KPMG/Deloitte/EY/PWC/etc. federal advisory/consulting work life balance

[Anonymous]

Historically these companies have had a big reputation of needing to schmooze, have mandatory fun/mandatory volunteer work, work dinners and work events, etc... outside of client work and outside of traditional work hours. Is that still the case? I have three ES-aged kids, I have really come to enjoy my current hybrid work flexibility (but hate the job and my employer, LOL) and being able to take kids to sports, scouts, etc. and volunteer at after school events. I am nervous about losing that flexibility and having to do things in the evenings. Is it still a lot like this or have things changed over the past two years? If it's changed, do you see a return to this level of networking? Would appreciate if you could share your company - I'm looking at a couple of these.

[Anonymous]

We do a bunch with Deloitte. What their management has said is that the specialists (SMEs in their field like logistics or IT) have gotten away from a lot of the mandatory Deloitte culture stuff (mandatory fun, etc). They still expect people who are the business consultants that want to be on the partner track to jump through those hoops though.

[Anonymous]

Anyone who works there?

[Anonymous]

Spouse is senior manager at Deloitte. There are plenty of roles and options in the company for people who don’t want to do all the extras, but like PP said you have to play the games if your goal is partner.

That said, spouse is remote 3 days a week, able to coach kids’ teams, and has done morning drop off at school for years without issue. They will likely never make partner without picking up decent travel and working longer hours, but that’s okay with our family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who works there?

I was a Manager at Deloitte and Senior Manager at EY. Absolutely awful. Bill 80+ weeks to the client and spend another 20+ on BD work. Travel Sun-Fri pre-pandemic. Was once told to cancel all of my Xmas vacation plans to stay at the client site working 16 hour days, never saw my family the entire week. I left and make more money now working a 40 hr week with flexibility, but you couldn't pay me 3x my current salary to go back to either.

THAT SAID, I was on the commercial not Federal side. I've heard Federal is better (and pays commensurately less) since Fed clients tend to have more reasonable hours and expectations. Still not sure I'd recommend it though if kids are young and you value flexibility or want to advance to Partner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who works there?

I was a Manager at Deloitte and Senior Manager at EY. Absolutely awful. Bill 80+ weeks to the client and spend another 20+ on BD work. Travel Sun-Fri pre-pandemic. Was once told to cancel all of my Xmas vacation plans to stay at the client site working 16 hour days, never saw my family the entire week. I left and make more money now working a 40 hr week with flexibility, but you couldn't pay me 3x my current salary to go back to either.

THAT SAID, I was on the commercial not Federal side. I've heard Federal is better (and pays commensurately less) since Fed clients tend to have more reasonable hours and expectations. Still not sure I'd recommend it though if kids are young and you value flexibility or want to advance to Partner.

What type of company do you work for now? What do you do in general after a manager position at these companies, anyways? Are tax lawyers in a better position there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spouse is senior manager at Deloitte. There are plenty of roles and options in the company for people who don’t want to do all the extras, but like PP said you have to play the games if your goal is partner.

That said, spouse is remote 3 days a week, able to coach kids’ teams, and has done morning drop off at school for years without issue. They will likely never make partner without picking up decent travel and working longer hours, but that’s okay with our family.

I love how Dad's can spend 1 or 2 hours a week watching the kids play a game after work, and it's considered "enough" parenting.

[Anonymous]

I work at Deloitte. BUT I’m not on the advisory side. I’m in a weird sort of sub-firm that does cyber security. It is extremely low key and chill. Everything is remote. If you are at least interested in your job, it’s not hard to meet and exceed expectations.

[Anonymous]

I left Deloitte Federal after 3 years as a SME.

Forget work-life balance. There's too much work, not enough people, and the resources available (read: allowed to maximize profitability) are too junior and in WAY over their heads. They just can't do the depth of work required.

Then you have to spend the additional hours on all things Deloitte process: being a coach, filling out this form or that snapshot or this, that, and another. Mandatory trainings.

The schmoozing stuff is starting to come back, and it's more time away from your family, with people you don't want to be with. With lots of drinking, that's what helps get people through it. Lots of drinking.

The culture values gunners, rewards people who work ridiculous hours, and who have drank the Kool-aide. I feel bad for people who decide to stay there. It's no way to live, and akin to being in an abusive relationship.

Like the Senior Manager below, left for more money and only 40 hours a week.

It doesn't have to be that way, but that's how Deloitte squeezes ridiculous profits: On the backs of overworked employees. Then they throw some sessions at you about Yoga or managing stress, placing the onus on you to manage working at a place like that. Meanwhile, they do nothing to change the system that perpetuates stress, competition, toxicity, and overwork.

There is no work-life balance. Hard pass if you're contemplating going there. Not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I left Deloitte Federal after 3 years as a SME.

Forget work-life balance. There's too much work, not enough people, and the resources available (read: allowed to maximize profitability) are too junior and in WAY over their heads. They just can't do the depth of work required.

Then you have to spend the additional hours on all things Deloitte process: being a coach, filling out this form or that snapshot or this, that, and another. Mandatory trainings.

The schmoozing stuff is starting to come back, and it's more time away from your family, with people you don't want to be with. With lots of drinking, that's what helps get people through it. Lots of drinking.

The culture values gunners, rewards people who work ridiculous hours, and who have drank the Kool-aide. I feel bad for people who decide to stay there. It's no way to live, and akin to being in an abusive relationship.

Like the Senior Manager below, left for more money and only 40 hours a week.

It doesn't have to be that way, but that's how Deloitte squeezes ridiculous profits: On the backs of overworked employees. Then they throw some sessions at you about Yoga or managing stress, placing the onus on you to manage working at a place like that. Meanwhile, they do nothing to change the system that perpetuates stress, competition, toxicity, and overwork.

There is no work-life balance. Hard pass if you're contemplating going there. Not worth it.

This is the life there. You will start to realize the higher level people are single or divorced at Deloitte and their lives revolve around their work and socializing with their teams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who works there?

I was a Manager at Deloitte and Senior Manager at EY. Absolutely awful. Bill 80+ weeks to the client and spend another 20+ on BD work. Travel Sun-Fri pre-pandemic. Was once told to cancel all of my Xmas vacation plans to stay at the client site working 16 hour days, never saw my family the entire week. I left and make more money now working a 40 hr week with flexibility, but you couldn't pay me 3x my current salary to go back to either.

THAT SAID, I was on the commercial not Federal side. I've heard Federal is better (and pays commensurately less) since Fed clients tend to have more reasonable hours and expectations. Still not sure I'd recommend it though if kids are young and you value flexibility or want to advance to Partner.

What type of company do you work for now? What do you do in general after a manager position at these companies, anyways? Are tax lawyers in a better position there?

I entered as a SME and left as a SME, so that experience got me my next jobs at a megabank and in FAANG. I honestly think I could have skipped the entire experience and ended up in the same place, so that made it extra not worth it. As the PP from Deloitte says, they own you and it's like being in a 24/7 abusive relationship. I recommend it to very, very few people and even fewer who aren't 24, childless, and willing to gun it no matter the cost. The cost is high.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Historically these companies have had a big reputation of needing to schmooze, have mandatory fun/mandatory volunteer work, work dinners and work events, etc... outside of client work and outside of traditional work hours. Is that still the case? I have three ES-aged kids, I have really come to enjoy my current hybrid work flexibility (but hate the job and my employer, LOL) and being able to take kids to sports, scouts, etc. and volunteer at after school events. I am nervous about losing that flexibility and having to do things in the evenings. Is it still a lot like this or have things changed over the past two years? If it's changed, do you see a return to this level of networking? Would appreciate if you could share your company - I'm looking at a couple of these.

You can do this, but only one of them and like once every week or two. With 3 elementary aged kids your spouse should be on board for 99.9% of childcare, 7 days a week.

[Anonymous]

Get a nanny and you will be fine. You'll discover you get exactly the right amount of family time.

[Anonymous]

Manager at Deloitte and have been here since Analyst. Agree Federal, State and Local has better work life balance than Commercial purely because there are little to no travel expectations. More than 40% of our workforce is new in the last year so many challenges staffing and delivering work. Lots of senior people hate their lives. If you want to make Partner need to do it before 40 for it to make financial sense long term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who works there?

I was a Manager at Deloitte and Senior Manager at EY. Absolutely awful. Bill 80+ weeks to the client and spend another 20+ on BD work. Travel Sun-Fri pre-pandemic. Was once told to cancel all of my Xmas vacation plans to stay at the client site working 16 hour days, never saw my family the entire week. I left and make more money now working a 40 hr week with flexibility, but you couldn't pay me 3x my current salary to go back to either.

THAT SAID, I was on the commercial not Federal side. I've heard Federal is better (and pays commensurately less) since Fed clients tend to have more reasonable hours and expectations. Still not sure I'd recommend it though if kids are young and you value flexibility or want to advance to Partner.

What type of company do you work for now? What do you do in general after a manager position at these companies, anyways? Are tax lawyers in a better position there?

I entered as a SME and left as a SME, so that experience got me my next jobs at a megabank and in FAANG. I honestly think I could have skipped the entire experience and ended up in the same place, so that made it extra not worth it. As the PP from Deloitte says, they own you and it's like being in a 24/7 abusive relationship. I recommend it to very, very few people and even fewer who aren't 24, childless, and willing to gun it no matter the cost. The cost is high.

Oh just get a job at a FAANG; that’s easy. Of course everyone wants that!