Pros
(1) Know what you are getting into. This isn't a marriage...Deloitte wants you because they can sell you and make money off the top (like a traditional staffing firm). They aren't there to baby you or hold your hands (200,000+ employees can't be THAT personal). Since you can't sell yourself and cut out Deloitte, you have to know that you are there for one of the following: $, the "experience", the network, or the name (most likely the name and the $$). (2) Use them as much as they use you - take advantage of the travel, the fitness reimbursements, the pay, tuition, maternity/paternity leave, the clients, mediocre training, certifications, and most importantly the network. The next real step after deloitte is to start your own firm, go to industry, join another firm, or undergo a career change. (3) The best jobs at deloitte are the innovation team, the visualization studio team, and then staffing team (or internal project). The first two because they are cutting edge firm initiatives that secure tons of client work. The latter because its a high paying position that can be done virtually. (4) Managers do the heavy lifting, SCs, Consultants, and analysts have the highest ROI and do busy work, Sr. Managers are there to win work and split time on engagements, PPDs are there for their network and sheep herding. Take advantage of this breakdown! (5) This company is a money making machine. If you like tech adoption or system integration (90% of projects)., you can make a killing here and be very happy.
Cons
(1) 95% of the time the projects aren't the least bit interesting. Everyone shooting for partner wants to make a buck on their bread and butter tech implementation. The only way to land a "cool" project is to spearhead the effort of have someone in your network pursuing the engagement. Otherwise, you will be staffed to the first thing that resembles a fit. Again 200,000+ employees - all need to be staffed. (2) The rating system is bogus. You get a 1-5 rating for each project. Kiss enough butt you can get a 2. 1 is literally not an option to select on your assessment! If you are on a 1 yr project for a short phase and deserve a 2, and even give yourself a 2, you will get slammed with a 3 since there are other people who will be on the project longer and they will cry if they don't get one of the few (LIMITED) 3's. I've been told in confidence that this was the case on two assignments I was on. Will I try hard on my next project?.... (3) Its all about who you know. A true networking paradigm/ frat house/ etc. If you want to get promoted or recognized at Year end, this is how you do it. (4) Upward feedback is a joke. Want to rate your team/ superiors after each project (like you are evaluated)? Nope! You have wait till the week before your Year End submission to evaluate these guys. Guess what, they will be called upon for your annual evaluation a few weeks later and can surely pick you out of a review (good/bad) if it was done a week prior! (5) Commercial travel is the pits! I've traveled 6 days a week for 5 months (cross country) only to work 15 hr days, eat poorly, forget about exercising, and be treated like a lemming by the project leads.
