VA 22102
Phone: (703) 747-3000
Fax: (703) 747-8500
www.bearingpoint.com
LOCATIONS
McLean, VA (HQ)
170 offices worldwide
PRACTICE AREAS
Enterprise Solutions
Managed Services
Strategy, Process and
Transformation
Technology Infrastructure and
Integration
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: BE
CEO: Rand Blazer
UPPERS
Young professional interaction
Great pay and fringe benefits
Philanthropic efforts
DOWNERS
Training lacking
Career path unclear
The focus on making numbers
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
Deloitte
EDS
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
Sean Huurman
Director of Recruiting, America
E-mail: us-
consultrecops@bearingpoint.net
BearingPoint
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
5
THE BUZZ
Experienced
More confused by the minute
Stable, solid
Lost bearing point
THE SCOOP
Accounting in the family
Spun off from accounting giant KPMG LLP in January 2000, BearingPoint (which
until October 2002 was known as KPMG Consulting) has been making a name for
itself by forming new alliances to help grow the business-systems integration area.
The firm offers consulting for financial services, consumer, industrial and technology
communications, and content and public services.
A bit of history
KPMG s consulting arm was established as a separate company in August 1999. The
unit was also buoyed by Cisco System s $1 billion investment that same month.
Cisco, which now owns a 10 percent stake in BearingPoint, was one of the many
beneficiaries of the February 2001 public offering.
Public spectacle
In May 2000, KPMG Consulting became the first Big Five (now Big Four)
consulting firm to file for an IPO, marking the end of a period of intense speculation.
The waiting ended on February 8, 2001, when it offered 112 million shares to the
public at $18 and watched the value rise 30 percent to over $23 per share on day one.
Of the more than 112 million shares offered, KPMG Consulting had owned 31.8
million, and KPMG LLP, the firm s parent, had owned 80.6 million. The offering
constituted 73.7 percent of the 152.1 million shares outstanding, and many on Wall
Street hailed the IPO as a success. KPMG LLP no longer holds a stake in
BearingPoint; with the IPO the company sold off its entire investment.
Sniffles
However, BearingPoint has had a bit of a rocky road since going public. In February
2000, the company announced the culling of 350 consultants due to revised revenue
expectations. Chief executive Rand Blazer had been hoping for a growth rate of 38
percent for fiscal 2000, but with growth running at a mere 20 percent, he decided to
hand out pink slips. In April 2001, the company announced a workforce reduction of
450 to 550 positions.
In August 2001, the firm announced that while overall revenue for the year was up,
fiscal fourth quarter revenue totaled $723 million, a 4 percent decline from Q3,
(though an 8 percent increase compared with the same quarter in the previous year).
Beari ngPoi nt
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Revenue in the firm s financial services unit dropped by nearly 40 percent for the
quarter, while health care revenue was down 24 percent. As a result, the firm
restructured its health care unit, folding operations into the public services and high
technology arms. KPMG Consulting s public-sector practice area continued to grow
strong, however, due to anticipated increased government spending at the federal,
state and local levels.
Unfortunately, the first quarter of fiscal 2002 brought more unsettling news, with
revenue dropping by $114 million, or 15.8 percent from the previous quarter, due in
part to the September 11th attacks. Revenue and net income figures continued to
decline in Q2. In October 2001, several hundred employees were offered voluntary
furloughs of three to six months, during which time they had the option of working
on a part-time or on-call basis. According to company spokesman John
Schneidawind, the furloughs were an attempt to avoid layoffs at all costs.
Unfortunately, they did not accomplish that objective the following month the firm
announced that it would cut 300 to 400 jobs, or about 3 percent of its workforce.
Shoring up
BearingPoint has taken a number of steps to improve its business in the past few
years. At first, the IPO included operations in the United States and 15 other
countries: Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala,
Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Peru, South Korea and Venezuela.
The company has since expanded by acquiring international consulting practices
from KPMG International in Australia as well as market rights in parts of Greater
China. In June 2002, it announced an agreement to acquire KPMG Consulting AG,
the German, Swiss and Austrian consulting practices of KPMG DTG.
The firm s boldest and perhaps most controversial move came in May 2002, when it
signed a letter of intent to acquire most of Andersen s global consulting operations,
in a deal reportedly worth up to $284 million. With this, the firm increased its global
workforce to more than 16,000 employees. By September 2002, the firm had
completed the acquisitions of the independent consulting units of Andersen
Worldwide in Australia, Brazil, China, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea,
Norway, Peru, Singapore, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. The company also
completed a mass hire of about 1,600 Andersen Business Consulting employees in
the United States.
Beari ngPoi nt
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Whats my name?
On October 3, 2002, KPMG Consulting became BearingPoint, a switch that took
effect immediately to such an extent that new e-mail addresses, business cards and
letterhead were available that day. The switch follows a trend among consulting
firms with Big Five accounting backgrounds: Deloitte contemplated renaming its
consulting practice Braxton in 2002, and PwC Consulting briefly renamed itself
Monday before it was acquired by IBM in August 2002. BearingPoint officials report
that the name resulted from a worldwide poll of employees as well as a private
branding firm and was chosen from among 550 possibilities.
Shifting bearings
Since the name change, BearingPoint s business has been strong, despite a few
notable bumps along the way. Early in November 2002, CFO Robert Lamb Jr. left
the company for an equivalent position at FleetBoston Financial, his prior employer.
In December 2002, the firm announced a restructuring of operations in Germany,
Austria and Switzerland (formerly KPMG AG) that included a workforce reduction
of 700 people. According to the press release, the downsizing and related expenses
had been accounted for in the KPMG AG acquisition deal. A separate round of
layoffs, sparked by excess capacity, came in January 2003, when between 450 and
500 consultants in North America and the Asia Pacific region received their walking
papers.
Rebuilding all over the world
There has been plenty of good news as well, namely positive results of previous
engagements and some significant new ones. In January 2003, BearingPoint
delivered a new financial management system to the government of Afghanistan,
helping the country to rebuild post-Taliban. Completion of this $4 million contract
provides core processes and trained personnel to enable Afghanistan to track the
more than $4 billion in international aid it is expected to receive. Also in January, the
firm won an $8.5 million contract with Hyundai Motor Company to implement SAP
R/3 software at a new plant in Montgomery, Ala., and got the go-ahead from the U.S.
Department of Defense to proceed with the third phase of a security project, which
the firm had begun in 2002.
In February 2003, BearingPoint picked up a $24 million contract from the
government of Ireland. The project will modernize the country s processes and
technologies for handling passport applications. In March 2003, the company
Beari ngPoi nt
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
announced a second contract award with Afghanistan, a three-year, $39.9 million
contract from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to
deliver an economic reform program to Afghanistan. And in July 2003, USAID
awarded BearingPoint a $9 million contract to help rebuild Iraq s economy.
Smiling new faces
2003 has seen the arrival of several new high-profile team members at BearingPoint.
These newbies include Robert Falcone, who joined BearingPoint in April 2003 as
executive vice president and CFO. Falcone was formerly CFO at sneaker vendor
Nike. Christoper Formant, the former CEO of vanished trendy e-consultancy Scient,
became executive vice president for financial services in February 2003.
GETTING HIRED
Patronage
The firm maintains a searchable job system, which includes a career network that
allows registered candidates to receive e-mail notification of new positions that
match their interests. One BearingPoint insider believes the firm uses resumes of
available candidates to win work, then looks to hire them. Another suggests, The
best way to get in is through a direct recommendation for a specific project by
someone who is well respected by the manager of that project.
Hiring is generally through referrals, according to one source. Another notes, The
company does not actively recruit at schools. However, some respondents
mentioned a hiring freeze. There is an internship program. The one insider who had
experience with it says he learned a lot about the corporate culture.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Bearing it
There are good points to working at BearingPoint one source describes the culture
as very competitive with a large emphasis on teamwork but some insiders
express dissatisfaction with the firm. Much of it centers on the move from a
partnership model to an American-owned public entity, as one puts it. He continues,
The senior leadership seems to be more interested in pleasing the shareholders
Beari ngPoi nt
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rather than its employees or clients. Another source says the firm has gone from a
partnership to corporate.
Moving up the food chain
Regarding promotions, we hear from one source, Although [the firm is] not strictly
up-or-out, one is expected to continue to progress in order to grow as a consultant to
improve yourself and the company. The up-or-out philosophy holds truer for
management positions. Another says, The regular promotion time is two years to
the next level, with six initial levels until reaching senior management. At that point
it is sales based.
Independent training
One respondent tells us that BearingPoint has an online Learning Management
System where you can enroll for anything that catches your fancy. However, he
continues, there are no real training facilities I was asked to manage with available
online training, rather than attend a one-off session for a new product that I am
actually implementing. Acolleague notes that training is the first thing to go when
money is tight. One person points out, Earning consultants don t have much
opportunity to attend technology classes at the office during the week.
Giving back
Insiders do mention a number of social concerns that BearingPoint takes on. One
consultant says, The firm sponsors many community events around where our
clients and offices are located. Another adds, We participate in and sponsor
numerous events for the [local] Air Force base, Boys/Girls Clubs of America, Special
Olympics, and numerous other charities through our company s own foundation.
Travel requirements are generally light. One insider notes, Some consultants are on
long-term projects in other cities requiring them to travel four to five days a week for
eight to 18 months. However, in Public Services line of business, the majority of
consultants work out of their home city and travel only when needed for their specific
projects (site visits, focus groups, interviews in other cities, etc.) Another relates, I
work physically away from my home office, but in close proximity (less than 10
miles).
Beari ngPoi nt
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
In summation, one consultant states, The firm is great for people who are looking to
advance in the consulting world and have the attitude to succeed. It is hard to tell if
you like the business or not until you become ingrained in it.
Beari ngPoi nt
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Beari ngPoi nt
The firm is great for
people who are looking to
advance in the consulting
world and have the
attitude to succeed.
BearingPoint consultant
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2300 W. Plano Pkwy.
Plano, TX 75075
Phone: (972) 577-0000
Fax: (972) 340-6100
www.perotsystems.com
LOCATIONS
Dallas, TX (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Business Process Services
Consulting
Government Services
IT Outsourcing
IT Solutions
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: PER
President & CEO: Ross Perot, Jr.
UPPERS
Big health care contracts.
DOWNERS
Ongoing investigation may affect
reputation.
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
BearingPoint
EDS
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
Recruiting.PSC-Operations@ps.net
Perot Systems
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
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6
THE BUZZ
Strong outsourcing competitor.
EDS satellite.
Vision, direction, dedicated.
Dont see them.
THE SCOOP
(Almost) as big as Texas
Perot Systems is a 9,100-strong consultancy serving the technology needs of over
400 clients around the world. Its offerings are many, but may be broken up into five
broad vertical practice areas: IT outsourcing, business process services, IT solutions,
government services (formed in July 2002) and consulting. In fiscal 2002, 44 percent
of the firm s $1.33 billion revenue came from the health care group within the IT
solutions practice.
H. Ross Perot Sr., engineer, billionaire, erstwhile U.S. presidential candidate and
political pot-stirrer, founded a technology consultancy named EDS once upon a time.
He sold it to General Motors for $2.5 billion, taking the money and experience gained
to launch Perot Systems in 1988 as a privately held company. The firm went public
in February 1999. In August 2000, Ross Perot Jr. succeeded his father as president
and CEO. Ross Sr. remains as chairman of the board. Ross Jr. started with Perot
Systems in 1988 on the board of directors. He has also been a U.S. Air Force pilot,
an owner of an NBA team and a real estate developer.
Taking control
Perot Systems, recovering from shaky times in 1999 and 2000, has sought to improve
through a series of aggressive strategic moves. From July 2001 until present, the firm
has entered into many alliances and made several acquisitions. In July 2002, Perot
formed its government services unit by acquiring ADI Technology Corporation, a
government consulting and IT service provider with five offices in the U.S., for $47
million in cash and stock. Greg Bedner, ADI s CEO, remained as head of the Perot
government division. In February 2003, Perot Systems doubled the size of the
practice to 1,500 people when it completed the acquisition of Soza & Co. for $75
million cash plus up to $32 million in cash and stock subject to meeting
performance goals.
The firm also cut one of its operations loose in December 2002. Perot Systems and
its partner PNC Bank sold BillingZone, a corporate accounting solutions provider, to
eONE Global for undisclosed terms. Both PNC and Perot have maintained
marketing relationships with BillingZone, and will offer its services to clients.
Perot Systems
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Signing up new business
Several new contracts have also been signed, though none are as large as the $550-
$600 million deals with Tenet Healthcare Corp. and Catholic Healthcare West the
firm won in 2001 (both were 10-year deals). In November 2002, Perot picked up a
10-year, $62 million contract to manage Northern Arizona Healthcare s IT needs.
The hospital system retains over 100 separate information systems, serving doctors,
nurses and administrators, which need to be integrated and streamlined. Northern
Arizona s IT staff will join Perot Systems as part of the agreement.
In December 2002, one month later, Lockheed Martin awarded a six-year, $8 million
contract to Dutch PHM Consortium, a group of technology companies led by Perot
Systems. The contract calls for the development of maintenance, support and
training technology for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program; the consortium
was formed in 1998 specifically to participate in JSF.
In April 2003, Perot picked up a six-year, $14.9 million technology outsourcing
contract with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, a sizable international law firm.
This adds to a previous five-year, $6 million service desk support contract signed in
October 2002. Additionally, Perot Systems won a trio of health care industry
victories in February and March 2003: Parkland Health & Hospital system hired the
firm for an 18-month project to reengineer the group s technological, clinical and
business processes; Physicians Plus Insurance Corp. selected Perot s Diamond 950
claims administration solution, extending a $50 million agreement signed in 2000;
and Tufts-New England Medical Center hired the firm to provide a full range of IT
management services.
Coming home to roost
One of Perot Systems most prominent ventures, HCL Perot Systems N.V., was
formed in 1996 with India-based CRM consulting firm HCL Technologies. Prior to
becoming president and CEO of Perot Systems, Ross Perot, Jr. was chairman of HCL
Perot Systems, a position he still holds. Like its parent firm, HCL Perot Systems has
made a number of key investments and partnerships. In February 2003, the division
won a $21 million, four-year contract to manage application and platform service
support for U.K. electronic funds transfer bank BACS. And in April 2003, the firm
announced it would open a software solutions and services center in Dallas.
Perot Systems
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Allegationville
Not every piece of news has been positive for Perot Systems lately. The firm was
under investigation by the California Attorney General in June 2002 for improper
business activities with the state s energy industry. There were allegations that Perot
Systems improperly revealed proprietary information of the California Independent
System Operator (Cal-ISO) and California Power Exchange (CPX), both clients of
Perot, to one or more energy companies to give them a market advantage in the
deregulated California energy industry.
Between June and November 2002, Perot delivered more than 55 boxes of
documents to the Attorney General, the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee
on Energy Policy and the California State Senate. In addition, the elder Perot gave
voluntary testimony to the California Senate about the matter. In December 2002, it
came to light that a Perot engineer had provided information to Taipower, a
Taiwanese power company. The engineer was fired for the ethical lapse. The
California Senate committee stated in January 2003 that it intended to question Perot
officials again, according to The Houston Chronicle, about charges the firm
engineered software for [Cal-ISO], then tried to market its ability to find holes in the
trading system.
GETTING HIRED
Enlist in Perot Systems
The Perot Systems web site (www.perotsystems.com/careers) provides several tools
to ease your job search. For example, a job agent allows candidates to create a profile
and receive e-mails of new job postings that fit your personal specifications, and
there s also a search engine for current openings. Upcoming recruiting events are
posted on the site, and there is an online resume submission form.
Perot Systems likes to hire from the military and big IT outsourcers (though the firm
says it hires from ALL walks of life ), as well as undergraduates with strong
computer science programs. The interviews vary, but applicants at all levels can
expect at least two interviews, one of which will be a team interview. The process
is composed of four steps: phone screening by a recruiter; technical screening to test
your qualifications and abilities; the team interview, where you will meet current
associates with whom you may wind up working; and finally an executive interview
with the hiring manager.
Perot Systems
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100 City Square
Boston, MA 02129
Phone: (617) 241-9200
Fax: (617) 241-9507
www.keane.com
LOCATIONS
Boston, MA (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Application Development
Business Consulting
Outsourcing
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: KEA
President and CEO: Brian Keane
2002 Revenue: $873.2 million
2001 Revenue: $774 million
UPPERS
Has been doing IT consulting
almost as long as there has been
such a thing
Prestigious client base
DOWNERS
Consultants viewed as mere
engineers by the outside world
Fierce competition in contracting
IT market
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
BearingPoint
EDS
IBM Global Services
Perot Systems
Sapient
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
http://www.keane.com/careers
Keane
V A U L T
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7
THE BUZZ
Good financials
Very good for SNF
Local consulting
THE SCOOP
IT from the start
Keane, Inc. is a Boston-based IT consultancy founded in 1965 to assist mainframe-
using clients to bridge the gap between technology s potential and its day-to-day
utilization. Since then, Keane has expanded its offerings to include software
services, application development, staffing, health care IT solutions and management
consulting. Keane has a variety of clients; some of the more notable ones include
3M, Eastman Kodak, Gateway and Toyota.
The firm s founder and current chairman, John F. Keane, started his business in an
office above a Massachusetts doughnut shop. Six years later, it was a public
company with a new approach to project management born of some good and bad
experiences in serving clients. Today, Keane s son Brian is the president and CEO,
operating a consultancy with more than 7,300 employees and 70 worldwide
locations.
Keane offerings
Keane s major practice areas are business and IT strategy consulting; application
development and integration (ADI); and application and development management
(ADM) outsourcing. ADI essentially started the company: developing hardware and
software solutions to suit a client s particular needs. ADM outsourcing is Keane s
name for business process outsourcing (BPO), complete with Indian offshore service
centers in Hyderabad and Noida. These two in particular earned ISO 9001-2000
certifications and CMM Level 5 assessments in November 2002, positioning them
among the leading technology centers in the world. In addition, Keane provides
specialized solutions for health care, project management and the public sector.
Remember Y2K?
Keane built its business on providing nuts-and-bolts solutions for complex
mainframe infrastructures, but it hit the big time when the infamous Y2K bug became
business big issue. As one of the few firms willing and able to approach the problem
on a large scale, Keane quickly grabbed a corner of the paranoia market, and Y2K
work counted for a full 20 percent of its operations by 1999.
The downside to Y2K work was, of course, its December 31, 1999 cutoff date. By
the summer of 1999 investors had begun to cool on Keane s potential, deeming it a
Keane
C A R E E R
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one-trick pony. The firm had hoped to convert its newfound cachet into a higher
demand for its other services, but soon found that the need for mainframe solutions
was dwindling as firms converted to web-based infrastructures. Keane responded by
snapping up a number of smaller consultancies to recast itself as a supply-chain
management and application-integration firm. Nevertheless, 2000 and 2001 were
rough years for the firm even after it cut more than 2,000 employees in a series of
layoffs in early 2001 and sold its 1,000-person staffing division to Convergys Corp.,
its 2001 revenue of $774 million was down almost $350 million from 1998.
A new, healthier Keane
In response to its financial difficulty, Keane sold its call center practice and
restructured its operations to focus in three areas: business innovation consulting, e-
commerce services and application-development and -management outsourcing. The
firm began to turn itself around by inking two major, long-term contracts: in August
2001, it signed a 10-year, $127 million deal to upgrade the Air Force Materiel
Command s logistics supply system; and in January 2002 the firm agreed to a 10-
year, $500 million outsourcing contract with PacifiCare Health Systems.
Further health care successes followed PacifiCare. In April 2002, Keane launched its
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act solution, a major project meant
to help companies deal with the administrative and technological changes necessary
to comply with HIPAAs patient confidentiality and health care delivery guidelines.
Recent beneficiaries of Keane s health care and patient management advice include
Marlette (Michigan) Community Hospital, which hired the firm to provide the Keane
AS/400 Healthcare Information System in March 2003; and Blue Cross/Blue Shield
of Vermont, which contracted the firm for a seven-year, $36 million outsourcing
project. In January 2003, Keane s Patcom Plus patient management system was
awarded Best in KLAS honors in the 2002 health care IT performance report by
KLAS Enterprises.
In November 2002, Keane picked up a five-year, $33 million engagement with Public
Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) to outsource the maintenance and support of the
energy company s customer information system. The project will be handled by
Keane s center in Hyderabad, India. This deal extends a relationship that began in
1996 as one of Keane s early Y2K contracts.
Keane
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Public sector activities
In the past few years, Keane has been selling a lot of work to state and municipal
governments delivering services to agencies in 32 U.S. states. It estimates that 19
percent of its 3Q 2002 revenue came from public sector engagements. A trio of
notable events occurred for Keane in December 2002. First, the firm launched an
Automated Client Eligibility System (ACES) for the Maine Department of Human
Services. This application allows rapid processing of benefits requests, in 24 hours
or less, for any of 45 state services programs. Two days later, Virginia s Dept. of
Transportation won Government Executive Magazines Government Technology
Leadership Award for its information security awareness program, developed by
Keane. And the firm announced the development of a web portal for youth and
senior services in the six-county area, including Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
A new alliance
In February 2003, Keane announced a major transatlantic business alliance with
Unilog, a French IT consultancy with sales of approximately $600 million in 2002.
The Paris-based firm and Keane will offer clients their combined resources to expand
their respective global reach. The agreement will allow clients to access to more than
18,000 business and IT professionals around the world. (The estimated value of the
alliance was not disclosed.)
GETTING HIRED
Gurus wanted
Keane is an IT firm to the core, and at most other firms its consultants would more
likely be labeled systems gurus. It looks for strong programming skills in its
applicants, and proven skills in specific languages and programs. Many of its
positions require at least some knowledge of large-systems development. Because
Keane is also involved in a number of high-level government projects, many of its
consultants must be eligible for (or already have) security clearance.
Keane maintains a database of its open positions in the career area of its web site
(www.keane.com/careers) and welcomes online applications.
Keane
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One Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: (617) 621-0200
Fax: (617) 621-1300
www.sapient.com
LOCATIONS
Cambridge, MA (HQ)
12 offices in five countries: Canada,
Germany, India, U.K. and U.S.
PRACTICE AREAS
Application Management
Application Portfolio Planning
E-business and Web Solutions
Industry Business Process
Consulting
Industry-focused Package and
Custom Solutions
Learning Solutions
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: SAPE
Stock Exchange: Nasdaq
Co-Chairmen: Jerry A. Greenberg &
J. Stuart Moore
UPPERS
Reputation for fast project
turnaround
Lots of women in upper
management
Non-hierarchical; Very few
layers
DOWNERS
Culture shaky due to international
expansion
Compensation is an issue
Slowing promotions
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
DiamondCluster International
IBM Global Services
Wipro
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
careers.sapient.com/register.html
Sapient Corporation
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
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8
THE BUZZ
Cutting edge, but only on
Internet
Fun, lively, interesting,
unstable
Hidden champions
THE SCOOP
Delivering wisdom
Sapient the name is derived from the Latin for wisdom boasts about 1,500
employees in 12 offices in the United States, Canada, Europe and India. In 1994,
relatively early in the dot-com game, the firm turned its attentions to the Internet.
Currently, the vast majority of the firm s business comes from large, global clients,
including Nissan, Hilton, Verizon, BP and Cisco Systems.
When Jerry Greenberg and J. Stuart Moore founded Sapient in 1991, they wanted to
provide exemplary services, on time and on budget. Sapient s big advantage over
other firms was its guarantee to finish a project in a predetermined time frame, for a
predetermined fee. In IT consulting, an industry where overruns in time and cost are
too often the rule and not the exception, this philosophy proved appealing to clients.
Rocky road
Between March 2001 and February 2002, Sapient cut more than 1,600 employees in
response to the economic downturn. This cut, combined with the December closing
of Sapient s office in Japan, reduced Sapient to approximately 1,500 people as of
March 2003.
In November 2002, Sapient reached a settlement with the Department of Labor over
a legal action brought by 170 firm employees regarding back wages. The suit alleged
that Sapient had failed to pay overtime to the workers from April 2000 until
November 2001, when the firm began to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Sapient agreed to pay more than $308,000 as part of the voluntary settlement.
Sapient grows eastward
Despite several ventures in Europe and Asia (where Sapient makes about a third of
its revenue) and the opening of a Toronto office in 2001, the firm s most important
international focus remains on India. While Sapient was cutting staff in North
America, the firm was making plans to increase its Indian workforce. Sapient s India
operation, established in March 2000, currently has about 700 employees. Among
other advantages, operational costs in the country are considerably lower than in
North America. India is also an excellent source of technology professionals.
Expanding in India allows Sapient to continue to enlarge its available services while
still cutting costs. Founder and co-chair Jerry Greenberg seems delighted with the
Sapi ent Corporati on
C A R E E R
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firm s progress on the subcontinent so far, telling the Financial Times in a January
2002 interview, All we ll say is that 25 percent [of Sapient staff based in India] is
not enough. A BusinessWeek article from March 2003 reported that Sapient now
has 40 percent of its 1,500-strong workforce there. Three years after it began hiring
in India, one-quarter of Sapient s own technology budget is allocated to hardware and
software for its Indian employees.
One of the advantages to Sapient s presence in India and elsewhere in the world is
the ability to work round the clock on engagements without exhausting its personnel.
The firm uses what it calls a global distributed delivery model, passing engagements
across time zones and utilizing Indian tech specialists and consultants in other
locations. Projects get 24-hour coverage, making Sapient s time to delivery shorter
than the competition s.
Changing with the times
Just as Sapient grasped the importance of the Internet early on, it anticipated the
importance of wireless and broadband technologies, e-learning, CRM and supply
chain in the 21st century and has created services to work in these arenas. Sapient is
adapting to the times in other ways as well. The firm had a business formal dress
code until 1999, when it went casual to conform to the culture of its dotcom clientele.
Since the Internet bust however, Sapient has inched back toward its sartorial
traditions. Nowadays, Sapient consultants dress formally when with clients, though
they still dress down when not in meetings.
Widespread recognition
On September 30, 2003, Micosoft named Sapient its only North American finalist in
its sixth annual Certified Partner Awards in the Internet Solutions of the Year
category, and was declared the winner in October 2003. That same week, the firm
was voted No. 1 on New Media Ages 2003 list of Top 100 Interactive Agenies.
Sapient was also tapped as one of Consulting s Ten Best Consulting Firms to Work
For in 2003.
Comings and goings
In June 2002, the former chief executive of CSX, John W. Snow, joined Sapient s
board of directors, but his time there would be short. (If the name sounds familiar,
it s probably because you recognize it from the newspapers: President Bush
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nominated Snow as Secretary of the Treasury shortly thereafter.) Dennis
Chookaszian, former chairman and CEO of CNA Insurance Companies, replaced
Snow at the end of January 2003.
The firm added Joseph B. Murphy in March 2003 as VP of business development for
Sapient s thriving application management services practice, which brought in 8
percent of Sapient s revenue for 2002 twice what it had the year before. Murphy
joins from rival consultancy Keane Inc., where he was managing director and
principal. In another noteworthy addition, Gary McKissock, U.S. Marine Corps
Lieutenant General (retired), was elected to Sapient s board of directors in April
2003.
Recent engagements and alliances
In March 2003, Sapient released BuildIt, a development tool for the emerging
Microsoft.NET Framework that automates certain critical and repeated steps in the
process of writing new applications for Microsoft operating systems and
applications. The two firms worked together to design and implement the tool for the
Microsoft Developer Network.
One month later, Sapient announced it had won a three-year contract with carmaker
Nissan North America to support its various consumer Web presences, including
Infiniti.com and NissanUSA.com, providing development, design, testing,
marketing, vendor management and maintenance. Neither party reported the value
of the contract.
Early in May 2003, Sapient delivered MyCourses, a course management solution, to
Harvard Medical School. The system allows students to access lectures, medical
references and course content via the Internet or a PDA. MyCourses also allows real-
time interaction and feedback between teacher and student when not in class. The
system was designed specifically for medical schools, and Sapient hopes to make it
available at other institutions in the near future.
Sapient announced a project with MIT in July 2003, launching the beginnings of MIT
OpenCourseWare (or MIT OCW, as the firm calls it), electronic publishing aimed at
promoting knowledge sharing work around the world. The initiative will allow
professors and students, as well as individuals not affiliated with a school or
university, free access to MIT course materials.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Checking in
In June 2003, Sapient was tapped by hotel giant Hilton International to help it design,
develop and implement online services for the Hilton brand in a variety of local
languages in the U.K., German and Japanese markets. Sapient will also develop
online services for Hilton s Scandic brand in Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland
in both native languages and English. Hilton also awarded Sapient the support
contract to manage its e-commerce applications.
GETTING HIRED
Taking all comers
At Sapient, all forms of recruitment are used, from employee referrals to on-
campus interviews to headhunters and other candidate search methods. Insiders say
that candidates don t reach face-to face-interviews until they have undergone a
resume scan and telephone screening interview. Prospective Sapient consultants
should note that as of May 2003, Sapient is currently evaluating our 2003 campus
recruiting programs for North America and Europe, though hiring continues in
India.
Initial interviews and technical skills tests for college students and MBAs are held on
campus. Those who make the grade are asked to join one of our Super Saturday
hiring events, where we bring 30-50 candidates into our office for a Friday and
Saturday of interviews, technical exercises or business exercises and team building
activities, as well as social activities. One insider notes, Everyone in the company
is encouraged to interview new employees. This is for the simple reason that one day
you could be working with the person. The hiring process follows with an eye
toward the future in other ways as well, says one consultant: We do treat people
great who we don t hire. They can be clients in the future.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
In flux
The culture at Sapient is going through changes and stress, both as a result of the
focus on profitability and the bottom line and because GDD (Global Distributed
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Delivery) has also had a negative impact. One person is pleased with what he calls
a Very open culture with very few layers. But a source in the U.S. says, Sapient
has traditionally had a very strong culture, based on our core values (openness,
relationships, client focused delivery, growth, leadership and creativity). This has
slipped significantly [since we expanded into India]. Now, grass roots and top-down
efforts are attempting to bring the strong culture back. He isn t sure of the result, if
any. It remains to be seen if it will work. Although the firm sent a number of
tenured veterans to India to establish our culture there, the Indian culture did not
translate flawlessly. Over time, this issue will go away, but for now, friction remains
between Indian and non-Indian teams.
Some insiders feel that there is more at work than a settling-in period. One
longtime employee says, Sapient is at a turning point: either our culture will come
together those people that have worked together through the storm will bond, and
we ll be a stronger firm or the junior staff (senior associates through senior
managers) in the States and Europe will leave in an exodus. Should that happen, it
is highly unlikely that the remaining staff will be able to keep the company from
imploding (the knowledge drain itself would be poison).
An insider notes there is also a cultural disconnect between single consultants and
employees with families. He says, Sapient makes token gestures toward work/life
balance. Older team members probably get off a little easier, since they can use
family as a reason to get home, and Sapient holds a few family oriented events. As
a person without kids, I would say that I feel more pressure to be flexible to travel on
short notice and put in longer hours. While I m okay with that, I could do without the
rugrats running around the office on their special days.
Getting around
Travel is expected for a consultant and Sapient s employees seem to have a handle
on it. With a staffing crunch in Europe and the U.S., says one, it s almost a given
that you re going to spend time on the road. He adds, Staffing and managers are
flexible, and they usually ensure a couple of weeks at the home office after a couple
of months on the road. Likewise, long hours are to be expected. One source
claimed a workday of nine to 12 hours as normal for him, while another indicated
a workweek of somewhere between 60 and 70 hours. But there are lulls. Expect
to be on the beach for stretches at Sapient, only because of the normal downtime
between projects, says one consultant. This is probably the only decompression
time you ll get, and the only way to not burn out.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Promotion procedure
According to one source, Promotions and growth/recognition have been sidelined
recently as we try to regain profitability. The firm also tends to hire outsiders when
Director or higher-level positions become available instead of promoting from
within. He adds, This has been pointed out by a number of the junior staff. The
leadership has stated that they will try and address this, but enough time hasn t passed
for any judgment to be made.
A newcomer to the firm notes, There is an annual 360-degree feedback process
where one collects feedback from a number of senior/fellow/junior colleagues. It is
the basis of all further decisions like compensation, promotion, etc. Managing the
feedback process can be crucial, adds a firm veteran. It s pretty key to having a
good experience at Sapient is getting a good career manager, who will stay with [you]
over time and is responsible for getting feedback and your promotion/compensation
processes. If you find one that knows how to work with you and at Sapient, then
you re going to feel a lot better.
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L I B R A R Y
Expect to be on the beach
for stretches at Sapient,
only because of the normal
downtime between
projects.
Sapient consultant
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
2004 Vault Inc. 74
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
5400 Legacy Drive
Plano, TX 75024-3199
Phone: (972) 604-6000
Fax: (972) 605-2643
www.eds.com
info@eds.com
LOCATIONS
Plano, TX (HQ)
Offices in more than 60 countries
PRACTICE AREAS
A.T. Kearney
Global Sales & Client Solutions
Service Delivery
Portfolio Management
INDUSTRIES
Communications, Entertainment
and Media
Consumer, Industries and Retail
Energy
Financial Services
Government (Federal, State and
Local)
Health Care
Manufacturing
Transportation
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: EDS
Chairman and CEO: Michael Jordan
2002 Employees: 135,000
2001 Employees: 140,000
UPPERS
Flexible schedule
DOWNERS
Corporate hierarchy limiting
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
American Management Systems
BearingPoint
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
E-mail: careers@eds.com
EDS
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
9
THE BUZZ
Quiet, but successful
Boring outsourcing
Very clever!
Bureaucratic
THE SCOOP
In the beginning
Long before Ross Perot set his sights on the Oval Office, he founded EDS. Perot had
been working for IBM for 10 years, and proposed that the computer giant begin
offering clients electronic data processing management services. IBM rejected the
idea, and a disgruntled (yet visionary) Perot left to start his own company in 1962.
In the mid-1960s, EDS entered the medical claims processing, insurance and banking
markets and went on to become the leading provider of data management in each
of these industries. Car king General Motors (GM) bought the company in 1984, and
the rocky relationship between GM and Perot led to the founder s departure in 1986.
GM spun off EDS as an independent company in 1996 (though GM continues to
provide about 12 percent of EDS sales). Today, EDS is a global leader in providing
management and information technology consulting services to 35,000 business and
government clients in 60 countries. With more than 135,000 employees worldwide,
it is the largest IT firm in the U.S., and second largest worldwide (rival IBM Global
Services holds that distinction).
A bruising year
Technology still means big business to EDS. Former CEO Richard Brown, who took
over the reins in 1999 and stepped down in early 2003, attributed the company s
success to its end-to-end solutions EDS is so large that it can provide a client with
initial consulting services, build the necessary IT infrastructure and manage the
business processes the new architecture makes possible. In March 2003, EDS
announced a new management team that included Chairman and CEO Mike Jordan
(the former leader of Westinghouse and CBS Corporation) and President and COO
Jeff Heller, who retired from EDS in 2002 after 34 years with the company.
Insulation notwithstanding, EDS has run into its share of difficulties recently.
Despite a 2 percent revenue increase (to $21.5 billion), net income plummeted 26
percent in 2002, to a still considerable $1.1 billion. Several clients, most notably
WorldCom and US Airways, filed for bankruptcy in 2002, jeopardizing the payment
of outstanding contracts. Layoffs have further affected the company s image. The
icing on the untasty 2002 cake was the announcement of a formal SEC inquiry into
the firm s policies, and the 2003 ouster of CEO Brown, whose reported $55 million
salary and $32 million severance package caused a bit of a stir in the media.
EDS
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Four routes to influence business
EDS is organized into three distinct business units, each serving different client
needs. Global Sales and Client Solutions is accountable for growth with existing
clients and developing business with new clients. It serves as a single point of
accountability for client relationships. Service Delivery is accountable for delivering
services at competitive rates, integrating and managing the delivery of EDS services
worldwide. Portfolio Management develops EDS s range of service offerings. A.T.
Kearney is a formerly independent management consultancy that EDS acquired in
1995. ATK is now a wholly owned subsidiary of EDS, but retains its identity and
operating independence.
Government circles
Although EDS lost board member Dick Cheney to the vice presidency in August
2000, EDS isn t out of the loop (or the Beltway) in Washington. In October 2000,
the company signed a $7 billion deal to build and maintain an intranet for the Navy
and Marine Corps. The Marines began their transition to the Navy Marine Corps
Intranet (NMCI) in April 2003, and EDS estimates it will finish integrating the
service branch by December 2003. In January 2001, in cooperation with Indentix,
EDS demonstrated a new secure digital voting solution for members of Congress.
The system would allow U.S. military personnel overseas to vote online, eliminating
the need for absentee ballots (and maybe a few Supreme Court cases). EDS interest
in government electronic security increased significantly after September 11, 2001.
The firm named retired Army Major General Robert L. Nabors as the head of its
Homeland Security initiative in January 2002, charging him with integrating EDS
security offerings to federal, state and local governments.
Contracting expansion
Much of EDS practice is homegrown, but a considerable segment comes from
acquisitions as well. Due to economic concerns, however, the pace has slackened;
the most recent one was the August 2002 acquisition of the managed hosting business
of Loudcloud (now known as Opsware) for $63.5 million; in addition, EDS licensed
its Opsware web hosting automation software for 5 years at $52 million. It was the
only acquisition by EDS in 2002.
Contracts aplenty
In just one week in April 2003, EDS announced the following contracts: a $407
million, four-year extension with California Medicaid; undisclosed-term
engagements with European transportation industry firms DHL Aviation, Belgian
EDS
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Ground Services (BGS) and Jet Aviation; contracts with French horse racing betting
agency PMU, French independent bank Banque Martin Manuel, and Wanadoo,
France Telecom s Internet division; $117 million in various contracts for its Business
Process Outsourcing line; and a handful of new or expanded contracts with Esko-
Graphics, Swedish retail co-op KF Kort, Chilean national airline LanChile, and
Visanet. That s in just a week s worth of time, and it was interrupted by a weekend.
Still, EDS hasn t been immune to the layoff bug. In December 2002, the firm cut
5,500 jobs, citing poor operating results. The company says that in June 2003, it
announced that it would reduce its workforce by 2 percent, or approximately 2,700
employees worldwide.
GETTING HIRED
Job shopping
One source from Europe says EDS fills open positions via third-party professional
hiring bureaus. A U.S.-based colleague concurs, noting that jobs are often filled
through a contracting house. In fact, he continues, this is what I would
recommend as it lets you test drive EDS for six months. If things go well, you can
expect an offer. You can also negotiate for a raise when you get an offer.
Undergraduate and graduate recruitment happens at most major universities, typical
for a Fortune 100 company. Insiders weren t specific as to which schools; Why
discriminate based on a school? asks one consultant, quasi-rhetorically. The firm
notes that, while it does sometimes use a contracting house, most hiring is done
directly. As of September 2003, on-campus recruiting is limited.
On interviews, one EDSer offers this advice: Be confident when you interview and
state what you can do. EDS tends to be conservative in where they place you, and if
you don t promote yourself, you could end up with a fairly rudimentary position.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Four-four-four cultures in one
The experience you get at EDS will depend on which department you call home. A
source says, The organization is divided into four business lines [including A.T.
Kearney] and their independence drives different cultures. Another agrees,
Sometimes the company can be compartmentalized. A person in product
EDS
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
lifecycle management notes, Our business unit is a small, flexible organization.
Managers get good marks
There are no pointy-headed bosses at this IT firm, according to our respondents.
EDS is a good place to work, says one source. The management is concerned
about morale. He later notes that supervisors are good, responsive, and flexible.
A colleague agrees, Immediate and mid-level supervision is great. But the love
appears to end there; that same person gripes, Bureaucrats in Plano and Herndon
focus on money and couldn t care less about people. Another adds, There is far too
much overhead too many layers of management, too many processes, etc. It seems
like there is a concerted effort to improve the situation but there is much work to be
done. The firm comments that a new management team is in place, with a
commitment to employee care.
All the diversity the market can stand
EDS isn t as diverse as it could be but insiders are understanding. I believe EDS
makes a sincere effort to provide a diverse environment, says one male, but it
seems like there are few women in the computer/engineering fields in general. He
continues, I believe the real problem is in the American education system. When
you look in highly technical classes, you will find a largely white male presence.
This is reflected in the work force. Companies hire based on availability. To have a
more diverse work force requires more recruiting and encouraging of women and
minorities in the education system.
EDS
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EDS
EDS is a good place to
work. The management is
concerned about morale.
EDS consultant
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
2004 Vault Inc. 80
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L I B R A R Y
2100 East Grand Avenue
El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: (310) 615-0311
Fax: (310) 322-9768
www.csc.com
LOCATIONS
El Segundo, CA (HQ)
1,200 offices worldwide
PRACTICE AREAS
Application Outsourcing BPM
Credit Services Customer
Relationship Management
Enterprise Solutions Industry
Solution Information Security IT
Infrastructure Outsourcing
Knowledge Management Managed
Services Management Consulting
Research Services Supply Chain
Management
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: CSC
Chairman and CEO: Van B.
Honeycutt
UPPERS
Government engagements mean
great exposure
Diverse global company, able to
resist local economic downturns
DOWNERS
Outsourcing-o-rama
Extra-heavy travel likely
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
BearingPoint
Deloitte
EDS
IBM Global Services
Perot Systems
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
careers.csc.com
Computer Sciences
Corporation
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
10
THE BUZZ
Experienced.
Code monkeys.
Rising star.
Past its prime.
THE SCOOP
One of the originals
Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) has been around since 1959, when there were
fewer than 4,000 computers in the world and a computer bug was literally an errant
critter blocking a circuit in one of the room-sized machines. In April of that year, two
young aerospace computer analysts named Fletcher Jones and Roy Nutt started CSC
with $100. The company was one of the first to be listed on the New York Stock
Exchange in 1968. Today, the firm is one of the most recognized names in the field
of information technology, and understandably so; the firm employed 92,000 people
as of 2003.
The CSC client roster includes private companies most notably aerospace,
chemical and energy, credit services, financial services, health care and government
entities. CSC boasts clients ranging from MIT and the relatively new U.S.
Department of Homeland Security to Dupont and the Royal Mail Group. The firm s
services include IT strategy and consulting, systems integration, supply chain and
customer relationship management, research and outsourcing. In May 2003, CSC
launched a new global organization to develop and deliver transformation solutions
meaning consulting services that impact high value business processes, leverage
existing systems and investments, and enable continuous improvement, according
to the company.
Knowledgeable programs
CSC has developed several strategic offerings for its clients. The firm s enticingly
named Leading Edge Forum, aka The Technology Voice of CSC, serves as a sort
of mouthpiece for views of the technology marketplace where it is and where its
going. The Leading Edge Forum, or LEF, publishes reports on the technology
marketplace (called wait for it LEF Reports.) Under the aegis of the LEF exist
Centers of Excellence, which are dedicated facilities with consultants and
resources in industry areas such as banking, information security and systems
performance.
CSC s Knowledge Program (not to be confused with LEF!) contains four separate
components: worldwide collaborations by CSC consultants (normally virtually, via
computer and phone); CSC Catalyst, CSC s (licenseable) methodology; and CSC s
Computer Sci ences Corporati on
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
ResearchNetwork and Knowledge Broker Services, CSC s dedicated research
services.
Internally, the company has established an extensive professional development
program with over 2,800 online computer-based training courses offered through
Learn@CSC. The courses include both technical and interpersonal skills training.
Other programs include leadership development, coaching skills, Catalyst education
and the Pioneer Curriculum for global business change. The courses are accessed
online.
Navigating a stormy market
The firm weathered a stroke of bad luck with the disastrous collapse of IP network
provider Global Crossing. Global Crossing filed for bankruptcy (it had fraudulently
misstated its value at ten times the actual figure) in February 2002, just months after
signing a $700 million joint services contract with CSC, of which CSC would have
garnered $400 million over five years. CSC s 2002 revenue forecasts were cut on
more than one occasion as a result of Global Crossing s ineptitude.
Fortunately, this sad history is in the past. While commercial consulting revenues
continue to stall, growth in CSC s commercial outsourcing and federal consulting
and outsourcing has compensated. Growth has come from big contracts such as a 10-
year, $2.4 billion contract with Britain s Royal Mail Group, a five-year outsourcing
agreement with Tryg, Denmark s largest insurer, and a $320 million contract wtih
Maybank, the largest bank in Malaysia. CSC also won outsoucing work from Boeing
despite a prior Boeing relationship with IBM.
Government assistance
In 2002, revenue from government clients made up about 24 percent of total CSC
revenue. In 2003, government revenue hit 40 precent. This jump is largely due to
CSC s acquisition of DynCorp in March 2003, which, in its former life, was a
technology services firm that specialized in communications, security and aircraft. In
fact, DynCorp was the maintenance contractor for all White House aircraft with the
very notable exception of Air Force One. The acquisition was a strategic move to
allow CSC to take advantage of the increased focus on national security and
antiterrorism and to garner business from the new Department of Homeland Security.
The plan worked beautifully. In April 2003, the U.S. State Department invited CSC
to participate in an (apparently no longer) secret bid for a contract to rebuild Iraq s
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police and judicial system. CSC s brand new DynCorp subsidiary won the $50
million contract. Good luck, CSC! Also in April 2003, a DynCorp joint venture
signed a $948 million deal to provide facilities managmeent and range operations for
the British Ministry of Defence. CSC, which owns half the joint venture, will collect
half the proceeds of the juicy 10-year deal.
Growing through government
CSC continues to grow in the government sector. Other big federal wins include a
$1.1 billion contract to provide simulator-based flight training and related aviation
training support services to the U.S. Army and a $700 million, eight-year contract
with the U.S. Army to develop and install networks. In July 2003, CSC announced
that it had successfully assisted in the deployment of the first phase of the U.S.
Army s Logistic Modernization Program, which entails the reinvention and updating
of the U.S. Army s supply chain, the world s largest.
CSC may be taking its government savvy to Europe as well. As of October 2003,
the firm was negotiating a 6.1 billion IT outsourcing project for the German armed
forces.
Going commercial
No one-trick pony, CSC has a number of projects in the works for clients from the
private sector. The projects announced in 2003 include a $320 million, eight-year
outsourcing agreement with materials science giant Basell; a 10-year, $1.6 billion
outsourcing deal with Motorola; and extensions to four General Dynamics contracts
valued collectively at $137 million.
Give me a break
In December 2002, The Los Angeles Times reported that CSC workers were being
forced to use vacation days to take a week off between December 30, 2002 and
March 28, 2003. The company memo, leaked to web site Internalmemos.com, noted
that employees who lacked sufficient vacation time to take a week off in that period
would have a negative vacation balance until they accrue more vacation over time.
Mike Dickerson, a company spokesman, said, It is very common practice for
American industry to require some employees to take paid vacations during slow
times of the year. He added, The memo does not in any way accurately reflect the
company s consolidated financial condition.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
GETTING HIRED
Knuckling down
Computer Sciences Corp. is serious about online recruiting. Its CareerSource page
(careers.csc.com) includes links to jobs listed in the past 24 hours and the past five
days, various search options, a job alert that includes daily mailings (if your criteria
come up often enough), and a resume upload and storage function for registered
users. For traditionalists, the site also keeps a schedule of campus events and other
hiring initiatives.
Internships are also covered on CareerSource. Unlike many consultancies, CSC does
not have a standard, formalized program. Instead, internships for particular offices
and practices are posted as they become available. For instance, a May 2003
opportunity highlighted the company s Maryland Intelligence Center undergraduate
program, open to U.S. citizens interested in IT security and the Department of
Defense.
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L I B R A R Y
As of October 2003, [CSC]
was negotiating a 6.1
billion IT outsourcing
project for the German
armed forces.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
2004 Vault Inc. 86
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L I B R A R Y
Stephenson House
75 Hampstead Road
London, UK NW1 2PL
Phone: +44 20 7637 9111
Fax: +44 20 7468 7006
www.logicacmg.com
LOCATIONS
London (HQ)
Lexington, MA (U.S. HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Consulting Customer Relationship
Management e-Business
Enterprise Resource Planning
Enterprise Solutions Human
Resource Management IT Skills
Knowledge Management
Outsourcing Security Software
Engineering Systems Integration
Testing & Quality Management
Wireless Networks
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: LOG
Stock Exchange: London
CEO: Martin P. Read
UPPERS
Worldwide reach through
numerous offices
There is no one here I would not
buy a drink with my own money
Reasonable working hours
DOWNERS
Culture, headcount and morale in
flux after merger
No training allowed
Brutal travel requirements
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
EDS
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.logicacmg.com/careers
LogicaCMG
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
11
THE BUZZ
Reliable tech house
High tech has beens
Possible new kid on the block
CMG did them no favors
THE SCOOP
All together now
As you might gather from its name, LogicaCMG is the result of a merger between
Logica and CMG, former rivals in the field of technology consulting. The firms
announced their intent to join in November 2002. Logica, a British concern,
completed the assimilation of Amsterdam-based CMG at the end of December 2002.
LogicaCMG conducts business in 32 nations, providing a wide array of IT and other
technology support to more than 680 client companies in markets such as energy and
utilities, media and entertainment, telecommunications, public sector and retail. The
firm s services similarly cover a broad range, including software engineering,
systems integration, CRM, outsourcing and strategy. In addition, it provides
infrastructure for wireless networks.
Moving forward
Both firms were busy before and during the merger period, with several contracts and
smaller acquisitions each during late 2002. Prior to merging, the firms predicted that
more than 1,400 jobs (about 6 percent of the combined workforce) would be
eliminated during the first year of operation. After joining forces, LogicaCMG hit
the ground running, but not without some painful cuts.
First, the good news
LogicaCMG has picked up several engagements in its early days. In January 2003,
the firm signed a partnership agreement with Verzuimdata Nederland, a
communications network provider and go-between for employers, insurers and
health/safety organizations in the Netherlands. The combined service will provide
data on worker absenteeism with less error and duplication than previously possible.
A February 2003 partnership with LightSurf to deliver multimedia messaging
solutions (MMS) to mobile telecom providers, made it possible for LogicaCMG to
book a sale to KPN Mobile, a European wireless group, in March. The firm followed
that up in April by contracting with Go Mobile, the leading mobile operator in Malta.
Further launches in the Philippines and India were announced in May.
Also in April 2003, LogicaCMG joined the Mantas Global Alliance Program, a
consortium of technology firms that provides behavior and risk management
Logi caCMG
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
technology to the financial services industry the firm also picked up a new master
service agreement with Shell International. The first project for Shell under the new
contract is a $20 million SAP implementation for Shell Europe Oil Products, which
should take two years to complete.
Now, the bad news
Job cuts have persisted since the merger in December 2002. In January 2003, 315
personnel were laid off in two Irish offices; another 415 in the Netherlands got the
axe in February. Shortly thereafter, in early March 2003, a plan for 700+ new layoffs
(in addition to the original 1,400) was announced to compensate for reduced demand,
bringing the expected total to more than 2,200. At the same time, chief executive
Alistair Crawford, former head of CMG, resigned to pursue the top spot at another
firm. In his place, Logica boss Martin Read took the reins.
Not surprisingly, repeated layoff announcements and the departure of the firm s CEO
have caused the stock price to fluctuate considerably. By May 2003 and the close of
the firm s first four months of operation, however, trading and other factors were
reported to be in line with the 2003 guidance provided at the time of the merger.
GETTING HIRED
Finding your way
As of May 2003, the HR departments of Logica and CMG were still operating more
or less independently, while the firm worked to create a unified recruitment strategy
and hiring process. A company insider confirms, The recruitment process is under
review due the merging of the two companies. Interested parties are directed to start
their inquiries and submit their applications and resumes on the Web (see
www.logicacmg.com/careers).
Expect the final hiring process to combine the best practices of each firm this is a
consultancy, after all, and best practices carry a lot of weight in the industry. One
source calls his former (as in pre-merger) company s methods very effective and
impressive. Another consultant recalls, My recruitment took the form of a
technical test followed by four interviews all on the same day. This is confirmed by
several colleagues who mention anywhere from two to four interviews, usually in a
single day. However, he notes, There has been a recruitment freeze on for over a
Logi caCMG
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year. The freeze is apparently not absolute, though jobs posted on the sites are
open to (and directed toward) outside candidates.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Bringing order out of chaos, eventually
According to one source at the firm, The two companies (Logica and CMG) have
only just merged, there is no real culture at the moment, just some fuzzy blend of the
two. That makes sense. Another feels that since being merged with Logica,
employee morale is at an all-time low. Several consultants and managers expressed
bitter views that confirm this. One person, more upbeat, says his company s culture
used to be great the recent takeover has taken its toll, but things are starting to
improve again. He adds, The culture was work hard/play hard with plenty of extra
curricular activities and plenty of alcohol.
Nobody is predicting how the culture clash will resolve itself, but old loyalties still
remain. One person suggests the solution is to promote CMG culture and focus on
beating the rest of the market. Another warns, The old Logica culture is dying
it needs revitalizing, and soon!
Getting up, moving around
We have contradictory reports from our sources on advancement, likely due to the
merger. A consultant tells us, One is expected to take control of one s own career
aspirations, but in practice career development is difficult due to the priority given
to billable work. Two people say that you will move up if your face fits. Another
says the firm used to be very selective, but no longer. Now it s easy to get ahead.
The company is a meritocracy: no ceilings for those with undergraduate degrees.
Promotion is slow, but consultants can expect good monetary rewards for exceptional
performance. But another contradicts him, saying there is No chance of career
advancement at the moment. Recruitment has become extremely selective because
of restrictions placed on headcount in the last 12 months. Chances are, the voice to
trust is this one, a long-term consultant at CMG: Following the merger, the
promotion policy is unclear.
One subject that most consultants agree upon is travel. The consensus: there s a lot
of it. One senior consultant notes, You must be prepared to work away from home
Logi caCMG
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
for up to six months. It s up to you to manage whether this happens to you. Another
source claims there is no recognition for additional travel other than to your base
office. Or, they claim there is and then change the definition of base office. A
third remarks, I have been lucky to get roles that are commutable from my home for
the past year. I am not expecting to be so lucky this year.
The work hours, according to insiders, tend to range from 40-50 per week very
reasonable for consulting, though a few report heavier loads. The hours, while not
seen in the same unpleasant light as travel, vary tremendously, with very little time
spent on the beach. An insider comments, We call it the bench and it is very
depressing if you land up there, especially at the moment with the everlasting threats
of redundancy. His colleague notes, Opportunities are posted centrally so you can
put yourself forward for anything that appeals.
Its work, not school
LogicaCMG s constituent companies appear to have all been fairly weak on training;
not a single respondent has anything to say about it, save that they don t get any. One
says training is nonexistent at the moment, again due to budgets ... and I have not
had training (other than induction courses) since I started. Another quips, No
training allowed.
Logi caCMG
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Logi caCMG
One is expected to take
control of ones own
career aspirations.
LogicaCMG consultant
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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L I B R A R Y
208 Harbor Drive
Stamford, CT 06912-0061
Phone: (203) 973-6700
Fax: (203) 359-8066
www.metagroup.com
LOCATIONS
Stamford, CT (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Advisory Services
Consulting & Benchmarking
Data Services
Executive-focused Services
Industry-focused Services
Research Reports & Decision Tools
Structured Transformation Programs
THE STATS
Employer Type: Public company
Stock Symbol: METG
Vice Chairman, President and CEO:
Alfred J. Fred Amoroso
2002 Employees: 643
2001 Employees: 740
UPPERS
Excellent benefits, including
accomodations for new mothers
Firm supports work-from-home
arrangements
DOWNERS
Heavy workload
Lots of travel for a research firm
KEY COMPETITORS
AMR Research Inc.
Forrester Research
Gartner
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
E-mail: recruiting@metagroup.com
META Group
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
12
THE BUZZ
Interesting research
Cookie cutter
Good market coverage
THE SCOOP
Industry reporter
META Group makes its mark as a technology research consulting firm providing
advisory services, IT research and strategy consulting to a field where new
developments are ever-present. This puts the firm in good company with Gartner and
Forrester, its fellow research consulting companies and longstanding competitors.
Founded in 1989 by Marc Butlein and current chairman Dale Kutnick, META
became a public company in 1995. It boasts more than 2,600 clients and subscribers
in the public and private sectors. The company has gained market share, even in a
tough market, for over a year (five consecutive quarters) as of 2003.
What do they do?
META divides its offerings into three main categories: advisory services, strategic
consulting and published research products. While METAs strategic consulting
practice comprised 28 percent of 2002 revenue, the firm s main strength is in
advisory services (which accounted for 67 percent), especially in the areas of CIO
services, enterprise architecture and global networking. METAs research is
available in a variety of formats and may be purchased individually or provided as
part of a subscription to the company s services. Advisory reports are released in
METAspectrum evaluation reports, a series of periodically updated commentaries on
industry topics using a consistent vendor evaluation methodology.
A sample of recently released METAspectrum reports between November 2002 and
May 2003 gives a sense of the scope of META interests and reporting. For instance,
you can find: a prediction that the wireless LAN market will grow at a 30 percent
compound annual rate; anticipations that 85 percent of Global 2000 organizations
will have selected an enterprise portal framework by 2004, with only 25 percent of
them supplied by independent providers; a report that CRM in the U.K. is applied
haltingly, as a stopgap measure, rather than used as a tool for long-term change;
expectations that 90 percent of large organizations will host older applications on the
Web by 2007 (from a new METAspectrum topic launched in December 2002,
covering the Web-to-host market); and a prediction that the antivirus product market
will grow 10-20 percent a year, with leading vendors adding antispam software to
their products.
META Group
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Another notable service offered by the firm is CIO Boot Camp. This three-day
experience subjects senior IT executives from a number of firms to intensive training
by METAs Executive Directions team of former CIOs, with the goal of addressing
each participant s specific challenges, enable attendees to share their best practices
and create a better and more efficient IT organization. Attendance at these events is
capped at 55 people, so that clients can get the maximum benefit. The company has
been running the event for more than five years and is considered to be the founder
of intensive CIO training and coaching services.
META also has an IT vendor practice, which is aimed at helping vendors quantify
their value in the marketplace and develop marketing strategies. The company
considers benchmarking and measurement to be META strengths as well.
METAbolism
The firm s leadership changed a few times during the latter half of 2002. In August
of that year, co-founder Dale Kutnick resigned as president and CEO, succeeded by
Fred Amoroso, and was followed by Kutnick stepping down as the firm s Chief
Research Officer in December 2002, retaining only his position as chairman of the
board. Three executive vice presidents will jointly fill the role.
In 2002, the firm acquired META Group AG, its German subsidiary, and in 2003 the
company completed the acquisition of a number of European distributors, giving it
control over its European operations. In February 2003, METAopened a new office
in the Philippines, a new market that will serve as a base of operations for its call
centers and business process outsourcing in the region.
META made an aggressive move (by research and consulting standards) against its
competition in March 2003 when it launched its first-ever national advertising
campaign. The print and online ads, appearing in such publications as Business 2.0,
CIO, Federal Computer Week and Forbes, highlighted the firm s differences from its
larger competitosr in terms of trustworthiness and return on investment with the tag
line, Return on Intelligence. Let s hope so!
GETTING HIRED
Closed-door policy
As of 2003, META is actively recruiting. Positions listed on the firm s employment
page (domino.metagroup.com/jobsHome.nsf/web/Careers) are mostly for
META Group
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managerial, sales or internal functions, though consulting and research positions were
open at the time. The summer consultant program seems to have dried up as well. A
source notes, We used to have summer interns. I hired several great analysts that
way. A longtime insider describes the hiring process as informal and unfocused,
with group interviews on occasion. META notes that group interviews are not a
substitute for formal one-on-one interviews, though they are sometimes conducted to
give candidates a broader understanding of the firm.
On a positive note, META s employee benefits are said to be excellent.
Compensation-related perks include profit sharing, ESOP, venture shares and a stock
repurchase program as well as performance-based bonuses.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Cultured
Insiders are pleased with the interpersonal and professional behavior aspects of
META Group. One high-seniority employee describes it as a range from
engineering/product-centric to marketing/customer-centric. A colleague says it is a
Very rewarding and supportive culture. It values intelligent discourse, initiative and
competition internally but requires a team face externally, which can be hard on
lone wolf-type consultants. However, another decries the lack of culture for
remote analysts, and lack of support from HQ for them.
Beneath the positive bits, one source notes there is a lack of recognition and pay for
entrepreneurial behaviors. He feels things would improve if META would
encourage risk rather than risk avoidance. Consultants may not have time to worry
about these points, as we hear that work is a constant rat race. One insider agrees,
Travel and workloads demand more than 40 hours per week. However, he notes
the firm supports work from home which helps restore balance.
META Group
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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Suite 3000
John Hancock Center
875 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Phone: (312) 255-5000
Fax: (312) 255-6000
www.diamondcluster.com
LOCATIONS
Chicago, IL (HQ)
9 offices worldwide
PRACTICE AREAS
Growth:
Market Penetration New Business
Development New Growth
Operations:
Execution Excellence Operations
Strategy Profit Improvement
Turnaround Management
Technology:
Architecture Assessment and
Strategy IT Assessment and
Strategy IT Portfolio Assessment
and Strategy Outsourcing
Advisory Security Assessment and
Strategy Technology Program
Management
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: DTPI
Chairman and CEO: Melvyn E. (Mel)
Bergstein
2002 Employees: 843
UPPERS
Greater responsibility on smaller
teams
International environment
It feels like a big family
DOWNERS
Lack of formal training
Lots of travel required
The economy and our
susceptibility to it
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
Booz Allen Hamilton
Deloitte
McKinsey & Company
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.diamondcluster.com/careers
DiamondCluster
International Inc.
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
13
THE BUZZ
Rising star
Cutting edge, mindshare
All travel, all the time
Too techy no strategic vision
THE SCOOP
Diamond chips
DiamondCluster (DCI) is a publicly traded Chicago-based consultancy with the
ability to work on both management and technology projects for clients. It all began
in November 2000 when Diamond Technology Partners merged with the Barcelona-
based Cluster Consulting in a $930 million deal. DiamondCluster focuses on
developing technology strategies, providing outsourced experts, and fine-tuning
operations and program management. Its clients are grouped into five vertical
sectors: financial services, telecommunications and energy, public sector, consumer-
industrial products and services, insurance and health care.
DiamondCluster s focus is on keeping technology in every engagement, since there
are few businesses today whose problems are easily separated. DiamondCluster
markets its services to chief-level corporate officers and senior management, its 650
consultants bringing an interdisciplinary approach to client development. The firm
is also the home of such notable consulting works as 2001 s E-Learning: Strategies
for Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age, by Marc Rosenberg. The company s
critically acclaimed business journal Context ceased publication in December 2002.
A really killer app
A key source of exposure for DiamondCluster is the renowned Unleashing the Killer
App, a bestseller by DiamondCluster Fellow Chunka Mui and e-commerce expert
Larry Downes. The book exhorts its readers toward seemingly counterintuitive
wisdom like cannibalize your markets and give away as much information as you
can. In December 2000, Mui was recognized by CIO magazine as one of the Ten
Masters of the New Economy. Another notable publication is 2001 s The Seven
Steps to Nirvana: Strategic Insights into eBusiness Transformation, by Mohan
Sawhney and Jeff Zabin. The book helps executives realize that turning an
established business into an e-business is a continuing process, never truly
completed, and that the focus should remain on business, not e.
DiamondCluster is the proud sponsor of a sort of in-house think tank, the Diamond
Fellows, who provide DiamondCluster clients with a broad range of perspectives on
engagements. The firm establishes annual contractual arrangements with the
members of the Diamond Fellows, though many of these relationships last for years.
DiamondCluster Fellows are not necessarily DiamondCluster consultants; they are
Di amondCl uster I nternati onal I nc.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
chosen on the basis of the relevance of the Fellow s experience to DiamondCluster s
current client projects.
Raising intellectual capital
DiamondCluster is well-known for The Exchange, a forum for C-level executives
to discuss methods of winning with technology in the marketplace. As a way of
boosting its output of intellectual capital even further, DiamondCluster has
established a number of study centers and joint ventures devoted to researching
various aspects of the high-tech industry. In September 2001, the firm opened the
Chicago-based Center for Technology Innovation, a conceptual laboratory where it
develops ways to help clients better integrate high-tech methodologies. And in
March 2002, it announced the first round of funding for DevLab One, a joint venture
with Motorola and Northwestern University s Information Technology Development
Laboratory that will turn university-developed wireless solutions into market-ready
products.
Singing an e-business tune
During the dot-com boom, DiamondCluster (and, before November 2000, the pre-
merger Diamond Technology Partners) was going with the e-business flow, enjoying
significant revenue growth and increased business. Revenue for fiscal year 2001 was
up 90 percent over the previous year to $259.3 million thanks to a surge of new
clients. In February 2000, the firm struck an alliance with the Big Three automakers
to combine their B2B exchange initiatives into one online marketplace. And in April
2000, the firm teamed with Morgan Stanley Dean Witter and Silgan Holdings to start
a new company, Packtion, a B2B marketplace for the global packaging industry.
Diamond in the rough
By 2001, however, DiamondCluster was beginning to feel the pain of the economic
slowdown, combined with the burst of the dot-com bubble its bread and butter.
Despite CEO Mel Bergstein s direction to move away from doing equity work for
dotcoms, a tactic that provided real income and protected DiamondCluster against
the crash, the company s earnings still plunged. The watchword at the firm, as put
forth by Bergstein, was preserve our assets our people, our client relationships and
our intellectual capital.
In early 2001, DiamondCluster announced a staff-wide 10 percent pay cut, with
partners giving up an extra 5 percent. But it wasn t enough; in March 2001, the firm
laid off 25 non-consultant employees, and in July it furloughed 200 consultants
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one-fifth of its total for six months at 35 percent of their salaries, with benefits.
Consultants were also given the opportunity to accept a severance package, which a
number opted to take.
Saving our assets
In October 2001, DiamondCluster extended the furloughs for another six months and
reduced compensation for the furloughed to 25 percent. The company also withdrew
most of the outstanding job offers it had made to college seniors. In January 2002,
Bergstein announced that another 50 to 75 consultants might be furloughed later that
year. DiamondCluster ended another cost drain in December 2002 when it folded its
journal Context, citing poor ad revenue and a need to refocus operations.
Aside from the drop in the market, a number of internal factors were said to have
exacerbated the company s financial situation, including overstaffing, residual
difficulties integrating Cluster personnel, poor implementation of DCI s strategy
practice and problems with closing a number of important deals. Nevertheless,
DiamondCluster has been lauded for its employee-friendly approach to the economic
downturn, putting off staff reductions as long as possible, even at the expense of
profits.
Sparkles of hope
Things may have begun to turn around for DiamondCluster. One encouraging sign
was the January 2002 return of Michael Palmer, former partner and founding
member. By May 2002, all but 25 of the furloughed consultants in North America
had returned to active duty. Bergstein predicted that their European and Latin
American counterparts would soon come in out of the cold once regional business
picked up as may be indicated by the engagement, announced in January 2003, with
Colombia Movil, Colombia s third largest wireless telecom company. And in 2003
DiamondCluster announced plans to resume recruiting again, through both
experienced and campus recruiting channels.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
GETTING HIRED
Rare gems
DiamondCluster s hiring process does not appear to have much room for non-stars.
A New York insider says, Hiring is extremely selective and consists of several
rounds of resume review, multiple interviews and a fairly rigorous candidate
selection process. While many firms make similar claims in their literature, DCI s
employees use words like tough, intense and focused to describe the
interviews. An analyst in California calls it an intense process including four
behavioral interviews and at least three tough case interviews. Another insider says
undergrad and MBA recruiting involves a first round of two 45-minute interviews
and then three or four 45-minute interviews for [the] second round.
Interviewers are looking for keen intelligence as well as fit in these interviews. A
consultant in Europe offers these specifics: We undertake a three-step interviewing
process in which we assess a candidate s experience and/or potential in several areas:
leadership, teamwork, management, problem solving, initiative, business acumen
and communication. The first round is mostly behavioral evaluation, but the second
round involves both fit and business cases. [The firm says both rounds contain both
fit and business case evaluations.] A consulting veteran recalls this problem: Your
client has been facing increased IT costs and has infrastructure concerns, how would
you address the need to drive profitability while identifying the necessary support?
DiamondCluster is a tough place to find a job. We are currently hiring on very select
campuses for summer MBA interns and full-time undergraduate analysts, says one
Cleveland consultant. A New York-based analyst says they have only hired a few
undergrads this year, and only summer MBAs over the last two years, very minimal.
Another insider opines, We are selective in our hiring process as well as in our
promotions policy. He adds, I don t look at this as a bad thing, though. If you are
good, you will be promoted; degree doesn t matter at all. Our CEO doesn t have an
MBA, and neither do many of our partners. The work quality and vision is what
counts.
While only a few of our respondents had interned at DiamondCluster, those who did
spoke highly of their experiences. A long-time employee of the firm claims, My
experience was among the best of my peers. I was put full force into the firm s
culture and projects and owned a piece of the work from the beginning. I met a lot
of people and felt I was able to gain the full, true experience. A younger colleague
says his internship was fantastic. I did work hand-in-hand with full-time
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consultants, was immediately considered as part of the team and given a track of
work to manage.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Still a happy cluster
Despite layoffs, pay cuts and general uncertainty, a lot of our contacts were markedly
positive about DiamondCluster s culture and environment. One insider raves, The
firm s culture is outstanding people are super supportive of one another and there
is an emphasis on coaching and career development. Like other firms, the economy
has hit us hard, but management has maintained a positive culture. A colleague in
Florida adds, DiamondCluster s culture is one of the top reasons why I joined the
firm.
One consultant says, The culture used to be very strong but has since dwindled with
little (or no communication) and a fear of firm stability going forward. Additionally,
people are looking to find other work and are not as focused on their future at the
firm. But his colleague in the same office rebuts, calling the firm a very cohesive
and close group of people. We have managed to maintain that over the past two
difficult years. That coupled with the fact that we are a virtual firm is quite unique
and amazing in my opinion. An insider from Europe calls the culture meritocratic,
but toughened up significantly since the industry slowdown. Another adds,
Everyone is very open and approachable.
Maintaining balance
The more IT-focused members of DiamondCluster seem to feel better about the
work/life balance than their management counterparts. The work/life balance is,
ironically, more manageable due to the downturn in the economy, relates one
insider. DCI consultants typically spend a little more time at home now (working
on business development) than they used to when times were good! Another says,
Partners and colleagues are willing to give other consultants a break from project
work and time away if necessary. Team-driven culture eliminates the idea of silos
around deliverables.
Travel remains an issue, however. A company manager says, Travel is extensive
and with the pressure to do more and more, people are asked to give up even more
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
of their free time at home. Another ranking member adds, We follow our clients;
unfortunately our clients are sparse close to home and more plentiful far away. This
has led to a significant increase in travel distance. A Chicagoan disagrees, saying,
Again, travel has been reduced by the state of the economy. When on a billable
client project, travel is typically four days per week. Non-billable work is typically
performed at home.
DiamondCluster tries to enforce a reasonable break. One insider feels the 4+1 day
rule (four days at client site, one day in the office) as well as weekend packs [for
Europe employees] are positively influencing the work/life balance. Another says,
We strive for four and one (four days on client site) as much as possible. My last
three projects have been this way with a few exceptions around deliverable time.
One lucky colleague tells us, I have been staffed on a local client for about nine
months.
Nice place when youre there
On those rare occasions consultants are in the DiamondCluster offices, they speak
well of the surroundings. The [Chicago] office is awesome, says one insider. Great
view, great location, great work environment. One person in a European location
agrees, Comfortable offices with adequate hot desk areas to work and nice views of
the city.
Another major plus is the firm s benefits package, which includes a health plan that
insiders say is simply the best on the planet. One person says, Health benefits are
unbelievable 100 percent coverage with no co-pays. You can choose from any
health care provider in the world, adds another. Sources say the company is also
generous with stock options, though that could be more a token than a benefit.
Stock options are also widely distributed, one insider tells us, but the stock market
hasn t been making that benefit all that beneficial. Other typical benefits include
tuition reimbursement, laptop computers, accidental death/dismemberment coverage
and an employee assistance plan. There are some benefits specific for the resource
center you belong to, adds an employee in Europe.
Supervision and training
Most of our contacts are happy with the level of support they receive from superiors,
but they knock the training program as poor. Investment has been curtailed in
these difficult times, explains one partner. Aconsultant adds, Training has been cut
substantially in the past few years due to the economy. Training is only typically
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available virtually (online) now. Another concurs: Training has not received the
focus it needs, everyone has been busy delivering work and there is little time to
train. Not all the comments on training are negative, though. A New York-based
consultant refers to the firm s teaching hospital attitude, and an analyst in Florida
feels that DiamondCluster has been very creative in developing training
opportunities for its consultants. On Fridays, Learning Labs are held at
DiamondCluster offices.
The supervisors receive higher marks from the majority of our respondents. Asenior
analyst says, Supervisors are for the most part outstanding extremely concerned
about the welfare of their staff and interested in professional and personal
development. A senior consultant refers to the highly skilled and experienced
supervisors who give constant feedback and help developing your career.
One consultant offers this critique: Supervisors are hit and miss within the firm.
There is no 360-degree feedback structure from consultants to superiors (an
anonymous 360 would be helpful). There is much to be learned in terms of client
interaction and program management from superiors but content/knowledge base
around specific areas could be better.
The diversity facet
DiamondCluster faces the same situation that most consultancies do the
comparative lack of women and minority representation. That is just the nature of
technology, suggests one woman. She continues, I don t think I have ever been
harassed or looked down upon because of my gender, but it is sometimes difficult
on a personal and professional level because no matter what I do, I will never be one
of the boys. I definitely don t think that is unique to Diamond. She hasn t been
held back because of gender issues, either. I have been extended or asked back by
every client I have ever worked with, so I don t think it is a significant issue. Within
our firm, I am considered a knowledge leader in a specific area and my skills/input
are solicited for many engagements and proposals. Another woman consultant
gives her own perspective: I believe the commitment is there to develop women at
a more junior level who will hopefully make it to the higher levels. However, the firm
definitely needs more women at the principal/partner level.
The state of minority representation is similar to that of women. One insider says,
We have representation from all minority groups. The bulk of the firm is white
males, but again I think that is the nature of the business. We do have very respected
leaders that are minorities and women so it doesn t appear to be a limiting factor. A
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
manager at another location sees hope for improvement: The firm is just beginning
to make a concerted effort to hire African-Americans at the analyst level and is going
to historically black colleges to recruit. In the past, the firm recruited race-blind at
the Top 15 business schools and sometimes didn t have a chance to interview
[minority] students. The firm is definitely focused on improving in this area. A
third employee feels, The commitment is there but the numbers are not as high as
desired.
Good people and other lovely things
DiamondClusterites sure love their fellow consultants. Says one insider, You are
surrounded by very smart people who are always willing to give you a hand and help
you grow. It feels like a big family, having fun doing what we like to do, which is
great client work. From Florida: Without question, the quality of the people is
what keeps me at the firm. Overall, the people are super-nice, intelligent, and team-
oriented. Other favorite aspects of working at DiamondCluster include the fact that
consultants in North America can live anywhere in the country; good clients,
compelling work; Greater responsibility on smaller teams; and the international
environment.
The crummy economy, however, gives some insiders pause. A senior consultant
says, The consulting industry hasn t been so great lately, we are doing more with
less on every client engagement. A colleague agrees, Consulting is not the best
place to weather a bad economy. A few employees mention lack of sufficient
training as their least favorite factor at DiamondCluster.
The final analysis of DiamondCluster by its employees is, in general, positive.
Wonderful firm to work for, says one manager. An analyst crows, I would never
regret accepting a job with DiamondCluster. I have been able to grow professionally
and personally with the help of all of my colleagues while getting great experiences
in the field. One New Yorker gives this levelheaded assessment: There is no
opportunity cost right now, the market offers nothing better.
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DiamondClusters culture
is one of the top reasons
why I joined the firm.
DiamondCluster consultant
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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Plot No. 44 & 97A, Electronics City
Hosur Road, Bangalore
561 229
India
Phone: (080) 8520261
Fax: (080) 8520362
www.infosys.com
LOCATIONS
Bangalore (HQ)
Fremont, CA (U.S. HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Consulting and IT Services:
Engineering Financial Services
Healthcare Manufacturing Retail
and Distribution Technology
Telecom Transportation Utilities
and Energy
Product Engineering Services:
Aerospace Application Products
Architecture, Engineering and
Construction Automotive Heavy
Engineering Telecom Products
Product Solutions:
Enterprise Banking
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: INFY
Stock Exchange: NASDAQ
Chairman and Chief Mentor: N.R.
Narayana Murthy
UPPERS
The Microsoft of India
DOWNERS
Limited brand recognition in the
U.S.
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
BearingPoint
Tata Consultancy Services
Wipro
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
U.S. Recruitment
Infosys Technologies Ltd.
34760 Campus Drive
Fremont, CA 94555
Fax: (510) 742-3092
www.infosys.com/careers
E-mail:
Experienced professionals
careers.usa@infy.com
Campus hiring
campusjobs@infy.com
Global internship: intern@infy.com
Infosys Technologies Ltd.
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
14
THE BUZZ
Strong in networks and
machines
Offshore outsourcing
Technical specialists
THE SCOOP
Indian agents
Infosys Technologies is one of the most influential consultancies in its home nation
of India, where a number of foreign firms have been expanding over the past several
years. Its influence is not limited to India; Infosys has offices in 15 other countries
on five continents, staffed by more than 10,000 Infoscions.
In 1981, chairman and CEO ( Chief Mentor ) N.R. Narayana Murthy and six
software engineer colleagues founded the firm. By 1987, Infosys had opened its first
international office in the U.S., and in 1992 made a successful IPO in India. Further
expansion at home, in Europe and in North America enabled it to become the first
India-registered company to be listed on NASDAQ in 1999.
The Bill Gates of India
Murthy s position as the founder and chief executive of a major software and
consulting firm, not to mention his status as one of the wealthiest people in his nation,
has led more than one commentator to draw analogies to Microsoft s Bill Gates. An
article in the San Jose Mercury News from February 2002 used it in a discussion of
Murthy s efforts to transform Infosys from a code-writer to a one-stop technology
services provider.
Like Gates, Murthy launched his company on a shoestring budget in this case, $250
borrowed from his wife, according to a December 2002 article in The Toronto Star
discussing his views on corporate governance and his philanthropic leanings.
Directing a lawsuit
Infosys suffered through mid-2002 and into 2003 under the onus of a sexual
harassment suit against a director and board member. Details of the case are slim,
but it is known that a former Fremont employee sued Phaneesh Murthy (not to be
confused with the CEO) and the company over harassment and wrongful termination.
Phaneesh stepped down when the suit was announced.
The case was settled in May 2003, though Phaneesh Murthy claims he was an
unwilling party to the settlement, and that Infosys settled in the manner it did to
retaliate against him for a suit he filed against the firm over allegedly withheld shares
of stock. The matter is still developing.
I nfosys Technol ogi es Ltd.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
New business
Murthy s leadership and emphasis on diversification has kept Infosys healthy
throughout the world economic crisis, and the firm is continuing to expand. In April
2002, it launched Progeon, a business process management outsourcing subsidiary,
combining its own $5 million investment with a further $20 million from Citigroup.
Progeon s board appointed Akshaya Bhargava, formerly of Citibank, CEO and
managing director of that subsidiary in November 2002.
Of course, Infosys is continuing to focus on its core business through new offerings
and partnerships. Recent partners include strategy boutique Concours Group (June
2002) voice and data network provider Avaya (July 2002) and Thailand technology
solutions firms Datamat Ltd. and Yip In Tsoi and Co. (November 2002). In January
2003, Infosys extended its existing partnership with MatrixOne to provide product
lifecycle management solutions.
The firm has opened three new locations in recent months as well. In September
2002, Murthy announced a global development center would be built in Melbourne;
the site was completed and opened in November of that year. The island nation of
Mauritius became host to a 1,500-seat disaster recovery center in October 2002,
completed in January 2003. Also in January 2003, the firm opened a 30-acre center
in Hyderabad that can host more than 1,500 Infoscions. Further expansion appears
likely; in November 2002, Infosys signed a memo of understanding to acquire 20
acres of land in India s Union Territory of Chandigarh to build a software
development center. There is no further word on plans for the 2,400-person facility.
GETTING HIRED
Multiple personalities
Infosys has not one, but five separate career portals on the Web for both experienced
hires and college job seekers, one each for the U.S., Canada, India, Europe and the
Asia-Pacific region. Each site includes details on campus visits, qualifications,
benefits and hiring contacts. Experienced hires have access to a list of open
positions, but campus hires do not. The global internship program can also be
accessed through any of the regional sites.
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Infosys has offices in 15
other countries on five
continents, staffed by
more than 10,000
Infoscions.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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4050 Legato Road
Fairfax, VA 22033
Phone: (703) 267-8000
Fax: (703) 267-5073
www.ams.com
LOCATIONS
Fairfax, VA (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Acquisition Business Solutions
Business Intelligence & Data
Warehousing Business Process
Renewal Change Management &
Organizational Development
e-Business Engagement
Management Homeland Security
Imaging & Workflow Information
Security Integrated Learning
Solutions Knowledge Management
Procurement System
Development & IT Management
Systems Integration Technology
Hosting Services
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: AMSY
Chairman and CEO: Alfred T.
Mockett
UPPERS
Flexible time and work policies
DOWNERS
Economy has slowed promotions
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
BearingPoint
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.ams.com/career
American Management
Systems
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
15
THE BUZZ
Good at financial systems
Boring government work
Flexible, accomodating
Not sure what they do
THE SCOOP
In the beginning
American Management Systems (AMS) was founded in 1970 by five of Robert
McNamara s so-called whiz kids (McNamara, of course, was Defense Secretary to
presidents Kennedy and Johnson). The founders used their Pentagon rolodexes to
raise money and enroll clients, and eked out a $15,000 profit during the company s
first year. AMS went public in 1979, and its revenue shot up during the dot-com
boom through the 1990s (during that decade, earnings grew by 26 percent a year, on
average). This decade, growth has been less stellar. Cost-cutting measures were
implemented in the new millennium, including laying off 10 percent of AMS
employees in 2001. The following year saw AMS report lower revenues but higher
profits, suggesting its cost-cutting measures were effective.
This is the matrix
AMS is organized into units that focus on three target markets: telecommunications,
financial services and the public sector. Historically, these groups have been called
silo industries because of their relatively independent status each business unit
has full profit-and-loss responsibility for its industry area. In 2002, AMS introduced
a tweaked organizational system its 3 x 3 matrix. Within each of the three
aforementioned sectors, there are three service lines: managed services, enterprise
integration, and innovation and transformation.
Units coordinate on certain projects as necessary. Additionally, the management
team in each unit is responsible for planning, marketing, selling, researching and
consulting within its specific area though the units may draw upon overall
corporate resources.
Contract workers
AMS has a technology focus that offers business consulting, systems integration and
development, and outsourcing. And its Pentagon contacts continue to serve it well
about half of the firm s sales are to government entities (federal, state and local) in
the U.S. and Canada. The Navy and Department of Defense are particularly stalwart
clients.
AMS landed a lucrative $25.2 million, 29-month contract from the Massachusetts
comptrollers office in 2002. The firm will develop a Web-based financial
Ameri can Management Systems
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management system for the state. In June 2002, Wyoming gave AMS a $4.8 million,
36-month contract to host certain state payroll and accounting services. And three
contracts worth $5.7 million total, for Prince William County Schools, Va., Palm
Beach County, Fla., and Cobb County, Ga., were awarded in February 2003; AMS
will install its enterprise-resource planning software for these clients. Iowa also
seems to be a fan of AMS ERP system, awarding the company a $9.4 million, 31-
month contract in October 2002. Also, the New York City Department of Finance
inked a $156 million, seven-year deal in November 2002 for AMS to run its parking-
violation processing system.
Closing doors
The last of the whiz kid founders left the company in 2002. Frank Nicolai and
Patrick Gross stepped down from the board, thus marking an almost complete
turnover in upper management between 2000 and 2002. The former founders have
done well: Ivan Selin was appointed Undersecretary of State for Management in
1989, and Charles O. Rossotti became Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service
in 1997. Nicolai and Gross will continue to consult for AMS, as will Bill Purdy, who
had been with the company for 25 years, most recently as president and COO. Purdy
resigned at the end of 2002.
Hot seats
A Mississippi contract dispute almost cost the company several hundred million
dollars. AMS had been contracted to develop and install a tax-processing system for
the state, at a price tag of $30 million. When the firm missed the deadline, the state
sued for $234 million, and when the guilty verdict was handed down in August 2000
the court tacked on an extra $240 million in punitive damages. The two sides
eventually reached a settlement whereby the firm would only pay $185 million. The
company then went back to court to get its insurer, National Union Fire Insurance
Co., to cough up $43 million to help cover the amount. After two more years of
litigation, the insurer agreed to pay in October 2002.
In Utah, tax agencies convinced the state legislature to allot $34 million over seven
years to upgrade the tax agency s collection and tracking system, which AMS would
help provide. The redesigned system would generate an additional $20 million a year
in revenue, the agency said. However, auditors told the legislature in 2003 that the
investment yielded less than one-fifth of the promised return, to Utah s displeasure.
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One distraction is out of AMS s way. Roger Mehle, a former director of the Thrift
Investment Board, which runs the 401(k)-style savings plan for federal workers, took
legal action against the firm. The board had been working with AMS to get a new
computer system. In 2002, it fired AMS because of alleged delays and cost overruns.
In January 2003, Mehle filed a class action lawsuit against four members of the new
Thrift board which is stocked with President Bush appointees charging they
ousted a Clinton appointee in order to gain control over the Mehle v. American
Management Systems suit. Their motivation, Mehle argues, was to assuage Bush s
Justice Department, which wanted the suit dismissed.
The case was finally settled in June 2003. AMS CEO Alfred Mockett was quoted as
saying that resolving the case was fundamental to the vitality of [AMS.] The legal
process could have taken up to another five years, resulting in continued distraction
and unnecessary costs to the business.
Mocketts rocket
Aformer British Telecom executive named Alfred Mockett, brought in by co-founder
Gross, is at the helm of AMS. He is the first outsider to run the firm before him
promotion to the top position had been from within. It was and is Mockett s task
to maintain the company s reputation and profits in the face of the tech downturn.
Mockett has made a number of changes at AMS, including adding a 100-person
commission-based sales force, combining the technology of various business units
under one central office and narrowing the focus to industries where AMS can be a
dominant player. He also sold the firm s utilities practice to Wipro, an Indian
technology company, for $26 million, and has indicated he may sell off more units.
Changing the portfolio
AMS acquired Proponix, an outsourcing company for banks, in November 2002. And
the firm also bought the technology assets of Quintessent Communications, a defunct
Seattle software company, for an undisclosed amount in the beginning of 2003. The
company subcontracted work to 12 former Quintessent employees, and signed up
four of Quintessent s 12 customers by January 2003.
Awards podium
AMS has garnered a number of accolades in the past two years. The Washington Post
placed it second on its list of top IT companies and 18th on its list of the top 125
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public companies, both in April 2003. Consultants News ranked AMS 18th on its
Top 50 Management Consultants list (June 2002), and it just made 2002 s Fortune
1000 ranking, coming in at number 998. In the past, the company has also won spots
on Consulting magazine s list of the best firms to work for, and on Management
Consultant Internationals Top Global Consultants list.
Americans management systems abroad
Instability in European telecommunications businesses has contributed to a
significant decline in revenue from the firm s international business since 2001, but
AMS shows no sign of retreating from its international outlook. It boasts a client
roster that includes 47 of the world s top 50 banks and helped launch six of Europe s
10 wireless networks. The firm began expanding in Europe in 1992 in anticipation
of the liberalizing effects of the end of the Cold War and the looming integration of
Western European markets. AMS efforts in the AsiaPacific region are concentrated
in Australia. The firm has a regional headquarters in Sydney, which works primarily
with companies in Australia and New Zealand.
GETTING HIRED
Mellow but speedy interviews
AMS relays information detailing its hiring practices on its web site
(www.ams.com/career) and recruits on some college campuses, in addition to
accepting resumes for open jobs, which are also posted on its site.
A few sets of interviews follow an initial screening, Says one interview veteran,
There are generally two to three rounds of interviews that take place. The first
interview is either a campus interview (for college hires) or a phone interview (for
experienced hires). In the second round of interviews you get to meet with three to
four consultants with different areas of expertise (i.e. technical, functional, project
managers, etc.) This gives you the chance to get several different perspectives of
what the organization is like and the dynamics of the group. They ask questions
related to your prior work history, experience/knowledge in specific subject matters,
goals, and other questions related to the role you are interviewing for. The recruiter
had great follow-up and decisions were made very quickly.
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Several respondents praised the hiring procedure. The recruiters are your first point
of contact and they are excellent in working you through the process. The
interviewers were organized in their questions and really wanted to get to know me
and know how I could add value to the organization. It was a relaxed interview in
which you feel very comfortable sharing your experience and qualifications, reports
one source.
Another source also found the AMS interview surprisingly low-key: I was surprised
at the relative casualness of the interviews given the seniority of my interviewers.
It felt like I was having more of a conversation with an acquaintance, rather than
actually being interviewed. A business analyst reports, I interviewed with about
four or five people and was actually a little taken aback at first when I saw that the
interview schedule consumed my whole morning, but it went by very quickly and
seemed to be painless as far as interviews go. I interviewed with the business area
manager, my unit manager, a peer, another person within the organization and not
directly on my team, and a recruiter. They asked me questions about my past work
experience and how I had handled certain situations that had come up. I left the
interview with a very positive feeling and was extended an offer the evening of the
same day I interviewed. The process was quick and the recruiters were very
professional and followed up on all my questions.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Supportive setup
The best thing about AMS has got to be the corporate culture, declares one source,
an assessment with which other respondents seem to agree. The atmosphere is a bit
more relaxed than other consulting firms but very professional. While the
corporate culture is going through many changes such as evaluating how to keep
clients, how to gain new clients, how to retain employees, etc., there seem to be a
lot of happy employees: AMS is, by far, the best company for which I have worked.
The company has very high ethical standards and a good reputation which makes me
proud to say that I work here, says one consultant.
AMSers feel notable affection toward their co-workers. The people at AMS are
what keep me looking forward to coming into work every day. My co-workers are
my friends inside and outside of work, says a source. Working at AMS has always
been a good experience. AMS employees are hard working and team oriented,
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reports an insider. Part of the reason that I stay at AMS is that I feel as though my
co-workers and I have common goals one person doesn t look good when another
looks bad, it s all about having the whole team look good. Another consultant
echoes, There s room for everyone to have success and grow, so it s not a kill or be
killed kind of place. Adds a third source, [AMS consultants] work hard and they
are very intelligent. But they re not cutthroat and political. So I trust my co-workers
and enjoy working with them.
Flex and bend
The company is said to be very flexible with each individual s needs. That
stretches from hours to work plans. AMS has a flex-time policy, and I take full
advantage of this by avoiding morning rush hour most days. I m able to come into
work later in the morning, and work later into the evening, says one source. A
principal was able to work out a part-time work arrangement given my tenure and
performance with AMS this is something that I appreciate immensely, and certainly
something that will help keep me at AMS.
Standard work hours are 9 to 6, says one source. Another source, working at a
client site, reports 9 to 5 hours. However, a third source characterizes AMS as
requiring quite long hours.
Changes happy and sad
At AMS, there is definitely a focus on career development and the ability to work
in all areas of the company. Promotion standards have changed in the past year, says
one insider, and given the company s rollout of the new balanced scorecard and
performance metrics, I see many opportunities for advancement and more formalized
career meetings with my managers.
Yet not all changes have been positive. One consultant reports that the economy has
taken its toll. About two years ago, the opportunities for advancement were
unlimited; due to the slump in these industries, the opportunities for advancement
have dried up, the consultant assesses.
While one consultant says, I ve gotten more responsibility here at AMS in these last
two years than I had gotten in my six-year career path, another cautions that
promotions at AMS don t come easily. I have advanced significantly in my career
since coming to AMS, but I have also worked for it don t expect salary increases
to be handed to you on a silver platter, the source says.
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Helping out
Managers are praised for their open door policy and helpfulness. Most folks on
my team have a very good relationship with our manager, says one source. She is
very approachable and meets with us regularly. She values our input and is willing
to accept constructive criticism. She actually encourages it! Another source says,
The flexibility and trust the management gives me allows me to do my job in many
creative ways, not in cookie-cutter fashion.
Pay package
Salaries at AMS are said to be at least in line with the market. A consultant reports
that upon being hired, my salary package was very competitive with other students
in my major. I have received two off-cycle raises since joining the company, in
addition to annual salary increases. Says another source, My salary package
currently is much better than most of my friends in similar positions. I have been
consistently given performance reviews, merit increases as well as cost of living
increases. Bonuses are given based on individual and company performance. One
source assesses, AMS has always paid competitively in the market. Even with the
downturn in the economy, AMS has not had to stop performance pay increases or
even slash salaries. Overall, AMS seems to fall in the higher range, but is not over
the top, dollar-wise.
There are other perks, too. As soon as you join AMS, you have the opportunity to
purchase company stock at 15 percent off the fair market price. All employees start
with three weeks of vacation, and get additional vacation from overtime hours I
work that convert into vacation time (comp time). That is an awesome benefit for
those weeks that you end up burning the midnight oil. Also, paid extended
leave/sabbaticals are available at certain points of your career.
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123 Buckingham Palace Road
London, UK SW1W 9SR
Phone: +44 20 7730 9000
Fax: +44 20 7333 5050
www.paconsulting.com
LOCATIONS
London (HQ)
Boulder, CO Cambridge, MA
Chicago, IL Houston, TX Los
Angeles, CA Madison, WI New
York, NY Princeton, NJ
Washington, DC Arhus, Denmark
Cambridge Beijing Belfast
Birmingham Buenos Aires
Copenhagen Dublin Frankfurt
Glasgow Helsinki Hong Kong
Jakarta Kuala Lumpur Lysaker,
Norway Manchester Melbourne
Moscow Munich Paris
Prague Stockholm Sydney
Tokyo Utrecht, the Netherlands
Wellington, New Zealand
PRACTICE AREAS
Decision Sciences
Enterprise-wide Solutions
Information Systems Implementation
IT Infrastructure
IT Management
IT Strategy
THE STATS
Employer Type: Private Company
CEO and Chairman: Jon Moynihan
UPPERS
Fast-paced, challenging
assignments
Limited layoffs
Intelligent, fun-loving coworkers
DOWNERS
Constant travel
Consultants expected to sell work
Lack of projects due to the
economy
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
IBM Global Services
McKinsey & Company
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
Americas:
Julie Davern
PA Consulting Group
315A Enterprise Drive
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
Fax: (609) 936 8811
E-mail:
julie.davern@paconsulting.com
PA Consulting Group
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
16
THE BUZZ
Strong in public sector
Tied to very specific industries
Better than big 5
Students consulting group
THE SCOOP
London calling
PA Consulting Group is one of the biggest names in the British consulting world.
Based in London, it s just starting to make its presence known in the U.S. The firm
manages projects from e-business systems to consumer-products designs, and
focuses on implementing not just proposing solutions. We do fascinating work
that is both appreciated and used by clients (tactical work, [in addition to] pure
strategy work), says one source.
Tech-savvy
With about 3,300 employees in 40 offices worldwide, PA Consulting Group (PA) is
the world s largest employee-owned practice. Founded in the U.K. in 1943, the firm
stepped up its U.S. presence with the October 2000 purchase of Hagler Bailly, Inc.
for approximately $96 million, acquiring about 600 consultants in over 10 additional
offices across North America. (Still, one PA source reports that the lack of a brand
in the U.S. is making it extremely difficult to sell work. ) And while a potential
merger with fellow consultancy Arthur D. Little fell through in January 2001, PAsays
that it s still aiming to build its presence in the United States.
Twenty-eight percent of PA Consulting s revenue comes from its IT work, which
includes advising on strategy, management, outsourcing, choosing, building and
implementing infrastructure, systems solutions and decision systems. PA also
publishes papers and journals on IT, including surveys on issues for CIOs and
Agenda, an update on news and developments in the business IT world.
And the award goes to
PAs work has received a number of accolades lately. At the sixth annual
Management Consultancies Association s Best Management Practice Awards in
2002, PA won three top awards more than any other consultancy for its work for
Siemens VDO Automotive (production and services management), Barclays Bank
(HR) and the United Kingdom s Government s Youth Justice Board (strategy and
business transformation). . It also won citations for its work with telecom provider
Orange, and on digital-TV strategy with the Hong Kong government. In March 2002,
it was named to the Sunday Times (London) 100 Best U.K. Companies to Work
for, ranking third for fairest promotion process and 10th for fairest pay.
PA Consul ti ng Group
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GETTING HIRED
Going the extra mile (or kilometer)
PAs recruitment process is quite lengthy and somewhat cumbersome, report our
sources. Recruitment begins through universities, referrals from staff and
recruitment agencies. Unlike at many consulting firms, attending the top schools
isn t of utmost importance. The belief here is that there are good people coming
from all sorts of universities. And there s a relatively small intake from the
graduate milk round (about 2 to 5 percent new graduate recruits per annum). Most
recruitment is from industry and occasionally other consultancies. Referrals
whether by headhunter or employee are key.
For experienced hires, the process might go as one source describes: First, they will
review your CV to assess whether you will be suitable for any department in the
company. If you are suitable, you will be invited for a half-day assessment. You will
complete some tests and have a conversation with someone from HR. This
assessment gives the company an opportunity to confirm your skills, experience and
attitude. It is also a chance for you to learn more about the company. If the company
still believes you are suitable, you will be invited for a one-day assessment, involving
more tests and interviews with senior partners. If your application is successful, they
will inform you within 24 hours. The paperwork afterwards is very efficient and
quick.
All applicants undergo a battery of tests: numeric and [verbal reasoning] tests,
psychometric tests and competency-based interviewing, and candidates are scored
against PA competencies which are collated and normalized. Case studies are
occasionally used, where you have to read about a problem, propose a solution and
persuade the audience that yours was the best course of action.
To make the cut, part of the process is about endurance and testing whether
candidates will go the extra mile. Also, quality is king any doubts results in
rejection; so we lose a lot of good candidates. They rarely look for qualifications
alone, mainly on personality and achievements (work, academic or otherwise). The
question they ask themselves at the interview is, Can we sell this person?
PAs internships are not plentiful but those who have had internships have been very
positive about their experience. They are given real tasks and stretched wherever
possible definitely not used as photocopying assistants.
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OUR SURVEY SAYS
Independent individuals
PAs IT consulting division seems to be supportive of individualism and managed
with very clear performance targets. Consultants praise the hard-working and
supportive yet competitive, highly-wired professional co-workers. It s a culture
where everybody expects a lot of each other, reveals one source. A non-
competitive meritocracy with absolute clarity of purpose and focus on clients is how
another describes it. It s a culture where the individual reigns, according to our
sources. As one says, There s a strong emphasis on the role of the individual in
delivering their potential. The firm s excellent integrity is also roundly praised.
We have clear values and people really stick to them, says an insider. Another says
there s pride in the PA way.
That said, many consultants have noticed a rise in bureaucracy at the firm. The
company culture has undergone a shift in the last couple of years. Much of the
openness and meritocracy that did exist has been subsumed by a more bureaucratic
system that is less transparent. This also now varies considerably between practices,
which does not make for a coherent culture, says one source.
A hard sell
PA consultants should be good salespeople too. The partners are all sales focused,
and spend very little time managing the firm, says a source, and predatory
individualistic behavior is rewarded over group outcomes You re expected to
develop relationships with clients and then sell yourself and others to the client,
explains an employee. Each IT team is like a separate firm directly in competition
on some bids, opines another.
On the road again and again
Travel at PA often extended is seen as the norm. A few examples from our
surveyees: Recently I was requested to work on assignment. The travel
arrangements are three weeks out, one weekend back, three weeks out. This mode of
operation for a senior consultant who has a young family is sufficiently disruptive,
especially when these assignments are typically six months in duration. Another IT
consultant remarks: Global staffing for projects led to working away from home for
three years in a row. Estimates yet another insider, On average I take about 100+
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flights a year and spend about 200 nights a year in hotels and this has been typical
for the last 10 years. Your social life is what you make it when you are living away
from home, whether in the company of colleagues from your office or others or by
yourself. These comments seem quite typical for IT consultants at the firm.
Summarizes one insider: Unless you re London-based, you can expect to spend a
considerable amount of your time away from home. In four and a half years I have
had one four-month assignment [in which] I could go home every night.
Ticket, please
Consultants report that travel requirements have been accelerating. Working at the
company demands availability for worldwide travel still, those who can get work
take it. On the upside, a handful report that PAdoes allow for preferences for travel
to be set, and seeks to take those into account when selecting consultants for jobs
requiring travel. When at home or not on assignment, life isn t exactly leisure time,
for consultants are required to deliver a lot of internal work. The need to continue
with internal work while consulting full time for clients is a particular problem,
notes one insider. The firm s tendency to set high targets for fee-earning work, but
measure readiness for promotion based on non-fee earning work, makes staff feel
pressured to work evenings and weekends if they want to get ahead, notes one
work that includes working on papers and presentations helping to further the
company.
Hours tend to run between 45 on the low end, and 60 to 80 on the high end. One is
expected to pull out the stops, if required, at the drop of a hat. To balance this,
however, one does have very flexible working arrangements when one is off the
clock. If hours are too long, it is more the consultant s role to address this, rather
than waiting for managers to take action.
Self-management
PA consultants note the individualistic nature of PA careers. It is left to the
individual to manage oneself. Consultants are split on the strength of management.
Some note the high quality of its line managers, calling top brass fair, open and
honest, top-notch management who are focused on quality but do not lose sight of
the individual, amongst the most intelligent, motivated and friendly people I have
ever met. Others are more critical. There s a typically British lack of formal
management training, which can be a bit off-putting to people who come from
cultures with a stronger emphasis on personnel management skills, notes one.
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Most of them are very bad at coaching and feedback. It is difficult to know what one
needs to do to get promoted as it keeps changing every six months, opines another.
A few note that the managers are not necessarily qualified for the people part of their
job: People get promoted to senior positions because of their sales skills. They then
get given line management responsibility, which they are not good at.
Functional offices
Offices in most locations are arranged according to a hot-desk policy, which works
well if there are not many people without an assignment. However, with the tough
market, the last 18 months have seen a surge of people being in the office, resulting
in no desk at times. There s a premium on desk space, the somewhat cramped
surroundings can be hard to concentrate in, and the quality of desk seating not
high the majority of consulting staff is expected to work at hot desks which lack
screens and keyboards, making IT work quite unpleasant. Happily, though,
partners share the same work areas.
The office space seems to strike a nice balance between being functional for
business and modern and clean, but without being luxurious, good, for
unnecessary luxury means less money in my bonus packet. The view over Sydney
harbor in Australia is lauded, and recent improvements at the London HQ give a
range of work and meeting areas. The L.A. office is called large, dark, mostly
empty.
Bonus time
PAs model is that pay is relatively low but bonuses are meant to be high; however,
bonuses have taken a little bit of a beating along with the economy. My bonus has
halved every year, reports one source. Salaries are relatively low, and the graduate
package is sold on the fact that bonuses (performance related) will make up the
difference. An estimated bonus for your first year is given when you join to give an
idea of what you might earn in the first year this is an extremely optimistic view.
Additionally, should the company have a bad year, you are left quite short (and as an
analyst, there is little you can do in terms of influencing sales), notes another. Many
consultants report a bonus range of about 20 to 80 percent of their salaries; for
partners the bonus can be more than their base salaries, while for junior levels the
maximum would be about 50 percet with 15 to 25 percent more usual during a good
year. Sums up one, In a good year, bonuses can be respectable, but it s not a strong
payer by United States standards. And there s been no pay raise in three years.
C A R E E R
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However, the firm has thus far avoided mass layoffs so far the firm offers some
job security for all but the most senior poor performers.
Interest-free loans are offered to consultants to purchase shares in the company,
and the share price has risen every year since inception. A company car is often
provided, and there s a gym at some locations, cell phone usually provided, a laptop
and standard health insurance.
Training days
A number of days have been allocated for training each year. We are expected to
use this, says a source. The days hover between five and eight, our surveyees say.
Initial training gets high marks: The five weeks grad training was excellent, a
handful agree. Beyond that, though, training in technical specialties is limited and
external training is rarely paid for, although we may be sold as experts in particular
commercial products which we are not trained in.
No MBA necessary
The meritocratic system at PA, where management is entirely dependent on
readiness for promotion there are no barriers, gets high marks. If you are
enthusiastic and work the network, you can progress very quickly, says an insider.
Though this can lead to a system of promotion informally based on who you know
and who your buddies are, most say promotion is based on performance on the
field: Anyone can make it to partner as long as they consistently get sold on client
assignments, score well on those assignments and contribute to internal projects and
thought leadership.
A post-grad degree isn t necessary; Indeed, there are very senior figures within the
company who have no undergraduate degree. Says one MBA-holder, MBAs are
not really valued, although this is not communicated externally; another source
agrees, an MBA per se earns little respect within the PA community.
Another appealing aspect, consultants say, is that there is a structured career path for
people who do not want to make partner. So while most can expect to advance
after one to three years in a position, people can stop at any level as long as they
continue to perform at that level. One insider cautions, When joining, its
important you re happy with your initial rank: better don t rely on suggestions for
early promotion opportunities.
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Mom culture
Reviews of the company s attitude toward women are mixed. Many note there s
little concession to working mothers they are subject to the same travel
requirements, etc., as the general consultants. Women at the top are rare, and the
lack of female partners is probably a reflection of how women should get special
disposition for common out of work commitments and family life they don t get
these special dispositions. Originally PA was an old-boys club and today, the
IT consulting departments are mainly male based and although there are a large
number of women working for the company, they are in the minority. That can
make for a bit of a lad culture.
Fair play
With regard to minorities, PAs offices seem to differ greatly by locale. PA has the
greatest cultural diversity of any company or client in which I have worked, says
one consultant; a Los Angeles-based source says, We are like a mini United Nations
here. However, a New York consultant says There is no diversity in this company,
and a source says his office is majority British.
Treatment of homosexuals seems a non-issue; sexuality is considered a private
matter and is not discussed, says a source. One gay man sums up his experience:
PA does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. This does not mean,
however, that it is always easy. On client assignments, it can be difficult having to
constantly readjust to a new client culture with the possibility of having to come out
time and time again. There are still significant areas of discrimination in terms of the
law such as superannuation and death benefits, but PA adheres strictly to local
practices. It could be doing better at advocating equal rights for all employees,
however.
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One Telcordia Drive
Piscataway, NJ 08854-4157
Phone: (732) 699-2000
www.telcordia.com
LOCATIONS
Piscataway, NJ (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Applied Research
Consulting and Engineering
Learning Services
Network Systems
Operations Support Services
THE STATS
Employer Type: Subsidiary of SAIC
CEO: Matthew J. Desch
2003 Revenue: $1,083.6 billion
(SAIC)
UPPERS
Strong reputation in telecom
DOWNERS
Can be dreary technical work
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
Deloitte
Syntegra
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
E-mail: jobs@telcordia.com
www.telcordia.com/careers
Telcordia Technologies
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
17
THE BUZZ
Project management strength
Technical but unglamorous
Friendly, easy to work with
Competent IT support
THE SCOOP
Dialing for dollars
Telcordia maintains a fleet of developers and consultants to help telecom firms earn
more money, become more flexible and whittle down their operations. Clients run
the gamut of the communications industry, from cable operators to wireless service
companies, from voice networks to IP networks.
Back in the day, the firm was a house of technical know-how for the regional Bell
companies, developing software that they and their competitors-came to rely on. In
fact, 80 percent of today s U.S. telecom network depends on software invented,
developed, implemented, or maintained by Telcordia, the company notes. In 1997,
employee-owned engineering company SAIC (Science Applications International
Corporation) acquired Telcordia, which now operates as a SAIC subidiary under the
name Telcordia Technologies.
Little Telcordias
Telcordia Technologies, in turn, has a number of its own subsidiaries: Telcordia
Venture Capital Corporation, which invests in early-stage telecom-related
companies; InterConnect Communications, a management-consulting firm
specializing in telecoms out of Chepstow, Wales; Mesa Solutions, which handles
systems integration for electric, gas and telecom concerns; Rsoft Design Group,
which offers network design tools like wireless network design or optical
communication simulation for clients; Telelogue, which works on speech-recognition
software; Tellium, which makes optical switches; and a number of other companies
in which Telcordia holds a minority stake.
Telcordia s main services include applied research, which involves providing
research on telecom issues and developments for the government and companies,
conducting test cases to see how dependable networks are, running a Geospatial
Information Filtering System that accesses NASA data; running its NetSizer that
pinpoints the daily size of the Internet; and building and maintaining a number of
other tools. Another practice area, consulting and engineering services, involves
developing, implementing and maintaining networks. Learning Services provides
online training see www.800teachme.com. Network systems (making software)
and operations support systems round out the firm s offerings. The company also
Tel cori da Technol ogi es
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
makes software in the cable, DSL, managed IP, mobility, next generation network,
number portability, and telecom B2B areas.
GETTING HIRED
Finding and keeping new Telcordians
The company lists jobs online at www.telcordia.com (click on careers), and asks
applicants to submit resumes online at www.telcordia.com/careers/sub_resume.html.
Candidates may also e-mail jobs@telcordia.com. The company also offers summer
internships, also outlined in the careers area of the web site. In 2003, the firm
conducted on-campus recruiting at NJIT, Rochester Institute of Technology, Penn
State, Rutgers and the Stevens Institute of Technology.
Telcordian benefits include flex spending, shares in the company, insurance (medical,
dental, life and disability), tuition assistance, flexible working arrangements, and
more. Employees can also expect to be taught subjects like technology and
management through Telcordia Learning Services, which offers both online and
classroom (at some Telcordia locations) training.
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L I B R A R Y
In 2003, the firm
conducted on-campus
recruiting at NJIT,
Rochester Institute of
Technology, Penn State,
Rutgers and the Stevens
Institute of Technology.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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Doddakannelli, Sarjapur Road
Bangalore, Karnataka 560035
India
Phone: +91(80) 844 0011
Fax: +91(80) 844 0056
www.wipro.com
LOCATIONS
Bangalore (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Product Design Services
IT SERVICES
Application Development and
Maintenance
IT Infrastructure Outsourcing
Package Implementation
Systems Integration
Total Outsourcing
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: WIT
Chairman and Managing Director:
Azim H. Premji
UPPERS
Global presence
Well-known leader
DOWNERS
No brand recognition in the West
Competition heating up among
Indian IT firms
KEY COMPETITORS
IBM Global Services
Infosys Technologies
Tata Consulting Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
careers.wipro.com
Wipro Ltd.
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
18
THE BUZZ
Conscientious, attention to
detail, logical
Offshore outsourcing
High risk but good
THE SCOOP
Real pros
Wipro is a full-service technology company with a 20-year history in IT consulting,
engineering and systems integration. Founded in 1945 as (of all things) a cooking-
oil manufacturer, the firm diversified into IT with a license from Sentinel Computer
Corp. in 1980. Since then, Wipro has grown into a 30-office mover and shaker,
employing more than 24,000 professionals and earning $736 million in revenue in
2002. The firm ranked as the No. 7 software services firm on BusinessWeek s
Infotech 100 in November 2002.
But the firm has more to offer than IT consulting and outsourcing. In a nod to its
roots, Wipro also has a number of units devoted to production. A lively consumer
business makes everything from soap to light bulbs (and good old cooking oil), while
other groups manufacture hydraulic components, medical devices and lab
instruments. But high-tech is Wipro s bread and butter the consumer business
brought in just 9 percent of the firm s revenue in 2002, for example.
Mogul
The company s chairman, Azim Premji, is responsible for making Wipro what it is
today. He quit Stanford University s engineering program in 1968 to take over the
business (then Western Indian Vegetable Products) when his father died, and has led
the company to profit and glory ever since. He is one of the richest and most
influential people in the world, let alone India, with a 75 percent stake in the
company giving him a personal net worth of over $30 billion. He has also been
dubbed the Bill Gates of India as has the head of rival tech firm Infosys, N.R.
Narayana Murthy, and a few other people as well. Apparently, it s a popular term.
Serving the best with the best
Wipro has a client list of prestigious global corporations, including NCR, Microsoft,
Boeing, Toshiba, Ericsson and numerous others, 50 of which are Fortune 500
companies. Projects for these customers have led Wipro to a number of accolades in
addition to its slot in the Infotech 100 mentioned previously. Dataquest named the
firm one of the top three employers in Indian IT for 2002. The company also
garnered KMWorld s KM Reality Award for 2002 for outstanding knowledge
management practices and processes. The Wipro web site picked up a fistful of
Wi pro Ltd.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
international Web awards. Wipro also stands out as the world s first PCMM and
CMMi version 1.1 Level 5 certified company, SEI CMM Level 5 certified software
services company and TL 9000 certified software services company.
An acquisitive nature
In just the past year, Wipro has made a number of key acquisitions. It bought GE
Medical Systems Information Technologies Private Ltd. completely in July 2002.
The $5.73 million deal expands Wipro s ability to serve the software needs of
hospitals and other medical concerns throughout India and the Middle East, with
benefits spilling over into other regions. In July 2002, Wipro acquired Spectramind
e-Services Private Limited, a BPO provider. The purchase helped Wipro become a
BPO player.
In November 2002, the firm acquired the global energy practice of consultancy
American Management Systems for $26 million in cash. The practice employs
nearly 100 experts and consultants in Europe and the U.S., currently performing 15
engagements across a broad range of energy businesses, including investor-owned
utilities and public power transmission companies.
Wipro announced in April 2003 that it would acquire NerveWire Inc., a business and
IT consulting firm based in Massachusetts with more than 20 active engagements in
collaborative commerce and integration. The $18.7 million cash deal was completed
at the end of June 2003, with the resulting unit now called Wipro NerveWire. Wipro
hopes to expand its presence in the U.S. as well as its depth in financial services
through the acquisition of this firm and its 90 consultants.
Constructive engagement
The firm doesn t just get new business by buying out other companies, however.
Wipro picked up or completed a number of contracts in 2002 and 2003 as well. In
August 2002, the company gained a contract to develop a new business processing
and policy administration system for CNA Life, an insurance division of CNA
Financial Corp. In November 2002, Lehman Brothers entered into a contract with
Wipro to set up a dedicated offshore development center.
In December 2002, Wipro was chosen for a major real estate project by CIDCO (City
and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd.), an agency of the
Indian government. The firm will implement ERP and geographical information
system solutions for CIDCO, as well as customer management, data warehousing and
Wi pro Ltd.
2004 Vault Inc. 132
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L I B R A R Y
human resources systems as part of the agency s drive to transform Mumbai into a
choice destination for IT companies.
Also in December 2002, the firm announced it had completed another phase of a
major technology initiative for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), the first of
which was completed in July of that year. The listed company administration (LCA)
project uses Java based technology to help streamline listing processes and monitor
the eligibility criteria for companies listing on the NYSE.
Wipro won a large systems-integration contract with TeliaSonera, a joint venture
between two leading European wireless telecom providers, in April 2003. According
to Wipro s release, the firm will be the prime systems integrator providing an end-
to-end integrated OSS platform for TeliaSonera and will encompass network
inventory, service activation, cross domain management and provisioning. Wipro
will also be responsible for architectural realization, technology road map,
implementation and systems integration, maintenance and vendor management.
GETTING HIRED
Becoming a Wiproite
Wipro encourages career seekers and experienced workers alike to register at the
company s careers page, which can be found at careers.wipro.com.. The site includes
a basic FAQ, details on benefits, locations and career path, a campus visit request
system and a number of job search tools, including a rolling list of recently
announced openings. Free registration provides access to job alerts, newsletters and
the ability to store, update and send your resume directly.
Wi pro Ltd.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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L I B R A R Y
Air India Building
11th Floor
Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021
India
Phone: +91 22 5668 9999
Fax: +91 22 2204 0711
www.tcs.com
U.S. HQ:
101 Park Avenue, 26th Floor
New York, NY 10178
Phone: (212) 557-8038
Fax: (212) 867-8652
LOCATIONS
Mumbai, India (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Application Development and
Maintenance Architecture and
Technology Consulting eBusiness
eSecurity Engineering Services
Infrastructure Development and
Management Large Projects
Quality Consulting
THE STATS
CEO: Subramaniam Ramadorai
UPPERS
International exposure
Excellent training
DOWNERS
Relatively low pay
Lengthy service contract
KEY COMPETITORS
Infosys
Wipro
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
Bernadette (Bernie) Borrello
Senior Human Resources Executive,
TCS America
111 Wood Ave. South
Second Floor
Iselin, NJ 08830
Phone: (732) 321-9369
E-mail: bernadette@usa-tcs.com
General employment e-mail:
recruit@usa-tcs.com
Tata Consultancy Services
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
19
THE BUZZ
Rising star, strange name
Cheap, service-provider
High quality
Code pusher
THE SCOOP
Titanic Tata
The current era of technology consulting features a number of firms popping up in
Asia, specifically India. However, one of the biggest and most successful of the
Indian IT firms has been around since 1968. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), based
in Mumbai, serves clients in 55 countries and is the first Indian software firm to
surpass $1 billion in revenue, as reported in June 2003.
The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, the holding company for Tata
Group, an $11 billion conglomerate owned, not surprisingly, by the Tata family. The
Tatas have their hands in just about every industry there is on the subcontinent,
including energy, steel, forestry, insurance and resorts.
Going public?
There has been industry talk for quite some time about Tata making a public offering,
but no concrete dates have been set. A January 2003 article in Business Standard
suggested that the firm would merge its four IT firms (Tata Infotech, Tata Elixi, Tata
Technologies and CMC) into the main operation after TCS initial public offering,
but gave no schedule for such actions. As recently as June 2003, TCS CEO S.
Ramadorai was quoted in Dow Jones International News as saying, We have not yet
fixed a date or a timing, but we are on that route.
The Chinese connection
Tata has more than 100 locations worldwide, and fairly steady growth. In June 2002,
TCS announced a three-part framework for business in China. Tata Information
Technology will be the company s main presence in China, based in Shanghai (the
firm recruited 250 engineers from Shanghai University for the new office). The TCS
office in Beijing will expand its role to include regional marketing, client relationship
management, public relations and legal. And a new development center in Hangzhou
will add to TCS local strength.
The Chinese plan was still going strong as of January 2003. TCS acquired a 74
percent stake in government-owned CMC Ltd. and was working to integrate its
operations within the larger framework. In addition, the firm was preparing to offer
extended support to clients with operations in China (such as GE Medical Systems),
and to turn China into its regional base for Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Tata Consul tancy Servi ces
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Its a small, small world
TCS isn t solely focused on China, of course. In September 2002, the firm teamed
up with Intel to launch the TCS-Intel eBusiness Solutions Lab. The Mumbai facility
develops migration tools, communications and computing solutions for Intel
architecture-based servers. Also that month, TCS set up a global development center
in Chennai, India for AT&T Wireless. The 200-consultant center handles customer
systems and enterprise support.
In December 2002, Tata suggested it would be recruiting 6,000 or more personnel
from local campuses for its worldwide facilities through 2004. The firm told
Business Standard, it expected growth in the banking and finance, telecom,
manufacturing and retail industries to fuel its own growth. A report later that month
in The Hindu Business Line confirmed the expectations, noting that TCS banking
and financial service division was growing at 40-50 percent annually.
Buffaloed
In March 2003, TCS announced a new office in Buffalo, N.Y,. to complement its two
existing locations in New York City. The new office signed a memo of understanding
with the University of Buffalo (UB) to help the university further develop and
commercialize certain bioinformatics technologies. It could be that residents were
worried about Tata bringing in pros from outside instead of bolstering the local
economy, so the firm issued a statement in April 2003 affirming its commitment to
hire locally and exercise its partnership with UB.
GETTING HIRED
Signing on
TCS finds applicants through a mix of local hiring and recruitment and intra-
company transfers. New personnel can transfer from any TCS office around the
world. TCS is a household name in India, which makes it easy for the firm to recruit
students from top Indian IT programs. The firm is now looking to build its brand in
the United States. It s working with several American universities, including
Carnegie-Mellon, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, UCLA and the University of
Buffalo, on local recruitment and hiring.
2004 Vault Inc. 136
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L I B R A R Y
Tata recruits from top schools around the world, and hires experienced personnel as
well. All consultants are required to sign service and confidentiality agreements,
essentially contracts to work for TCS for two years after the initial year of training.
This is in part to protect the firm s investment; TCS spends considerable money (the
firm says about 6 percent of annual revenue) on training its people, and provides a
stipend of up to $70 per year for membership in professional organizations.
According to an insider in India, Tata uses an elaborate process of selecting schools
we go to for hiring and says the interview involves detailed tests for assessing
candidates technical aptitude and fit for the business.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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L I B R A R Y
3033 Science Park Road
San Diego, CA 92121-1199
Phone: (858) 552-9500
Fax: (858) 552-9645
www.titan.com
LOCATIONS
San Diego, CA (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
C4ISR (Command, Control,
Communications, Computer,
Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance)
Enterprise Information Technology
Homeland Security
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: TTN
Chairman, President and CEO: Gene
W. Ray
2003 Employees: 11,000+
UPPERS
Hiring as other firms lay off
Reasonable work hours
DOWNERS
Very, very long term projects
Lockheed Martin merger means
potential uncertainty
KEY COMPETITORS
EDS
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
E-mail: Great.jobs@titan.com
The Titan Corporation
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
20
THE BUZZ
Solid but laid back
Boutique
Inexpensive
THE SCOOP
Supporting your safety
If you ve ever wondered where the money in the U.S. defense budget goes, a good
place to start looking is the Titan Corporation. The firm, just over 11,000 people
strong, accumulated nearly $1.7 billion in revenue in 2003 so far, 99 percent of which
came from the U.S. government. Typical Washington clients include the Department
of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense and all branches of the armed
services. In September 2003, the even larger defense juggernaut Lockheed Martin
announced it would purchase Titan for approximately $2.4 billion. The deal is
scheduled to close in early 2004.
Not all of Titan s work is related to war and security, however. Unarmed clients
include the Department of Labor, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and NASA.
In addition, the firm occasionally works for other groups. In April 2003, Titan won
a five-year, $50 million outsourcing contract with Cobb County School District in
Marietta, Ga.
Lineup changes
In September 2003, the boards of Lockheed Martin and Titan approved a purchase of
Titan by Lockheed Martin. Titan s concentration on defense, homeland security and
intelligence contracts should dovetail nicely with the defense manufacturer s
business. Titan s strength in the field of battlefield communications should also be a
good fit for Lockheed Martin. Technology insiders say that the Titan acquisition
reflects Lockheed s strategy of maintaining market dominance through acquisitions.
Barring disapproval by Titan shareholders or governmental regulatory concerns, the
deal should close in early 2004.
Some of the changes at Titan were personnel, not ownership. In January 2003, Dr.
Lawrence J. Delaney became president and CEO of the firm s Advanced Systems
Development Sector, which designs the next generation of military craft and
weapons. In February 2003, president and COO Eric DeMarco announced he would
depart the company the following month to pursue other interests. Gene Ray,
Titan s chairman and CEO, absorbed his duties.
The Ti tan Corporati on
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
An award or two
NASA s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) bestowed its 2003 Goddard
Contractor Excellence Award on Titan in May 2003, for its work on four separate
contracts in connection with GSFC projects. And in June, Ian Douglas Smith
received the 2003 Global Energy Prize for his work in powerful pulse energy, a
means of providing large amounts of power in short bursts to prevent overheating.
Smith is the firm s deputy general manager and head of the pulse science division.
GETTING HIRED
Working for Q-Branch
Finding a job at Titan can be as simple as using the search engine on the firm s web
site. Titan also appears at several off-campus recruiting events in the D.C. region and
elsewhere (Boston is another region). However, an insider says the usual path to
employment is an executive [who] knows someone who s looking for a job and
contacts HR. Or, an employment agency that has been working with my company
[that] regularly contacts HR. Titan is hiring, unlike other, stagnating tech consulting
firms; the consultancy grew by 10 percent in 2003. Be prepared to get security
clearance if you do not already have it.
2004 Vault Inc. 140
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L I B R A R Y
Titan is hiring; the
consultancy grew by 10
percent in 2003.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Guidion House
Harvest Crescent
Ancells Business Park
Fleet, Hants GU51 2QP
United Kingdom
Phone: +44(0) 1252 777 000
Fax: +44(0) 1252 777 111
www.syntegra.com
LOCATIONS
Fleet, U.K. (HQ)
Arden Hills, MN (U.S. HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Collaboration ConsultingCRM
Directories Enterprise Security
eTicketing Messaging Supply
Chain Management Trading
Systems Web Services
THE STATS
Employer Type: Subsidiary of BT
Group
Stock Symbol: BTY
CEO: Tim Smart
UPPERS
Products and solutions in use
worldwide
Respectable parent company
DOWNERS
Occasional rumors of sale
Not that visible outside of stock-
trading solutions
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
EDS
IBM Global Services
Perot Systems
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.us.syntegra.com/careers/
E-mail: winning.team@syntegra.com
Syntegra
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
21
THE BUZZ
BT in the background.
Once a telco, always a telco
Ambitious but staffed by old
timers.
THE SCOOP
Transformers (more than meets the eye)
Syntegra is the global consulting and systems integration arm of BT Group (formerly
British Telecom). The firm s 30 offices worldwide have built a practice around the
concept of transformation; whether of business, process or technology, or even
change management. Much of the firm s work is accomplished through partial or
total outsourcing of the client s business and information processes.
Stock in trade
One of Syntegra s most successful areas is stock trading. The firm s ITS
collaborative trading system is used in the financial centers of more than 50
countries. ITS combines IP and voice technology with PBX phone networking (the
standard for businesses worldwide) to ensure clear communication and posting of
trade orders in busy environments.
Orders for Syntegra s trade systems have been strong. Adopters of ITS or other
services in 2003 include an Australian interdealer-broker (a broker for commercial
banks, investment banks and other liquidity providers in wholesale financial markets)
ICAP; Institutional Shareholder Systems, a Maryland-based service provider for
voting stockholders; Dundee Securities, a Canadian full-service investment dealer;
and Prebon Yamane, an Australian global brokerage.
Speak up
As recently as April 2003, Syntegra was displaying enhancements to the system at
London s Dealing with Technology (DWT) conference. In collaboration with voice
technology provider Vox Generation, Syntegra integrated voice recognition with its
ITS Myriad system to allow trade orders, database updates, and e-mail and phone
contact through spoken commands; Wireless ITS Myriad extends these capabilities
to mobile customers.
Also in April 2003, Syntegra announced collaboration with Computershare to
provide improved dividend consolidation services to financial services clients.
Computershare, a leading share registry, financial services and technology provider,
will co-manage the limited pilot program through Syntegra s network during the first
half of 2003, with wider availability afterwards.
Syntegra
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Family troubles
Though business appears steady for Syntegra, the firm s parent hasn t been without
its share of woes. Between 1997 and 2001, several top officers left the holding
company as debts from mishandled ventures mounted, peaking at a staggering $44.8
billion in 2001. In several instances, BT Group considered selling off BT Ignite, the
unit that includes Syntegra. Despite this, Ignite provided 14 percent of BT s revenue
in 2002, an 18 percent increase from 2001 before acquisitions and disposals.
GETTING HIRED
Global opportunities
Syntegra has not one, not two, but six separate recruiting sites, one each for Belgium,
France, Germany, the Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S. This approach allows job
seekers better target their efforts, whether they are seeking an internship, undergrad
or graduate position, or are experienced consultants looking to change companies.
Hopefuls are encouraged to apply electronically.
One insider describes the hiring process as follows: after a manager pitches for a
headcount increase, HR then works with the manager to recruit appropriate
applicants (the recruitment techniques will vary depending upon the job and the
perceived availability of candidates). Candidates respond in writing with a formal
application. Interviews are then set up for those candidates with strong profiles to the
job/skill requirements.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Room to do your own thing
Insiders appreciate the degree of personal latitude they enjoy at Syntegra.
Management sets the overall guidelines and boundaries for our projects, says one
source, but allows the individual employees the freedom to create their own
technical solutions within those guidelines. The downside of this is a lack of
internal direction. A consultant suggests the firm could communicate real-time
project and bid activities to create both an awareness and opportunity to provide
assistance.
Syntegra
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L I B R A R Y
Syntegra does communicate one thing, though: a desire for consultants to get
involved in something beyond paying work. It encourages each employee to take
an active role in the local community, according to one consultant.
No promotion? No problem!
According to an insider, due to the global economy, expansion (which is the most
frequent impetus of promotion) has been, for the most part, arrested. This doesn t
mean a lack of appreciation, however; the source continues, to compensate,
financial and recognition awards are used to recognize quality of work. That s a
nice change from the Dilbert clich of endless promotions with no change in pay.
Syntegra
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
2004 Vault Inc. 146
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Hahnstrabe 43 d
60528 Frankfurt, Germany
Phone: 49-69-6-65-31-0
Fax: 49-69-6-65-31-4-99
www.t-systems.com
LOCATIONS
Frankfurt am Main, Germany (HQ)
Offices in 20+countries
CORE COMPETENCIES
Industries:
Manufacturing
Public & Healthcare
Services:
Computing Services
Desktop Services
International Carrier Sales &
Solutions
Network Services
Systems Integration
THE STATS
Employer Type: Subsidiary of
Deutsche Telekom
CEO: Konrad F. Reiss
2002 Employees: 43,500 (10,000
outside of Germany)
2002 Revenue: 11.3 billion Euro
UPPERS
Stability due to Deutsche Telekom
parentage
DOWNERS
Bureaucratic feel
KEY COMPETITORS
EDS
IBM Global Services
PA Consulting
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.t-systems.com/jobs
T-Systems International
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
22
THE BUZZ
Heritage from state-owned firm
Government shop for internal
work
Familiy-friendly
THE SCOOP
Telecom consulting haven
A division of Deutsche Telekom, T-Systems offers consulting for telecom and
technology markets, along with an integration of the two areas.
The firm prides itself on helping clients through the entire process of planning,
building and running the technology used. (The company, quite literally, calls this
Plan/Build/Run.) Some of the services offered include network or carrier
maintenance, outsourcing, hosting, systems integration, and business process
consulting.
A sampling of projects and achievements from 2002 and 2003: transmitting data at
the fastest pace ever (160 Gbits/s on a single carrier wave in installed standard fiber,
if you re curious), creating a network for scientists connecting 700 universities and
research houses, installing Europe s largest virtual hard drive for parent company
Deutsche Telekom and installing a supercomputer for Baden-Wurttemberg/Porsche.
Clients generally fall into the telecom, finance/professional services, public/health
care or manufacturing sectors.
GETTING HIRED
All U.S.-based positions are listed at www.t-systemsus.com/site/jobs.html.
Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D insurance, disability
coverage, flex spending accounts, 401(k), employee counseling, a business-casual
dress code, tuition reimbursement, employee-referral payments, and flex hours and
telecommuting for some positions.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Decent all around
Supervisors at T-Systems are rated fairly well. My director is very professional and
open to discussion, says a source. Offices are solid, while training could use some
work: I must define and [seek out] rhe courses that are good for my position, says
T-Systems I nternati onal
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
an insider. Work is said to average around 50 to 55 hours a week. Compensation is
rated just above average, while bonuses are only for the salespeople. As for
promotion, the policy is said to be not so clear, as management reportedly makes
the decision without revealing the process.
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L I B R A R Y
I must define and [seek]
the courses that are good
for my position.
T-Systems consultant
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
2004 Vault Inc. 150
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
2823 E. Cottonwood, Suite 480
Salt Lake City, UT 84121
Phone: (800) 294-0090
Fax: (801) 733-3201
www.sbiandcompany.com
LOCATIONS
Salt Lake City, UT (HQ)
17 offices nationwide, plus London
PRACTICE AREAS
Customer Collaboration
Enterprise Management
Integrated Marketing
Supplier Collaboration
THE STATS
CEO: Ned Stringham
UPPERS
Profitable despite tech downturn
Managers fair, open
DOWNERS
Short notice on project staffing
Acquired companies still settling in
KEY COMPETITORS
EDS
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
E-mail: careers@sbiandcompany.com
SBI and Company
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
23
THE SCOOP
A big rollup
SBI and Company, a Web and technology consultancy, advises firms in the telecom,
financial, manufacturing, retail/consumer products, life sciences, and state and local
government sectors. Clients include Cisco, Kodak, JPMorgan Chase and Los
Angeles water and power division.
The company has been aggressively expanding lately as it buys struggling tech
companies. In November 2002, it bought web consultancy Razorfish, and its 200
employees, adding top clients like Western Union and Microsoft, and offices in New
York, Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Silicon Valley. . In October 2002, it
picked up Scient, a once-hallowed Internet consulting firm; in July 2002, it acquired
Lante Corporation, another technology consulting firm. In May 2002, SBI bought
WebFlow, which made software that helped SAP technology run more smoothly. In
October 2001, it snapped up Emerald Solutions, an IT implementer. In June 2001, it
bought the New York office of marchFIRST, which came with 100 consultants; in
April of that year, it bought that now-defunct consultant s Denver, Portland and San
Francisco offices, which included 200 more consultants.
CEO Ned Stringham s work in acquisitive and other areas won him Ernst & Youngs
Entrepreneur of the Year award for Utah in the technology category; at press time, he
was advancing to the national competition. Earlier, SBI was selected by
Computerworld as a Top 100 Emerging Company for 2002. In June 2002,
VARBusiness Magazine named Stringham a 2002 VARBusiness 500 Executive of the
Year.
GETTING HIRED
Professionals wanted
SBI lists open positions on its web site, www.sbiandcompany.com/careers.
Candidates are asked to send resumes to careers@sbiandcompany.com. Insiders say
it is a streamlined and smooth process: When there is a need we immediately seek
out the best candidates and act quickly to retain their services. We only hire
professionals, notes another source. A different source says, The need for a
position is assessed, approved, description is drawn up and passed through HR.
SBI and Company
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Advertisements are sent out, resumes submitted, people interviewed. Selection is
more ad-hoc than formalized.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Cheery culture
SBI consultants speak well of the firm s corporate culture; SBI is said to maintain a
loose atmosphere with an open discussion of issues and topics. Everyone
understands that we can discuss behind closed doors but in front of the customer we
are a united platform, notes one source. Another consultant calls it demanding but
very supportive, while a different source says there s no bulls**t, it s easy to get
along with people not a lot of politics. In the early years it was somewhat
disorganized, but in the last two years it has matured into an informative and
collaborative culture, says one insider.
Pack your bags
Work/life balance is quite good, insiders say. All projects have their ups and downs
but SBI is very good about making sure you have the available time off and enough
of it to take care of the individual, says one respondent. That said, travel is a
requirement if you want your choice of projects. All of the travel depends on
contracts and location. Our consultants are expected to be available for 100 percent
travel but our focus is on obtaining business close to the branch offices, notes one
source. Basically, not everyone travels but everyone is expected to travel when
necessary. Hours generally range from 40 to 50 hours a week, sources say, though
it can vary it s all that are needed to do the work. Rarely are consultants on the
bench (beach), but bench time is busy time.
Steps up the ladder
To get a promotion, an MBA is not necessary: Reward and promotion are strictly
measured on performance. This is not an up-or-out program, says a source;
another insider adds, Delivering outstanding work means attention from
management. It is also based on our client s satisfaction with a consultant a
consultant who pleases the client can stay and work as long as that remains true.
SBI and Company
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L I B R A R Y
Compensation is rated quite highly at SBI, while extras like bonuses and options
depend on the individual and what is negotiated. Long-term disability and
accidental death and dismemberment coverage is included. Other perks seem to
depend on location and role, and may include a cafeteria, lounge, cell phones,
laptops, tuition reimbursement and/or pagers.
Even-handed
Consultants say they re pleased with their firm but fair supervisors. I ve had
several and they have all been extremely supportive, says one source. Another
insider enthuses that they re some of the best people I ve ever had the pleasure of
working for. These guys really know what they are doing!
Cube free
The utilitarian offices are seemingly serviceable. No cubes! Standard post-
Internet-boom furniture/desks/meeting rooms, says one source. Another SBI-er
notes, With the number of companies we ve acquired in the last two years it is hard
to get anyone to say they are happy with the furniture.
Training, insiders say, is an area where we could make great improvement. It s
done when necessary and only when needed, most training is on site or hands on, as
that is the pace we work at indeed, most are too busy to do much training, but
can be done on bench time. It is based on client needs more than personal needs.
Training is available where it makes sense. We don t train as a reward for
performance, notes one source.
Mix and match
Diversity at the company is considered a plus. Many of the projects have female
leaders and are well mixed with men and women, says one source. Another adds,
We have senior positions that are held by women. This diversity is part of our
strength. Ratings are similar with regard to minorities. In my time here I have not
heard of any racial issues and the diversity is good, says one consultant. Another
consultant says, We have senior positions that are held by minorities. This diversity
is part of our strength.
SBI and Company
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Immeuble Ile-de-France
3, place de la Pyramide
92067 Paris La Dfense Cedex
France
Phone: +33 1-49-00-90-00
Fax: +33 1-47-73-07-63
Polarisavenue 97
2132 JH Hoofddorp
The Netherlands
Phone: 0031 23 566 7000
Fax: 0031 23 566 7100
www.atosorigin.com
LOCATIONS
Paris, France (Financial HQ)
Hoofddorp, The Netherlands
(Corporate HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Consulting
Managed Operations
Systems Integration
THE STATS
Chairman and CEO: Bernard
Bourigeaud
Stock Exchange: Euronext Paris
Ticker Symbol: SAX
2002 Revenues: EUR 3,043 million
UPPERS
Accessible management team
DOWNERS
Outdated benefits package
KEY COMPETITORS
IBM Global Services
HIRING CONTACT
U.S. and Canada:
Atos Origin, Inc.
North American Recruiting Center
430 Mountain Ave.
Murray Hill, NJ 07974
E-mail: Careers@atosorigin.com
Atos Origin
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
24
THE BUZZ
Good in public sector
Uninspired leadership
IT orientated
Small and unfocused
THE SCOOP
Euroconsulting
The second largest publicly-traded European IT consultancy, Atos Origin specializes
in SAP, Oracle and PeopleSoft installations, and in other e-business, e-commerce and
IT work. Clients include European and worldwide giants such as ABN AMRO, BNP
Paribas, BP, Euronext, Fiat, Lucent, Shell and Unilever.
Double header
Let it never be said that Atos Origin lacks leadership. The IT consulting firm boasts
headquarters both in France and in the Netherlands. The reason for the dual
headquarters is that Atos, a French consultancy, merged with Origin, a Dutch
company, in October 2000. Origin had originally (hee) been an offshoot of Philips
Electronics Communications and Processing Services, so Philips held a majority of
Origin, and today owns a large percentage of Atos Origin.
Name games
The company has three business lines: consulting, systems integration and managed
operations. The consulting wing is also known as Atos Odyssee (Odyssee, a financial
and banking consultancy, was acquired in January 2000) and as Atos KPMG
Consulting in the U.K. and the Netherlands (the company acquired KPMG s
businesses there in August 2002). Atos Consulting concentrates its strengths in
financial services, consumer/industrial markets, information, communications,
entertainment, human resources and government. Systems Integration focuses on
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Managed Operations is the
outsourcing group, and boasts several specialties such as voice recognition,
transaction certification, e-banking and e-trading.
Bargain shopping
In September 2003, Atos Origin agrreed to acquire the IT consulting firm
SchulbergerSema from United States-based oil services firm Schlumberger. The
awkwardly-named SchlumbergerSema had been created in 2001, when Schumberger
acquired the IT services firm Sema for the princely sum of 5.2 billion euros.
Schlumberger had trouble integrating the new acquisition, however, and put it back
on the market. Atos Origin scooped up the consultancy for a mere 1.28 billion euros,
Atos Ori gi n
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
400 million of which was paid in cash. The chairman of Atos has said that after the
acquisition is finalized, most likely in January 2004, Atos would sell off part of the
new entity to raise about 500 million euros within 18 months.
GETTING HIRED
Becoming an original
The company posts open positions for would-be Atos Originals (yes, that s what they
call themselves) at www.atosorigin.com/corporate/careers/index.asp. Candidates for
North American careers are welcome to contact the recruiting center at the Murray
Hill address. Candidates for positions in other countries can check
www.atosorigin.com/corporate/careers/contact.htm for the appropriate human
resource contact. The process, according to one source, includes an interview by the
department manager, and an optional interview by senior manager/HR hire.
Once at Atos, new employees have access to the help of Atos Origin University, an
Intranet-based teaching tool.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
High-quality managment
Management is said to be cooperative and flexible, with a very open
management style. It s a friendly management team, notes one insider. With
regard to promotion, management seems quite involved: The company believes
very much in having quality people. It is not a strictly up-or-out culture; in fact, out
is only a last resort after much counseling. That said, advance is not fast staff can
be expected to stay at the same level for a while if necessary. And in this economy,
it s not easy to [advance]. Moving up really depends on opportunity, says one
source.
Work/life balance is decent at Atos. [A good work/life balance] is very much a
personal responsibility. The company encourages and tries to facilitate [work/life
balance], but only the individual can make it happen. I m still working 12 hours a
day, as much as I try to maintain a good balance, says one source. Hours seem to
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L I B R A R Y
hover between 50 and 60 hours a week, though one consultant says workweeks
exceed that number all the time.
Variable travel
Travel can vary greatly, depending on where you re staffed. I travel once or twice
a month, but only for a couple of days each, says one source, who reports that
other consultants travel more than 50 percent of their time, all depending on the
projects they are involved in.
Compensation is rated just above average, and includes share option, employee
stock purchase and annual bonus. While perks include cell phones, laptops, an
employee referral bonus, free snacks, gym discounts and long-term disability
insurance, one respondent decries the supposed lack of a very up-to-date benefits
package. Overall, Atos is said to be a great company to work for ... if only the
economy is better, life will be much more balanced.
Atos Ori gi n
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
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C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
333 Thornall Street
Edison, NJ 08837
Phone: (732) 549-4100
Fax: (732) 632-1826
us.fujitsu.com
LOCATIONS
Edison, NJ (HQ)
SOLUTIONS
Enterprise Mobility
Enterprise Value Management
Legacy Migration
Managed Services
SERVICES
Business Intelligence and Analytics
Content Management
Enterprise Application Integration
IT Effectiveness
INDUSTRIES
Energy and Utilities
Financial
Government
Life Sciences
Telecommunications
THE STATS
Employer Type: Subsidiary of Fujitsu
Ltd.
President and CEO: Michael J.
Poehner
2002 Revenue: $38.4 billion (Fujitsu
Ltd.)
UPPERS
Well-established brand
DOWNERS
Snarly reporting structure within
the company
KEY COMPETITORS
EDS
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
fccanada.kenexa.com/fcv35/newhrusa
Fujitsu Consulting
V A U L T
P R E S T I G E
R A N K I N G
25
THE BUZZ
Emerging
Siemens leftovers
Technical
Overconfident, too diverse
THE SCOOP
The possibilities are infinite
That s Fujitsu s motto, and the company itself seems rather expansive, if not infinite.
Fujitsu Consulting Inc., the IT consulting and services arm of technology
manufacturer Fujitsu, helps corporations navigate the complex sea of business tech.
In 2002, said help amounted to $16.9 billion in software and services revenue, or
about 40 percent of the parent company s annual total.
Fujitsu Consulting s current makeup is a fairly recent configuration resulting from a
rebranding of DMR Consulting in 2002. Fujitsu had acquired DMR Consulting in
1996 when it purchased Amdahl, which itself had bought DMR the year before.
The paradox of information
Fujitsu Consulting s registered trademark Macroscope is an integrated set of IT and
business methods the firm uses to assess its clients needs. In October 2002, high-
tech analyst firm Gartner hailed Macroscope as a leader in the field.
In February 2003, Fujitsu completed a study on how organizations view information
technology. The survey of 157 companies revealed that 22 percent of businesses see
IT as an expensive overhead while 15 percent opined that IT made no contribution
at all. From analysis of the findings, the firm published a set of seven steps to enable
IT providers to position themselves as valuable strategic partners.
Back in 1999, Fujitsu Consulting published The Information Paradox, a best-selling
book by John Thorp, director of the group s Center for Strategic Consulting. The
book addressed the topic of value management for IT: whether it s a must
investment, and how top executives can establish IT investment priorities in order to
gain value. In March 2003 the firm proudly released a revised text to account for
industry changes since its first publication.
Getting outside the office
Fujitsu isn t just an IT think tank, though; the firm provides IT implementation
services as well. In April 2003, British human resource consultancy Reed Group
hired Fujitsu to provide an enterprise-wide infrastructure rebuild, including a payroll
and HR system for Reed itself. And in June 2003, the firm landed a $10 million
integration contract for Sandwell (U.K.) Metropolitan Borough Council. The seven-
Fuj i tsu Consul ti ng
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
year contract begins with a 15-month implementation of an Oracle e-Business suite
to standardize the council s financial, purchasing, HR and payroll functions, as well
as prepare it for implementing e-government in line with U.K. standards.
GETTING HIRED
Connect with Fujitsu
The firm recruits full timers and contractors through an online service with a
searchable web site (fccanada.kenexa.com/fcv35/newhrusa) that has a job agent. You
can even forward job leads to friends.
Fuj i tsu Consul ti ng
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THE BEST OF
THE REST
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Alliance Consulting Group
Associates
One Commerce Square
2005 Market Street, 32nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 569-8722
Fax: (215) 399-2310
www.alliance-consulting.com
LOCATIONS
Philadelphia, PA (HQ)
Offices in 10 U.S. cities
PRACTICE AREAS
Application Development &
Integration
Business Intelligence
Managed Services
Package Solutions
Strategy (aligne)
THE STATS
Employer Type: Division of Safeguard
Scientifics
CEO: Michael Warner
2002 Employees: 700
UPPERS
Growth with acquisition by
Safeguard
DOWNERS
Shifting corporate culture after
merger
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
EDS
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.alliance-
consulting.com/careers.asp
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THE SCOOP
Safeguarding knowledge
For almost a decade, Alliance Consulting has been providing IT know-how to
clients in the financial services, consumer packaged goods and life sciences
industries. The company is headquartered in Philadelphia.
In December 2002, IT services holding company Safeguard Scientifics (traded
on the NYSE under the symbol SFE) bought Alliance for $55 million.
Safeguard already owned two similar companies called aligne Strategy and
Lever8 Solutions. Safeguard merged the Lever8 and Alliance divisions
which had complementary IT consulting practices and that new group, still
called Alliance, has 700 consultants and offices in 10 domestic cities.
Meanwhile, aligne continues to consult for IT executives on strategies for
outsourcing and IT investments.
Today, Alliance has five divisions: strategy (general business consulting),
business intelligence (gathering and analyzing data), application development
and integration (developing applications and integrating them with legacy
systems and other companies software products), managed services
(maintaining and supporting software and infrastructure) and package
solutions (implementing, upgrading or doing ROI analysis on packaged
software like J.D. Edwards or SAP). Alliance has specific alliances har har
with Microsoft, IBM, SAP and J.D. Edwards, and maintains consulting
practices for each of these companies.
GETTING HIRED
Benefits include medical and dental insurance; a vision-care program; group
and voluntary life/AD&D, short- and long-term disability coverage; a 401(k);
a credit union; an employee assistance plan and a college savings plan; a
cafeteria plan; and a discount on fitness programs.
Candidates can search jobs at www.alliance-consulting.com/careers.asp. A
contact for each job is listed within the posting.
Al l i ance Consul ti ng Group Associ ates
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Aquent
711 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 535-5000
Fax: (617) 535-5005
www.aquent.com
LOCATIONS
Boston, MA (HQ)
About 70 offices worldwide
PRACTICE AREAS
IT Services:
Projects
Staffing
Marketing & Creative Services:
Aquent Solutions
Marketing and Branding
Technologies
Talent Agency
Aquent Financial Services
Aquent Healthcare Solutions
THE STATS
CEO: John H. Chuang
UPPERS
Family first atmosphere
Good hours for consulting
DOWNERS
Acquisitions somewhat
tumultuous
Corporate strategy hazy
KEY COMPETITORS
Booz Allen Hamilton
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.aquent.com/careers
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THE SCOOP
Staffing and consulting
The germ for today s Aquent lurked in a Harvard dorm room in the 1980s.
CEO John Chuang, a student at the college, wanted to make some extra cash
and started a typesetting service with two other Harvard students, Mia Wenjen
and Steve Kapner, who are also still with the company. That soon morphed
into MacTemps, which placed Mac experts in short-term jobs. By the late
1990s, the firm had grown substantially, and had changed its name to Aquent.
Today, Aquent boasts 70 offices in 16 countries, and continues to be a name in
the staffing and consulting businesses.
A series of strategic acquisitions over the last couple of years has pushed
Aquent from the staffing world into consulting. In December 2001, it bought
Renaissance Worldwide for $110 million. The purchase was unorthodox
because in June 2001, G. Drew Conway, the CEO of Renaissance, owned 22
percent of the publicly held company. He made a bid to buy out the rest of the
shares. It was almost a done deal when, in August, Aquent offered $2 per
share for the company. Conway didn t counter that offer. Aquent thereupon
absorbed Renaissance and its 3,500 employees. Afterward, Aquent sold off
Renaissance s GovConnect.com for $49 million. In 2002, it acquired a
division of Kodak Polychrome Graphics that did systems integration and
christened it Marketing and Branding Technologies. In May 2003, Aquent
offered to buy Computer Horizons Corp, but withdrew the offer in November
of that year.
Today, Aquent still places tech and creative types along with its consulting
business. Its services reflect this expertise, and include IT projects, staffing,
and marketing and branding overhauls. It also runs a healthcare division that
staffs hospitals. And Aquent Financial Services (www.aquentfinancial.com) is
a bill collector-cum-cash advancer for freelancers. When they re submitting
invoices to clients, freelancers can submit them to Aquent as well. For a fee,
Aquent forwards cash to the freelancer, and takes responsibility for collecting
on the invoice.
Aquent
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
GETTING HIRED
The online drill
Anyone with Web access can search through Aquent s jobs on the firm s site,
or complete an online application at www.aquent.com/careers. Sources
estimate the online application takes between 30 and 60 minutes to fill out.
The company says it recently streamlined the process, now only requiring
applicants to submit a resume.
Once your application is complete, an Aquent agent looks it over. If it s
appealing, the company will call you in for an interview and, sometimes, a
skills test. Once you pass that round, you are assigned to an Aquent agent,
who will match you with temp or permanent jobs with Aquent s clients.
Sources tell us that only about 10 percent of applicants are selected to become
part of Aquent s employee roster.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
All in the family
Aquent has an entrepreneurial feel, with an open environment that is
warm, friendly and caring. It s a family-first place, sources say, and that
includes the vacation policy, which allows four weeks off. Aquent also offers
four weekes paid parental leave for fathers. Consultants report they re quite
satisfied with their hours, which seem to run about 50 a week. You do what
it takes to achieve desired results, explains one employee. Work spikes
rarely on a monthly basis ... but once a quarter for about a week, says an
insider.
Working up
Development seems to be based, quite simply, on how well you do. Success
is the key to advancement. If you prove yourself to be a subject matter expert
then you will be recognized accordingly, says one insider. Another source
concurs, citing unlimited potential for growth, based on past performance
within the organization.
Aquent
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L I B R A R Y
The package deal
Compensation at the company is rated above average. There s a 401(k) and
quarterly bonuses for sales. Benefits include accidental
death/dismemberment and long-term disability insurance, an employee
referral bonus, an employee assistance program, tuition reimbursement, profit
sharing and stock options for some workers, laptops and cell phones. The
company also notes that Aquent keeps a Florida beachhouse, which employees
are permitted to use for their vacations free of charge. The use of a sporty
Porsche Boxter is given to the office boasting the strongest growth rate.
CIBER
5251 DTC Parkway
Suite 1400
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
Phone: (303) 220-0100
Fax: (303) 220-7100
www.ciber.com
LOCATIONS
Greenwood Village, CO (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Application Development
Enterprise Integration
Outsourcing
Packaged Solutions
Training
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: CBR
President, CEO and Director: Mac J.
Slingerlend
UPPERS
Nearly 30 years of IT history
Worldwide competitor
DOWNERS
Limited recruiting path
Lots of work with packaged
software
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
Atos Origin
BearingPoint
EDS
Fujitsu
IBM Global Services
Keane
Logica/CMG
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.ciber.com/jobs
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L I B R A R Y
THE SCOOP
Thinking inside and outside the (software) box
CIBER is an information technology company that has built a strong practice around
providing system integration and other services to both the private sector and
government. Its solutions are often homegrown, as in the case of its custom
application development and outsourcing practices. But it also offers good business
implementing packaged ERP and SCM products from such providers as SAP, Oracle
and PeopleSoft. CIBER must be doing something right. An independent survey
published in September 2002 stated that the firm s customer satisfaction had climbed
to 98 percent in July 2002, up from 93 percent a year before.
In 1974, the firm s three founders set out to provide for the IT needs of the Detroit
auto industry. Bob Stevenson, one of the partners, bought out the other two in 1978
and remains as chairman to this day. Over time, CIBER s mission evolved to
encompass finance, telecom, health care, government and other industries. No longer
focused on auto manufacturing, the firm moved its headquarters to Colorado in 1988.
In case you re wondering, the firm isn t trying to be cute with its name. Rather, its
an acronym the founding partners came up with, and which has been in use since the
1974 launch. CIBER stands for Consultants in Business, Engineering and Research.
You will be assimilated
In consulting, big firms eat little firms, and sometimes even same-sized ones. CIBER
is no exception. The firm made a handful of key acquisitions in 2002 and 2003.
Back in April 2002, CIBER brought one of its old hands home when it acquired
Southfield, Mich.-based Decision Consultants Inc. (DCI) Jack Krasula, one of
CIBER s first hires in 1974, founded DCI in 1976. Terms of the deal were not
disclosed, but DCI added $100 million to CIBER s revenue and as much as $10
million to net income at the time, as well as giving the firm access to General Motors,
Daimler Chrysler and the state of Texas as clients. A month later, former DCI
president and COO Ed Longo became COO of CIBER.
The firm bought 9 percent of U.K. tech consultancy ECsoft in November 2002, in a
preliminary step to implementing a takeover the two companies had been considering
for several years, according to Mac Slingerlend, CIBER s CEO. In December, the
firm announced its intent to acquire all of ECsoft for $54 million, expanding
CIBER s presence in Europe. The offer closed successfully in January 2003.
CI BER
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
In April 2003, CIBER signed a definitive agreement to merge New Jersey-based
AlphaNet Solutions into its operations. The $28.75 million deal was supported by a
lock-up agreement with stockholders representing 42 percent of AlphaNet s shares.
Slingerlend noted that the acquisition would solidify CIBER s operations in the New
York-New Jersey area and add project management and training capabilities.
Staying productive
CIBER branched out into a new field in October 2002 when it launched Law and
Justice Solutions, a suite of case and document management systems designed for
law and criminal justice agencies. The suite includes case record management
systems for prosecutors and defenders, a database-independent data exchange and
integration solution and a process and facilities management package covering
everything from police booking to court facilities to prisons.
Throughout early 2003, CIBER has been providing outsourcing solutions to the U.S.
Army for IT and communications. Commands served include the U.S. Army Civil
Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (USACAPOC) and the 81st and
88th Regional Support Commands of the U.S. Army Reserve.
In April 2003, CIBER announced it had signed more than 50 new contracts with state
and local government clients totaling more than $30 million. May saw further
announcements of positive business: The firm signed a new 10-year outsourcing
contract with health insurance client Highmark, extended two existing contracts
through 2004, and announced $25 million in new business with its three largest
telecommunications clients, whose identities were not specified.
What are the kids up to?
DigiTerra, a wholly owned subsidiary of CIBER, has also seen some action recently.
In September 2002, the company s mobile computing group announced a system
implementation and integration contract with Do It Best Corp., a hardware, lumber
and building materials cooperative with more than $2.5 billion in annual sales. The
project calls for providing seven Do It Best distribution centers and the doitbest.com
e-commerce site with mobile supply chain data access for warehouse workers. And
in April 2003, DigiTerra signed 17 contracts with new and existing clients to
implement solutions from Lawson Software, which provides software and systems
for business processing for health care, retail and other industries.
CI BER
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L I B R A R Y
GETTING HIRED
Get in line, online
Individual branch offices handle their own hires, but the firm recommends that all
applications be submitted through the online career system.
Fortunately, CIBER s job application resources are solid. There s the usual e-mail
job agent and live search, a discussion of culture and benefits, general resume and
application forms, as well as a series of links to individual offices.
CI BER
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Commerce One
CarrAmerica Corporate Center
Bldg. #4
4440 Rosewood Drive
Pleasanton, CA 94588-3050
Phone: (800) 308-3838
Fax: (925) 520-6060
www.commerceone.com
LOCATIONS
Pleasanton, CA (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Creative Design and Interactive
Marketing
Customer Operations
Strategy Consulting
Technology Consulting and
Integration
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: CMRC
CEO, President and Chairman: Mark
B. Hoffman
2002 Employees: 380
UPPERS
Good benefits package
DOWNERS
Company much smaller
KEY COMPETITORS
EDS
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
E-mail:
Resource.management@commerceon
e.com
www.commerceone.com/careers
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L I B R A R Y
THE BUZZ
e-bubble
More like vendors
Falling star
THE SCOOP
All for one and one for all
Commerce One leads the e-marketplace industry, helping companies increase the
efficiency of their business-to-business transactions. Since 1996, the Pleasanton,
Calif., company has been moving its clients sourcing and procurement operations
onto the Web, and it has made a name for itself by consistently rolling out software
upgrades, as well as teaming up with, or acquiring, competitors.
The firm has been affected by the economic downturn and has reduced its size since
2001 in an attempt to remain lean and hungry. Including all of the Commerce One
global operations, the company has 11 offices spread across six nations (down from
a high of 44 in 18 countries in 2001) and a total staff of about 200.
A new angle
In January 2002, Commerce One introduced version 5.0 of its flagship Commerce
One software, and with it a shift in the company s e-marketplace strategy. Gone was
the all-encompassing vision of promoting public marketplaces. In its place is a
simpler, more modest focus on managing business processes and improving short-
cycle returns on investments. Commerce One admits that the change in tack had a
lot to do with the downturn in the economy and the failure of its aggressive push for
integrated e-marketplaces.
My friends and neighbors
Commerce One sometimes partners with firms in other industries, or even within the
e-marketplace industry itself. The enterprising IT consultancy has formed ongoing
strategic relationships with such companies as Microsoft and Citigroup to improve its
integrated offerings.
In September 2002, Commerce One partnered with Satyam Computer Services Ltd.,
a complete IT solutions house. Satyam agreed to implement Commerce One s
technology in serving its own clients, while using its supply chain integration
experience to get its clients up to speed more quickly. In that same month,
Commerce One arranged partnerships with Actional, Baltimore Technologies,
Cognos, Contivo, Sonic Software and VeriSign to contribute to the planned
Commerce One 6.0 Suite. (Commerce One 6.0 was fused into the Commerce One
Conductor composite application platform, which was placed into general release in
March 2003. Composite processes, according to Commerce One, are cross-
functional business procedures that allow customers to centrally manage cost-
Commerce One
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
sensitive elements of their infrastructure, lowering their total cost of ownership by as
much as 60 percent.)
Holiday shopping season
One Commerce One customer, eScout LLC, elected to acquire the Commerceone.net
marketplace in December 2002. The unit s three lines of business (marketplace
operations, managed application services and content operations) were all rolled into
the private company as part of the acquisition; in return, Commerce One increased
its equity ownership stake in eScout and obtained a seat on its board of directors.
Smaller size
In an effort to cope with the sagging U.S. economy, Commerce One announced
several job cuts throughout 2001, starting with a 10 percent reduction in May.
Another 1,300 jobs were trimmed in October. Despite its best efforts, the company
still posted a net loss of $66.5 million for the fourth-quarter of 2001. By the end of
the year, rumors were even circulating that SAP would buy Commerce One, though
SAP Co-Chairman Hasso Plattner denied them. More bad news came in April 2002,
when, after reporting a $220 million loss in its quarterly report, Commerce One laid
off another 500 people, or one-third of its remaining workforce.
Another layoff was announced in July 2002, when about 150 people were let go.
Further cuts were announced in October 2002, with 400 people set to become
redundant by the first quarter of 2003 as a way of reducing operating expenses. They
were hardly out the door when, in January 2003, the firm revealed a similar cut of
400 workers, or 60 percent of employees remaining from the last round. In all,
Commerce One had lost $3.2 billion in two years, along with three-quarters of its
locations and nearly 90 percent of its peak staff.
Possible turnaround
There s some indication that the worst of Commerce One s suffering is over; the
company continues to sign new clients. In April 2003, Hitachi Europe chose the
firm s strategic sourcing solutions to streamline its purchasing activities. A
Commerce One spokesman described the deal as significant but didn t reveal
actual terms. In addition, he added that Hitachi would hold the provided software in
perpetual license and wouldn t pay annual fees.
In June 2003, the firm named several Asia Pacific organizations that would be
implementing Commerce One products and solutions Korean Aerospace Industries
and Taiwanese telecom group Far EasTone adopted the Commerce One Supplier
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Relationship Management, while the Industrial Technology Research Institute and
GTWebKorea both used Commerce One Conductor.
GETTING HIRED
Got jobs?
Like most consulting firms, Commerce One says it s looking for people with drive,
passion and intensity, and candidates who are committed to being the best at what
they do. The company s web site (www.commerceone.com/careers) proclaims,
You won t be constrained by a rigid hierarchy or iron-clad job descriptions instead
you ll be encouraged to step up to the plate and pursue the projects that excite you.
The company suggests that prospective employees send an inquiry e-mail to
resource.management@commerceone.com for current openings. (The current
financial state of Commerce One, however, means it s unlikely that the firm is hiring
extensively.)
Commerce One
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Computer Task Group
800 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14209-2094
Phone: (716) 882-8000
Fax: (716) 887-7464
www.ctg.com
LOCATIONS
Buffalo, NY (HQ) (3 offices)
Anchorage, AK Atlanta, GA
Austin, TX Baltimore, MD
Boulder, CO Burlington, VT
Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH
Cleveland, OH Columbus, OH
Dallas, TX Endicott, NY Fort
Wayne, IN Grand Rapids, MI
Greenville, SC Indianapolis, IN
Jacksonville/Orlando, FL
Mechanicsburg, PA Media, PA
Melbourne, FL Merrillville, IN
Nashville, TN New York, NY
Overland Park, KS Pittsburgh, PA
Poughkeepsie, NY Raleigh, NC
Rochester, NY San Jose, CA
Syracuse, NY Tampa, FL
Winston-Salem, NC
Amstelveen,the Netherlands
Diegem, Belgium Berkshire
Luxembourg Toronto
PRACTICE AREAS
Application Management
Outsourcing IT Solutions IT
Staffing Healthcare Solutions
Life Sciences Solutions Retail
Solutions
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: CTG
Chairman and CEO: James R. Boldt
UPPERS
Lots of autonomy
Work-from-home situations
common
Four-day work week
DOWNERS
Fuzzy promotion policy
Training by wayside
Travel not counted toward billable
hours
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
BearingPoint
CIBER
Keane
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
E-mail: careers@ctg.com
careers.ctg.com
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L I B R A R Y
THE SCOOP
All computers, all the time
As the name indicates, Computer Task Group (CTG) is a computer-focused company
which has meant some tough times in the last couple of years. Ah, but times were
better for young technology companies back in the salad days of 1966, when the
company was founded as Marks-Baer Inc. by two ex-IBM-ers. The company went
public in 1969, and then, as now, helped other companies by providing staff and
solutions for computer problems. By 1986, CTG had expanded overseas, opening a
United Kingdom office; soon after, the company snapped up a European firm with
offices in Holland, Belgium and Denmark.
With the tech boom of the 1990s, CTG s profile began to rise. The company
transitioned from from IT staffing into consulting for all things tech-related,
including designing and implementing software and, occasionally, still providing the
staff to run these applications. Another decision was made to cut CTG s client list in
half, and that seemed like a good idea as CTG s stock price rose to almost $50.
But the happy days were over just a few years later. By 2000, CTG had established
itself as a solid e-business consultant. Then, of course, the dot-com bubble burst,
contracts slowed, and the company had to deal with several quarters of losses. It
posted a 27 percent drop in revenue for 2000, including a 92 percent drop in fourth-
quarter profits off the same period a year before. By May 2001, the firm s profits
were at a five-year low, and for most of 2001 and 2002, the stock was trading in the
low single-digit range. In response, CTG concentrated on the sectors in which the
firm fared best health care and application management outsourcing. The company
also consolidated its Web-focused Zenius, Exemplar and ITCapital units back into
one company. CTG cut staff and services, and finally announced it was once again
barely profitable in late 2001.
Changing direction
Naturally, CTG has shifted strategy given the tough economy. The company s
putting more emphasis on large contracts IBM has always been CTG s biggest
client, representing 20 percent of its business today. Today, the firm offers its clients
IT staffing, application management outsourcing, IT consulting and vertical market
focuses in health care, retail and life sciences. CTG s health care group is important
as one of the few bright spots in the 2002 financials. Revenue from the health care
IT practice rose almost 20 percent in 2002. The jump in revenue is likely due to
certain regulatory changes that require compliance assessments, which CTG
Computer Task Group
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
performs, and to computerized processing programs that are popular with clients. It
also acquired Elumen Solutions, a Cincinnati IT consultancy that works with health
care providers. (The deal closed in 1999 for $89 million.) Today, Elumen is called
CTG HealthCare Solutions, and is a division of CTG. CTG s sensible management
is most likely responsible for the fact that the firm has logged a revenue increase,
albeit modest, in every quarter since the first quarter of 2002. The company has
reported profitability for the past nine financial quarters as well (as of November
2003).
Whittling down
In terms of management, the company is settling in as well. Gale S. Fitzgerald, the
CEO for six years, was ousted in 2000 then sued the company for back pay due (she
settled the lawsuit in 2002). Her replacement, Darrell Jennings, lasted less than a
year, leaving for personal reasons. James Boldt was promoted from CFO to
president in June 2001; less than a month later, he replaced Jennings as CEO. Boldt
has held the post since that time.
As the turbulence at the upper levels seems to have lessened, so has that at the lower
levels. Between mid 2000 and late 2001, CTG had laid off more than 1,500
employees. However, by late 2002, it had begun to increase its headcount once
again. CTG currently employs 2,700 staff.
GETTING HIRED
Know someone who knows someone
CTG posts job openings in a database on its web site. Those interested can create
job profiles, post their resumes and use search agents to alert them when jobs that
meet their interests become available.
Yet insiders tell us that referrals from current employees are key. Referrals are a
major part of our company, notes one source. My company uses professional, full-
time company-employed recruiters. My company also accepts referrals from
employees with incentive bonuses for successful hires, says another source. CTG
does little college recruiting, as they are looking for seasoned professionals. It does
post jobs, as stated above, and first dibs go to current employees the current
employees usually have a good chance of getting the position if they are qualified for
the job. The company will look outside to fill a posting if it is determined that no
current employees have the skills necessary to fill the posting.
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L I B R A R Y
Interviews are often conducted via phone, which minimizes possibilities of
stereotyping and/or potential for discrimination. After a half-dozen interviews by
phone, they were convinced that I could get the job done, assesses one source. One
insider reports, I was referred by a friend and had two phone interviews with two of
my future supervisors. Once the decision was made to move forward, an offer letter
was extended for my review and acceptance. Once this had been completed and
returned, I was contacted by HR and had all company information and employment
packets sent to me. Another reports undergoing a skills/technical test after an
interview with a company recruiter, interview with the practice director and with the
consulting director.
The dream CTGer
What else is the company looking for? Technical prowess and good people skills,
according to one source: Applicants will generally be given two phone/personal
interviews, to determine both technical and professional eligibility. Such interviews
are often conducted by other consultants in the field who may have a better command
of technical eligibility and the demands of the work environment. Interviews are
intended to determine not only if the applicant is a good fit for the company, but also
to determine if the company is a good fit for the applicant. As consultants we are
required to be team players. Not only do we need the technical skills to perform
the job, we also need the personal skills to work with others to accomplish this. A
candidate must also have reliable and solid references.
There are internships available, and one former intern says they re useful. They
allowed me to work here, go away to school, come back and work, go away to school,
etc., for two years. It was very beneficial to me experience-wise, and helped me to
get a foot in the door.
Salaried employees get medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, and
401(k) CTG matches half of the first 4 percent in the first year, along with half of
the next 2 percent thereafter. Vacation ranges from two to four weeks a year,
depending on seniority.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Home at work
Most CTG consultants do their work at client sites, though a handful work from
home. There s not a lot of contact with the main office, so culture at CTG is not
Computer Task Group
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
very standardized; it could use more of a corporate/formal culture. There is no firm
culture, assesses one source. But others find there s a pleasant sense of teamwork
at the company. Says one insider, For the most part we are a very tight group and
we help each other out whenever possible. Even though we have more of a virtual
office, the company is very supportive to each other. I do not feel alone when I am
out on the client site, because I know my boss and colleagues are there if I need
them, says a consultant. Another consultant finds it a very open environment that
allows and mandates individual responsibility while still providing access to the
entire knowledge pool. Agrees another source, The people seem nice and eager to
work with the customer. I work remotely and have found them to be flexible and
willing to work with me. It consistently strives to place its employees in
appropriate, challenging and satisfying work experiences, appraises an insider.
There do seem to be a few worries among consultants One consultant reports,
Consultants are not treated as part of the firm. If a consultant is not on assignment,
he is prime for layoff. There was one notable message from the CIO stating that if
current consultants that were not on assignment had not been placed in two weeks
they would be laid off. As a public company, financials are key we re publicly
held, so we re always looking at the quarter outlook instead of the long term, says
a knowledgeable source.
Managing remotely
Supervisors get high marks from employees, though many note that managers are
quite hands-off. Being new to the consulting arena, I initially found the lack of
supervision uncomfortable. However, once I was familiar with the company
operations and expectations, the feeling of discomfort went away, says one source.
Another source says I have confidence in my manager for knowing when to depend
on the people and not micromanage. The ability to work independently is, by
necessity, part of CTG culture. Most of the consultants in this firm do not work out
of a central office; instead they work directly at a client site or from a home office,
so frequent interaction with my supervisor is not possible. Because my supervisor has
never met me, she must rely on the clients comments to judge my performance,
notes one insider.
That said, managers seem to care about the employees. There is an open door
policy and my views are weighed as heavy as anyone within the groups, and we have
a great work climate as a result. Many employees are quite enthusiastic about their
managers: My supervisors have consistently been available upon demand and have
always considered my personal and professional needs with the same degree of
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2004 Vault Inc. 180
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L I B R A R Y
concern, says one consultant. Another cites an example of exceptional caring by
managers. My supervisors offered to pay for a course, out of their pockets, when
administration would not.
Disappearing training
Training appears to be a weak point at CTG. The company does not seem
progressive in terms of investing in training for its employees as compared to other
firms I have worked for, notes one source. Others agree, reporting the budget has
been cut the last couple of years. One consultant explains, We are expected to be
billable 90 to 100 percent of the time. So any training is done on personal time, or if
you are on the bench. All training is done remotely through [computer-based
training], or if the company can arrange training at a vendor on an as-needed basis.
In addition to computer-based training, one source says there are in-house training
sessions from IKON and New Horizons that are tailored to meet our technical needs.
A company source says CTG also offers eligible employees tuition money for
degree-related college courses or certifications.
The ups and downs of flexibility
In some ways, it seems work/life balance is much better at CTG than at other firms
consultants can often keep travel limited and seek remote work from home, for
example, and it s very flexible when family issues arise. In other ways, it s more
demanding especially, many consultants say, in how travel is on your own time.
Thus, since no travel time is considered for hours, this can make a tight work week.
One consultant comments, Traveling for me is eight to 10 hours one way, and this
is done every week.
Several consultants laud CTG s flexibility. IT environments are typically unstable,
unpredictable [workplaces]; I believe that our firm recognizes the efforts required to
support unusual working patterns and rewards us with flexibility in our work/life
balance, says one consultant. CTG has respected my request to travel
approximately 50 percent of the time and not take more responsibility than I am
willing to accept, says another source. The flip side of the firm s flexibility is that
consultants are expected to be flexible, too: You re often asked last-minute to accept
assignments, reports an insider.
But perhaps CTG s best-loved perk is the four-day workweek. A four-day week,
albeit long days, and three-day weekend is greatly appreciated, says a consultant.
Computer Task Group
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Travel planning
At CTG, travel is dependent upon the type of project to which the consultant is
assigned. If remote access can be used as a support medium then it is the preferred
avenue, therefore requiring minimal travel if any. Other consultants confirm they
enjoy light travel schedules, just two to three times a year to satellite offices, or
once every few months for two to three days.
However, those who do travel aren t too happy with it. More work could be done
with clients and offices to assist with dial-in possibilities. Many client dollars are
wasted with travel that could be alleviated with creative support of consultants, says
one source. Another finds the firm not considerate of travel it wants you to use
one airline, even though it may extend your travel by several hours, thus taking away
from your personal and family time.
Firm diversity
The company is said to be a relatively good place for women and minorities. This
is actually a non-issue my company hires on skill set alone. That is what gets you
in the door, says one source.
Minority-wise, our firm represents the current U.S. population, says a source.
However, regarding gays/bisexuals/lesbians, they don t recognize this minority as
far as benefits are concerned. Nevertheless, says a source, sexual preference has
nothing to do with a person s technical abilities, and we are all a tight-knit group
regardless of our varying lifestyles.
Are these consulting hours?
Hours seem fairly reasonable at CTG, with most of those we surveyed working
between 40 and 50 hours a week. Again, this is purely dependent on the project
assigned. Obviously if there is a system cut over or a go-live date, workload will
increase or spike during those activities. However, for the most part work is as
balanced as it can be in the IT industry, says an insider. Being on the beach (or the
bench, as it s quaintly called at CTG) is said to be rare.
The full package
Compensation includes profit sharing and what one employee calls tremendous
(flexible) health, disability and retirement benefits, a stock purchase plan, a tuition
reimbursement plan, a savings bond program, dependent daycare and health
reimbursement accounts. Occasionally, gift certificates for work done (American
Express gift checks) are thrown in.
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L I B R A R Y
I like the way bonus is paid, reports one source. Said likeable bonus is a percent
of your billable income based on number of hours within the quarter. The people
who work get the bonus. The downside is when the bonus is greatly affected when
you have a vacation or other days off in the quarter or you are not billable for the base
of 400 hours.
Computer Task Group
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Covansys
32605 W. Twelve Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334-3339
Phone: (248) 288-2088
Fax: (248) 488-2089
www.covansys.com
LOCATIONS
Farmington Hills, MI (HQ)
INDUSTRY
SPECIALIZATION
Financial Services
Healthcare
Integration Services
Outsourcing
Public Sector
Retail/Manufacturing
Telecom
THE STATS
Ticker Symbol: CVNS
Co-Chair: Ned C. Lautenbach
Co-Chair: Rajendra B. Vattikuti
President and CEO: Martin C. Clague
UPPERS
Strong history for an IT consultant
DOWNERS
Outsourcing group outsourced to
India
KEY COMPETITORS
EDS
Keane
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
jobsearch.covansys.newjobs.com
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C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
THE SCOOP
From the Great Lakes to the world
Based in Michigan, Covansys was established in 1985 and offers IT consulting and
outsourcing. The company specializes in the public sector arena, where it works with
48 state and several local governments on technology and security. The firm s
public-sector revenues account for more than one third of Covansys s total sales. It
also offers industry specialization in health care, retail/manufacturing, telecom, and
financial services. The firm boasts over 500 clients; 90 percent of its business comes
from previously satisfied customers.
Taking it to the subcontienent
The company also runs outsourcing for a number of clients. Outsourcing facilities,
under the name Covansys India Private Limited, are set up as a subsidiary of the firm.
The subsidiary employs about 1,500 professionals in India, while each client also
gets assigned a local project manager for a contact closer to home. Overall, Covansys
has 28 locations worldwide, including six development centers throughout India and
the United States.
Gold stars
Recently, Covansys has made Washington Technology magazine s list of top IT
providers to public sector (2002 and 2003); and VARBusinesss list of North
America s top 500 solution providers (2001 and 2002). In April 2003, IBM gave it
the 2002 IBM Americas Business Partner Leadership Award for its work on
implementing IBM products for clients. And in November 2002, InfoWorld Media
Group listed Covansys among its InfoWorld 100 awardees, which laud technology
innovations for the year, for a child support system that Covansys had developed for
the state of Indiana. Major clients include the Ford Motor Company, General Motors,
Sprint, Henry Ford Health System, and public sector clients in 48 out of 50 states.
Change afoot at the top
Covansys shifted leadership in October 2002. Ned Lautenbach, the company s co-
chair, had been acting CEO for almost a year. He gave up the president and CEO
titles to Martin C. Clague, the then-COO. Clague s career took off at IBM, where he
worked from 1966 to 1999 in the e-business group. After that, he consulted for
Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, which is a New York investment firm that owns almost a
quarter of Covansys.
Covansys
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
GETTING HIRED
Get thee to the Web
Aspiring applicants can search for positions and submit their resumes at
jobsearch.covansys.newjobs.com. Company benefits include medical, dental,
prescription and vision coverage (at low employee cost); a 401(k) that matches 40
cents on the dollar for the first 6 percent; discounts of up to 15 percent on stock;
tuition reimbursement; employee referral payments; life, short-term and long-term
disability coverage; flexible spending accounts; and vacation based on years of
service (18 days after one year, 24 days after five years, and 29 days after 10 years).
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L I B R A R Y
Covansys
[Covansys] boasts over
500 clients; 90 percent of
its business comes from
previously satisfied
customers.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
GFI Informatique
199 rue Championnet
75018 Paris, France
Phone: 33-1-44-85-88-88
Fax: 33-1-44-85-88-89
www.gfi.fr
LOCATIONS
Paris, France (HQ)
27 offices in other French cities
Offices in 13 countries worldwide
PRACTICE AREAS
Business Consulting
Engineering & Systems Integration
Outsourcing
Software
THE STATS
Ticker Symbol: GFI
Stock Exchange: Euronext Paris
CEO: Jacques Tordjman
2002 Revenue: 554.2 million EUR
UPPERS
Growing consulting business
DOWNERS
Limited United States presence
KEY COMPETITORS
Atos Origin
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
Catherine Hankiss
199 rue Championnet
75883
Paris Cedex 18
Phone: 33 (0) 1 44 85 88 88
E-mail: gfi.recrutement@gfi.fr
www.gfiinformatique.com/french/recr
utement/annonces.html
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THE SCOOP
Many owners, one company
GFI Informatique took shape in 1970, providing IT services to French companies.
Since then, it s gone through several acquisitions, including some by Scicon
International, SD-Scicon, and, in 1991, the American company Electronic Data
Systems (EDS). In 1995, the chairman of EDS GFI division launched a
management buyout of the company, and renamed it GFI Informatique.
Today, Paris, tomorrow Europe!
Today, the company is publicly traded on the Paris Stock Exchange, and has more
than 7,500 employees in 13 countries. (Operations outside France are called GFI
International.) The company, as of 2003, had over 1,000 employees based in Spain
and Italy. The company says its next targets are Germany and the U.K. due to the
size of their economies.
Divvying it up
The company focuses on four sectors: financial, industry (including distribution,
services, transportation and operations), media/telecom and public sector. While its
main operations are in Paris, the company brings in about 40 percent of sales from
its operations outside France.
GFI possesses four divisions: the consulting group solves theoretical business
problems; the engineering and systems integration group, once the sole focus of
GFI s business, handles design and implementation of software systems; the software
group designs and markets software in areas such as accounting, logistics and time
management. Finally, the outsourcing group manages other companies IT systems,
a major growth area for the company.
GETTING HIRED
Guides
GFI has two people who guide candidates (read: interview) during the recruitment
process. One is an HR professional who evaluates the initial application and
discusses the company in general , and the other is a manager or engineer in a specific
group, who explains and interviews you about the more technical aspects of the job.
GFI I nformati que
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
The company has annual reviews, in which each employee s manager discusses the
career path, whether goals have been achieved and performance. Meanwhile, other
managers provide peer feedback.
GFI lists open jobs at www.gfiinformatique.com/french/recrutement/annonces.html.
Candidates may also contact Catherine Hankiss at the Paris address on the left.
GFI I nformati que
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L I B R A R Y
GFI I nformati que
GFI has two people who
guide candidates (read:
interview) during the
recruitment process.
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
SchlumbergerSema
153 E. 53rd St.
57th Floor
New York, NY 10022-4624
Phone: (212) 350-9400
Fax: (212) 350-9457
www.schlumbergersema.com
LOCATIONS
New York, NY (HQ)
Paris, France (HQ)
The Hague, The Netherlands (HQ)
Offices in over 100 countries
PRACTICE AREAS
Consulting
Infrastructure
Systems Integration
THE STATS
Employer Type: Business unit of
Schlumberger Ltd.
Stock Symbol: SLB
Chairman and CEO: Andrew Gould
UPPERS
Interesting work
DOWNERS
No pay raise in last two years
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
www.careers.slb.com
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L I B R A R Y
THE BUZZ
Good partner tech and
outsourcing.
Defense oriented.
THE SCOOP
Keeping business information well oiled
In April 2001, oilfield services company Schlumberger Ltd. acquired IT consultancy
Sema and merged the new group with its own Test & Transaction business. The
resulting business unit, SchlumbergerSema, provides consulting, systems integration
and managed services to clients in over 65 countries, both independently and as a
service offering of parent Schlumberger. (Schlumber Ltd. is active in 100 countries.)
In addition, SchlumbergerSema has a variety of enterprise and consumer solutions
built around secure data transactions.
The top officer of the unit is executive vice president Xavier Flinois, who reports to
Schlumberger CEO Andrew Gould. Gould ascended to his position in February 2003
when Euan Baird, the previous CEO, retired. SchlumbergerSema brought in revenue
just shy of $3 billion in 2002, up 7 percent from the previous year.
On September 22, 2003, Schlumberger Ltd. announced plans to sell
SchlumbergerSema to Atos Origins. The two firms will be fully integrated in January
2004, according to sources.
Doing it with DeXa
Infrastructure, big business at SchlumbergerSema, provides the DeXa Suite of
Services to manage the task of keeping an enterprise s business systems in tune. The
suite includes: DeXa.Net, for secure business communications worldwide;
DeXa.Touch, a system of technical self-support options and service desks;
DeXa.Host data centers and application hosting; DeXa.Badge, an integrated identity
management security system for both data and locations; DeXa.Trust, a sub-suite of
firewalls, intrusion monitoring and virtual private networking; and DeXa.Ensure,
business continuity and disaster recovery solutions for those times when all of the
above aren t enough.
DeXa.Ensure has received a fair amount of attention for its importance in helping
companies resume operations in the event of facility destruction. Between
November 2002 and May 2003, SchlumbergerSema added or extended data recovery
and Internet redirection capabilities at business continuity sites in London, Bristol
and Wapping in the U.K., as well as at other centers worldwide, including some in
the United States.
DeXa.Badge has also been a sought after product. In March 2003, Schlumberger
announced it was using the service to reinforce security at Nissan Motor Company
Schl umbergerSema
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
locations worldwide, with implementation to be complete by the end of 2004.
Schlumberger partnered with Australian software developer Protocom in April 2003
to enrich the product s password management functions. Also in April, DeXa.Badge
Secure Authentication Solution won the Best Biometric Solution category at the
Secure Computing Magazine Awards. DeXa Badge is used by four of the world s
five major energy companies.
The firm launched its Enterprise Security Solutions business line in June 2003. The
line draws from SLB s security-related expertise in consulting and infrastructure,
among other areas.
Gold medal solutions
SchlumbergerSema offers a number of solutions with its consulting practice as well.
They range from change management and business process transformation to
strategic technology consulting and market overview services. One of the consulting
arm s major activities in recent years has been delivering IT systems and solutions to
the Olympics as the Worldwide Information Technology Partner. The firm won the
Management Consultancies Association (MCA) Best Management Practice Awards
2003 for its work on the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, and is
currently working to get Athens ready for the 2004 Olympic Games. It will continue
its efforts for the International Olympic Committee through the Games in 2008.
Whats going on?
In December 2002, SchlumbergerSema received a new strategy from the board of
directors of its parent company. The new plan calls for increased focus by all three
of its practices on the global energy market, while developing specific regional
markets where the odds of success and dominance are favorable. The unit s product
offerings, such as smart cards, electricity meters, telecom software and point-of-sales
terminals, would be managed separately. The firm also announced some 1,600
SchlumbergerSema layoffs as leftover housekeeping related to the acquisition.
In September 2003, the smart cards and terminals product unit took a step towards
independence as it announced its new company name, AXALTOS.
Mergin time
On September 22, 2003, Schlumberger announced it would sell the bulk of its
Schlumberger Sema IT business segment to Atos Origin. While the deal is currently
pending regulatory and shareholder review, it is expected to close in 2004.
Schl umbergerSema
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GETTING HIRED
Where do you want to work?
Hiring for SchlumbergerSema is managed through the parent company, with
positions filled according to the need of a particular unit. Details, FAQs and a job
search are available on Schlumberger s careers page www.careers.slb.com. There are
two internship programs in the company with one geared specifically toward non-
oilfield personnel. Interns can choose to work at any location where their interests
are supported.
The first interview is skills-based, and may take place in person, over the phone or
by videoconference. If your abilities are a match, you ll be invited in for a team
interview. Expect competition when you look for work here; an insider says, Since
the situation on the IT market changed, this company got quite selective.
Schl umbergerSema
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Technology Solutions
Company
205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1500
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 228-4500
Fax: (312) 228-4501
www.techsol.com
LOCATIONS
Chicago, IL (HQ)
Atlanta, GA
New York, NY
PRACTICE AREAS
Change Management and Training
Enterprise Resource Planning
Managed IT Services
Specialty Services
THE STATS
Chairman: John (Jack) R. Purcell
CEO: Stephen B. Oresman
Ticker Symbol: TSCC
2002 Employees: 400
UPPERS
Established reputation
DOWNERS
Increasing competition
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
BearingPoint
Deloitte
IBM Global Services
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
Recruiting Department
Phone: (312) 228-4500
E-mail: recruiting@techsol.com
2004 Vault Inc. 196
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L I B R A R Y
THE BUZZ
Lante integrator
Old school
THE SCOOP
Meeting technological demands every day
Technology Solutions Company (TSC) was established in 1988 by several
partners from Arthur Young & Co (a predecessor of Big Four firm Ernst &
Young). In the mid-1990s, the firm began to offer implementations of
complicated software packages to meet market demand. Its specialty today is
installing ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems these are software
programs that help businesses forecast and manage areas like customer
service, HR or finance. TSC s expertise lies with SAP and PeopleSoft ERP
programs. The firm also offers outsourcing, consulting and other IT-focused
services, and has done over 2,200 projects for more than 800 clients since its
founding. (This number includes 19 of the Dow 30, and 59 of the Fortune
100.)
Experienced and dispersed
The company s employees all work remotely they re sprinkled throughout
the country, and typically work at client sites rather than at one of TSC s
offices. According to the company, consultants have, on average, 15 years of
work experience: nine years of industry experience plus six years of
consulting experience. Those at the project manager/VP level typically have
in excess of 21 years of work experience. The firm organizes teams that range
from five to 25 consultants who work on projects that can range from a few
months to years.
GETTING HIRED
Online listings
TSC says it is looking for proactive, energetic, self-directed, customer-
oriented people with lots of industry and technology experience. Benefits
include medical, dental, vision, life, business travel accident coverage and
short- and long-term disability coverage; flex spending accounts, an employee
assistance program,tuition reimbursement and a 401(k) are also included.
Tuition reimbursement is currently unavailable. The firm lists job openings at
company.monster.com/techsc.
Technol ogy Sol uti ons Company
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
TIAX, LLC
15 Acorn Park
Cambridge, MA 02140-2328
Phone: (617) 498-5000
www.tiaxllc.com
LOCATIONS
Cambridge, MA (HQ)
Cupertino, CA
PRACTICE AREAS
Appliance & Building Technology
Chemicals and Materials
Energy and Power
Food Technologies
Government
Healthcare
Transportation/Automotive
THE STATS
Founder and President: Kenan Sahin
2002 Employees: 230
UPPERS
Varied work
Faith in companys president
DOWNERS
Morale, transitioning problems
after ADL bankruptcy
Lack of recognition for new name
KEY COMPETITORS
Altran Corporation
Batelle Labs
Booz Allen Hamilton
IBM Global Services
Sarnoff
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
David Benoit
15 Acorn Park
Cambridge, MA 02140-2328
Phone: (617) 498-6414
E-mail: benoit.david@tiaxllc.com
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L I B R A R Y
THE SCOOP
TIAX facts
TIAX, formed in April 2002 from the now-defunct Arthur D. Little Technology &
Innovation group, advises on technology- and innovation-related matters. The firm s
50 R&D labs indicate its focus on new or improved products and processes, and its
general practice area includes commercialization, technology optimization, product
development, market and technology assesment, and intellectual property
monetization and technology management.
Making government work better
TIAX does a fair amount of government work; practice areas here include defense,
energy, homeland security, transportation and health and medicine. Outside of the
government sector, offerings are similar: energy and power, appliances and building
systems, chemicals and materials, automotive and transportation, consumer products,
food service and health care. Under president and founder Kenan Sahin, TIAX was
selected as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum in 2003.
Good design, good job
TIAX projects can be highly technical, almost esoteric. For example, it won two
Good Design Awards from the Chicago Athenaeum for its work during 2002. The
winning projects involved designing a shell for Nuvera Fuel Cell s 1kW Hydrogen
Power Module, a power source, and designing a pump for Tandem Medical s
AutoDose Infusion System, which automates IV drug dispensing.
Government projects can be as diverse. In May 2003, TIAX announced several
contracts from the Department of Defense. The firm will research subjects like
suspension design on four-wheel drive vehicles, using carbon dioxide as a refrigerant
in the Army s Environmental Control Units, and whether optical data storage is a
reasonable choice for the Army. Other recent government projects include designing
a one-hand tourniquet for special ops forces, improving hot food delivery systems for
soldiers and determining how California can turn landfills into environmentally
responsible electricity.
The firm s consumer work involves analyzing products and product lines. Kikkoman,
the Japanese food manufacturer and soy sauce pro, hired TIAX in March 2003 to
create a new line of grapeseed extract-based products. TIAX experts have also
provided delight for calorie-counting consumers; TIAX pros have made Colombo
TI AX, LLC
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
frozen yogurt more scoopable, and formulated several tasty weight-loss drinks and
formulas for diet company SlimFast.
GETTING HIRED
Looking for sharp engineers
TIAX recruits on campus at selected schools, including top engineering schools in
the Northeast, Ivy Leagues and MIT. Referrals and employment ads are
another source for applicants. The firm is looking for candidates with BS, MS and
Ph.D. degrees. Applicants should be practical, resourceful, committed, excited and
able to work on cutting-edge technology, be good problem solvers, self-starters and
team players.
Grads with a BS degrees start as research analysts, working on idea generation,
prototypes, modeling, installation, data gathering and analysis, and reporting. These
applicants should have a strong background in engineering (mechanical, chemical,
electrical or industrial), computer science, natural sciences or physics. BS, MS or
Ph.D. degree holders are asked to e-mail a resume and cover letter to David Benoit,
benoit.david@tiax.biz. The company also offers internships, which, according to one
past intern, are very good I got my foot in the door and learned a lot.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Leadership love
TIAX is said to be a very collaborative and team-oriented place with no strict up-
or-out policy. Reports a source, Most who advance have post-graduate degrees,
but there are many exceptions. Advancement rate depends on performance. The
firm is said to devote a lot of attention to work/life balance. The president himself
has stated on several occasions that life outside of work is very important, and that
personal commitments should not be routinely sacrificed for work, says a source.
At a summer company party, he invited spouses of employees to contact him
personally if their spouse is getting overly bogged down in work.
That sort of attitude seems to win the president a lot of fans. He s said to have
expressed a strong commitment to training, an area in which commitment has
varied. It may take a year or two to ramp up, notes a source. The president, says
another source really values making the world a better place.
TI AX, LLC
2004 Vault Inc. 200
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L I B R A R Y
Minimal travel
Travel is much less than at typical consulting firms, with traveling of two to four
days a month and to client locations when required. Hours depend on the project,
usually hovering around 50 when busy, down to 40 when not. Work spikes with
each major proposal effort, where hours can get excessive for a week or two at a
time. The work environment includes a cafeteria, an employee assistance program,
and a starting vacation allowance of three weeks a year. Meanwhile, the office
space is nothing fancy, but we do have offices no cubicles!
Non-silver lining
On the downside, TIAX is continuing to recover from the ADL bankruptcy, and there
are still some morale problems among senior staff, and still some transitional issues,
including a new name and getting our infrastructure solidified. One respondent
finds upper management really conservative caught up with the numbers.
TI AX, LLC
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Xansa
420 Thames Valley Park Drive
Thames Valley Park
Reading RG6 1PU
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0) 8702 416181
Fax: +44 (0) 8702 426282
LOCATIONS
Reading, U.K. (HQ)
PRACTICE AREAS
Business and Technology Consulting
IT Implementation
IT Outsourcing
THE STATS
Stock Symbol: XAN
Stock Exchange: London
Chairman: Bill Alexander
UPPERS
Flexible and lenient work hours
Strong community involvement
Very gender-diverse
DOWNERS
Confused culture
Above-average travel requirements
Difficult promotion path
KEY COMPETITORS
Accenture
Atos Origin
EDS
IBM Global Services
Logica
EMPLOYMENT CONTACT
http://www.xansa.com/jobs/acrossth
eworld
2004 Vault Inc. 202
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L I B R A R Y
THE BUZZ
One to watch
Workmanlike
Who comes up with these
names?
THE SCOOP
X marks the spot
Xansa may not have the oldest or most famous name in technology consulting (at
least as far as Americans are concerned), but 5,000 Xansans around the world serve
some very well-known clients GlaxoSmithKline, Diageo, Barclays, AXA (an
international insurance company), Hitachi and Goodrich rank among its satisfied
customers. Founded as Freelance Programmers in 1962 by Dame Stephanie Shirley,
the firm was renamed F.I. Group in 1988. That name stuck as the firm acquired
several others over the years and made a 1996 public offering, but was changed to
Xansa in May 2001. Based in the U.K., the firm derives 91 percent of its business
from U.K.-based clients.
The U.K.-based company provides business process outsourcing, IT outsourcing and
implementation, as well as general business and technology consulting, to clients in
banking, insurance, utilities, telecommunications, media, retail and consumer goods,
government, pharmaceuticals and aerospace/defense. In addition, Xansa s IT human
resources business, Xansa Recruitment, has thrived, doing $87.8 million in business
in 2002.
Xansa is one of the many technology consulting firms where operations in India play
an increasingly important role. The firm has been using Indian offshore support
services for over a decade and was one of the first to acquire a branch on the
subcontinent.
X-treme engagements
Xansa has quietly but steadily won some very substantial contracts in recent history.
In June 2002, telecommunications services company BT Group hired Xansa for a
seven-year business process management project totaling $365 million. The contract
included transferring some 570 BT employees in the accounting and finance services
department to Xansa. In November 2002, the firm extended its relationship with
premium drinks business contractor Diageo with a new agreement to integrate
Diageo s business processes supply, purchase, accounting and management
reporting for two years and $19 million.
In March 2003, the firm picked up a business process management contract with
U.K. mobile service provider O2 for $33.2 million. The contract includes
implementing of the Oracle 11i e-business suite and creating of new accounting and
Xansa
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
finance systems O2 expects to realize cost savings of 25 percent over the five-year
term.
The plum came in May 2003, when Royal Mail Group (the U.K. s privatized mail
service) hired Prism Alliance for a 10-year IT outsourcing deal. Prism Alliance, a
Computer Sciences Corp.-led group that includes Xansa and BT, will save Royal
Mail a projected $402 million over the life of the agreement. Xansa s share of the
$2.4 billion contract is estimated at $289 million. Of the more than 1,700 Royal Mail
personnel who will be transferred out under the agreement, 220 will join Xansa.
Current management
Alistair Cox, the firm s CEO, joined the company and the board of directors in
August 2002. Cox, an ex-McKinsey consultant and engineer who most recently
served as Asia regional president for building-materials company Lafarge, took the
reins from Hilary Cropper, Xansa s executive chairman since January 2000 and
former CEO. She has since retired.
Further changes occurred in March 2003. Jo Connell, executive director, retired from
the board and the company after 25 years of service. She had served as managing
director until January 2003, after which she oversaw organizational changes that
included her departure. Also retiring was David Tebbs, former chairman of Druid
Group, who joined Xansa when the firm acquired his company in March 2000.
As these two officers left, Xansa announced the appointment of Lord Wilson of
Dinton GCB (formerly Sir Richard Wilson) as a nonexecutive director. Wilson is
Master of Emmanuel College at Cambridge and had served as the U.K. s Secretary
of the Cabinet and Head of the Home Civil Service. In May 2002, Consuelo Brook,
formerly Managing Director of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers was appointed
as a nonexecutive director to the board.
GETTING HIRED
Becoming an X-man (or X-woman)
According to an insider, Xansa s sources of new talent include Employee referrals,
national advertisements or select preferred agencies. A British consultant describes
the process: I filed a graduate application form and was invited for an initial
interview and verbal/numeracy tests. I then had a day at a Xansa office where I had
another interview, some written and team work exercises.
Xansa
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L I B R A R Y
Xansa s careers page includes a search utility covering 10 separate regions where the
company operates, and a description of the benefits and compensation package. The
search includes specific contact information for the appropriate Xansa contact. As of
October 2003, most open positions were based in the U.K. and India.
OUR SURVEY SAYS
Mixing it up
Overall, our sources at Xansa are pleased with their ability to have a life outside of
work. According to one consultant, the company has flexible working patterns for
those with additional commitments. However, another insider notes, Work/life
balance is very dependent on the work you are involved with. If you are on a project
that is about to go live, extensive hours and weekends may be required. On the other
hand, there may be periods on the bench (not working) or when a greater flexibility
is possible.
Respondents indicate very lenient work hours, averaging 40-50 per week, but the
travel requirements can be stiff. One source indicates she puts in an additional 15-
20 hours in travel time. One consultant, currently assigned internally, says, I would
be expected to work away from home up to five days a week, depending on the client
site. Another insider takes a more philosophical tone. The nature of consultancy
means that you have to be flexible. I have been lucky not to have to work away
through the week very often, but regularly spend over four hours a day driving
to/from client premises.
The firm is involved in community projects. One says, 1 percent of our pretax profit
is used to support organizations working with the homeless. Another says, We help
various community projects around each of the local offices, generally the
underprivileged, or schools/young enterprise projects.
The X factor: new colleagues
The major source of uncertainty at Xansa, oddly, is the influx of new blood from
mergers and outsourcing deals. One source calls the culture confused, owing to
mixed employee basis following several acquisitions. Another says, The culture
has changed recently due to the merger/rebrand as Xansa and the redundancies that
accompanied that. One source looks forward to the future: The last year of
redundancy and general slow-down in the IT industry has made it very difficult. I
look forward to seeing the changes that our new CEO is going to put in place.
Xansa
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Pay is an issue as well, but not a huge one. A source tells us, Management bonus
schemes have failed to pay out for three of the four years that I have been with the
company. (The company paid bonuses to eligible staff in June 2003.) The new CEO
has plans to change these schemes to something where the individual can directly
influence their achievement of bonus targets. Another person notes, I feel that I am
underpaid for the role that I perform when compared to other companies, however I
know that this is not necessarily the case across the whole of Xansa. Employees do
mention a sizable list of benefits and perks, including pension, healthcare and life
insurance as well as share save schemes.
Climbing the ladder
While mergers have moved people around, movement within the firm does not
appear to be particularly rapid. One person calls the promotion process unclear.
One cannot expect to advance quickly. Another consultant says, Promotion is not
easy to achieve there has to be a vacancy at the next level; some levels require
presentation to senior management or board level approval. A colleague points out,
Xansa is selective with the people that it employs, so most are similarly educated. I
have found that promotion tends to come with the length of time you have been
around rather than ability, although promotions are not given if the person is
underperforming. She adds, To get to higher positions, you have to be very
proactive and work your way up.
Gender parity
Xansa gets unusually positive press on gender issues, and for good reason. One
source notes, The company was founded by a woman and a significant proportion
of the senior management is female. Another says, I have found that men and
women are treated equally, and employed for ability not sex. Many of our board
members are female.
Not my favorite kind of mobility
Not all mobility is upwards; sources indicate a number of layoffs in the past year.
Estimates range from in the region of 450 to 1,000. The most descriptive
estimate is, We lost about 600 people this year. This has partly due to the economy,
but also necessary restructuring/removing duplicate job positions following the
merger in May 2001. Xansa says that its streamlining program, during which the
company reduced its numbers by approximately 500, was completed in 2003, and
that the firm did not merge with other companies rather, after the acquisition of
other companies, FI Group was rebranded Xansa in 2001.
Xansa
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APPENDIX
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Appendi x
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Index of Firms
Alphabetical list of firms
Accenture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Alliance Consulting Group . . . . . . .162
American Management Systems . . .110
Aquent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
Atos Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
BearingPoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
Cap Gemini Ernst & Young . . . . . . .44
CIBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Commerce One Global Services . . .172
Computer Sciences Corporation . . .80
Computer Task Group . . . . . . . . . . .176
Covansys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Deloitte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
DiamondCluster International . . . . .96
EDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Fujitsu Consulting/DMR
Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
GFI Informatique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .188
IBM Global Services . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Infosys Business Consulting
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Keane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
LogicaCMG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
META Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
PA Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Perot Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
SAIC/Telcordia Technologies . . . . .126
Sapient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
SBI and Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
SchlumbergerSema . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
Syntegra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Tata Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Technology Solutions Company . . .196
Tiax, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Titan Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .138
T-Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Wipro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Xansa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Firms with non-U.S.
headquarters
Atos Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
LogicaCMG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
PA Consulting Group . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Syntegra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
Tata Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
T-Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
Wipro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Xansa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Firms with U.S.
headquarters
Accenture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Aquent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
BearingPoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
CIBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Covansys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Deloitte 28
EDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Fujitsu Consulting/DMR
Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .158
Keane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
META Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .92
Perot Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Appendi x
2003 Vault Inc. 210
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Sapient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66
SBI and Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Technology Solutions Company . . .196
Tiax, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Public Firms
Accenture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Atos Origin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154
BearingPoint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
CIBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
Covansys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
EDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74
Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .106
Keane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
LogicaCMG. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86
PA Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
Perot Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
SBI and Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Wipro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130
Xansa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .202
Private Firms
Aquent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .164
PA Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118
SBI and Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . .150
Tata Consulting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134
Tiax, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Firms that are
subsidiaries of larger
companies
Deloitte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Fujitsu Consulting/DMR . . . . . . . . .158
Syntegra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .142
T-Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146
C A R E E R
L I B R A R Y
Stephanie Clifford
Stephanie Clifford, a New York-based writer and Harvard graduate, has contributed
to publications such as Time, US Weekly, Inc., and Business 2.0.
Marshall Lager
Marshall Lager has been a writer and journalist since 1994.
About the Author
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