Accenture Reviews in Austin, TX Area

Pros

The Benefits are top-notch.
The job stability seems to be ideal- swings with demand.
The upward mobility seems to be present, although at times seems a bit unfair.
Opportunities for training are endless.
Constantly working with High-Profile clients.

Cons

There seems to be poor compensation when compared to the market,
At times the peer laddering is confusing and seemingly inefficient, as we're often rated against others who don't perform similar jobs.
The organizational changes are constant and confusing, so much so that after a while everyone gives up on trying to keep up with them.

Advice to Senior Management

Simplify the "matrix" organization and settle on something rather than changing every 6 months. Increase the compensation in order to keep the "best and brightest" rather than just attract them and watch them leave for better opportunities elsewhere. Focus on NOT being a "stepping-stone" firm but instead becoming a long-standing employer of the best IT and Management Consultants in the world.

Pros

Great experience working with some of the top Fortune 500 companies. Traveling is fun and it's especially fun if you get put on a young team and get to be wined and dined about once a month. That's great. Plus the per diem gets paid out to you whether you use it or not, unlike other firms like Deloitte for example where you have to use it or lose it.

Cons

Doing objectives. HR is so disconnected from reality, and difficult to deal with. Plus, you can find yourself in a job getting paid far less than your peers for doing equal or better work. That's not good for morale.

Advice to Senior Management

Be sure that you're compensating people fairly. Because as someone who isn't getting compensated fairly, I can tell you that does not motivate me to do a good job. It motivates me to do the bare minimum that won't result in me getting fired.

Pros

Good training. Accenture is for someone who have zero years of experience or just recent college graduated

Cons

They will make you work on any technology of their choice whether you like it or not!!! They don't care about your interest!! Me and 2 other people (new joiner same as me) have 3 years of IT experience + master degree. After 4 months of working in accenture, they hired 2 more people who have no master degree + Zero years of experience and Accenture hired them in the same level as us.. which is level F.. which means that they considered mine 3 years of IT experience + master degree as no value and wasted!!! It made me very embarassed and I was a hall of shame!!!

Advice to Senior Management

Don't force your employer to do something they don't like!!!

Pros

Great Benefits and training options. You learn a lot surronded by smart prople and great brand. Stable and in the top 100.

Cons

Very large machine... favorites played with Consulting vs Enterprise/Services. Get reeady to travel, they've tried the Geo model but it hasn't worked.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep trying to get work lide balance in check. It is one the top priorites every year as it should be..

Pros

Management very supportive and respectful of their employees. Understanding about work/life balance as well. I have never had any issues getting time off when needed.

Cons

I do not like the performance appraisal process. Very lengthy and everyone's reviews are due at one time of the year. If you are over a large team, it can be overwhelming.

Advice to Senior Management

I have respect for the leadership at Accenture and feel as if I can approach any of them. I also feel they are very respectful to their employees.

Pros

Accenture employees have a large range of knowledge and are happy to share it in order to get the job done. I gained more experience / knowledge in my 2 yrs with Accenture than any other time in my career.

Cons

When the project is tough, you will work the hours. On the project I was on, we worked 70 hrs a week for 2 yrs. Not for someone with a family or priorities other than career.

Advice to Senior Management

Overall very happy with the company. There were times management was too busy getting the job done so some lower level members felt excluded.

Pros

New hires receive 5 weeks of vacation time in the first year. There are lots of different work opportunities. Your colleagues are often fun people and the environment typically isn't too cutthroat.

Cons

The pay is low relative to many other consulting firms. Advancement often follows a set time line too stringently, leaving little room for a true meritocracy. Most projects are going to involve IT implementation, which I didn't personally enjoy. Consulting perks aren't quite what they are at other firms.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop hiring people just to say that you're the biggest firm! Inevitably, there will be another downturn and you will have to lay off a good deal of those people in the short term. Restrict your hiring to top-tier schools rather than grabbing people from just about anywhere. Find a way to compete with some of the strategy houses.

Pros

On good projects, you are definitely well-treated by management and feel a good sense of kinship with your co-workers. Clients respect and recognize the work you do, and management tries its hardest to retain you and position you for success. Projects are also very good with accommodating flexible work plans and schedules. Smaller projects generally tend to be better in these regards, and the on-the-job training is enough to drive your career path within the company.

Career counselors are genuinely interested about you and try their best to be helpful. Definitely take advantage of this by consulting them about any situations you may be facing. If you are proactive with your career and a good networker, you will be able to go far within Accenture!

Accenture has been really striving to ensure that all personnel get some senior executives and partner face time, to answer questions about the company's action and future.

Cons

Unfortunately, I feel there is little in the way of guidance for the Services track. While there is accessible material on the Services career progression, there is not much on training that should be taken, what is required for advancement to the next level, or how to find new projects. There is also a sense of the Consulting workforce still being the superior workforce, something that Accenture is trying to fix.

In addition, the size of Accenture makes it difficult for employees to feel a real connection with the company, or to feel that their work has made a difference. This is not an issue Accenture can do much about, but just a general malaise that plagues bigger companies.

Advice to Senior Management

Work on:

Better explaining the Services workforce career track and the requirements / general timeframe for progression
Equalize training budget accessible across all workforces (by equivalent levels)
Work harder on equalizing Services and Consulting workforces
More work-related networking opportunities for project-bound personnel
Explain alignments and role of employees in these alignments better - will help with sense of belonging

Pros

Accenture attracts some of the most talented grads and allows them to expand on whatever it is they do best. Whether you're happy here or not completely depends on who your managers are and what projects you are on. Everyone can have a very different experience at this company, but no matter what you will come away with a valuable experience.

Cons

The promotion and annual review process is severely lacking. It's a political process that requires the right people backing you at the right time. Very little matters what you did in the past 3 years when promotion time rolls around, it's only the past 6-12 months that matter then. In the meantime, the annual review process is treated as a bell curve so, it's quite difficult to get a very high rating which in turn would give you a higher raise. The process also does not allow you to compare yourself with your peers since your are compared with everyone in the company worldwide.

Advice to Senior Management

Fix the annual review process, and if people are doing well, don't punish them by "bumping them down" for no good reason other than, other people did just as well.

Pros

Large exposure to different types of work and people.

Cons

Long hours and continuing to get get more bureacratic since the company went public.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't forget about the people who help drive this company forward as you continue to put all of your focus on the bottom line.