Booz Allen Hamilton Reviews

Pros

-Flexibility in time off
-Want you to get more education/certification

Cons

I had terrible leadership who were nice guys, but did not know how to trickle down information, keep someone in the loop or help them move either laterally or horizontally to different projects, opportunities or professional growth.

Advice to Senior Management

I agree with the model of trim the fat- there is no need to keep leadership who are making 3x of my salary (which for my age is tremendously high) who do not bring in the millions they used to. Keep trimming the fat.

Pros

Great benefits and pay at Booz Allen

Cons

jobs are 24/7 at Booz Allen

Advice to Senior Management

nothing to say...

Pros

Many opportunities to work with different agencies on many projects. Interesting matrixing model that allows work beyond teams, with members in different divisions.

Cons

With current utilization metrics and profitability initiatives, employees feel like they are under a buzz saw that's about to come down and sack them. Makes for an unhealthy work environment for employees who were hired with promises of available work, only to be told that their project is still up in the air and oh, by the way, you have to meet a utilization target.
Direction of firm's resources gets channeled in different direction every month. Currently, big push is in cyber. However two months ago it was energy for DoD. Disconnect between what management says and what occurs on ground level.

Advice to Senior Management

Please alleviate stress of staff by loosening the utilization targets and recognizing that it takes time for staff members to get settled into internal positions. Also, give a better direction to new staff members of their roles in the firm.

Pros

Everyone there is so nice. Management takes a lot of pride in emphasizing the value of their employees to their business.

Cons

There are no advancement possibilities for software folks, as BAH has a universal one-size-fits-all approach for everyone, regardless of job description. So where it may be realistic for a business analyst to go find business, it isn't practical for software folks to be held to the same standard, since most of their 40+ hours/week is spent actually writing software.

People are guarded about any unique information they possess, as they feel it is a differentiator and is what makes them stand out. So don't expect knowledge sharing.

Advice to Senior Management

Make the standards for technical folks realistic.

Pros

Brand name still has some respect, not a lot of management micro managing, still some good employees left after IPO.

Cons

Brand name is diminishing because of IPO and hiring of less talented staff, clients will micro manage you, turning into a glorified temp agency for people with degrees.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop trying to spin everything and brain wash employees into thinking that this work is "consulting". It is more about putting butts in seats and we all know that is the game.

Pros

Some pre-public legacy culture remains:
Hire staff for a career, not just a single project
Collaboration is rewarded
Smart, fun, dedicated co-workers
Ability to shift around in the company as your interests change and markets mature

Cons

Since the company went public, weird and erratic behavior from senior management has become the norm. Focus on quarterly results has resulted in bizarre hiring quotas, lack of work letters when staff are unbillable, and significant time required by senior associates and principals to report on status of pipeline and utilization.

Advice to Senior Management

Remember what made the company and culture a great place to work - the pressures for quarterly earnings instead of taking the long term view for clients and staff will ultimately change the culture for the worse, eroding the competitive edge and the 'secret sauce' which has made us a favorite with clients.

Pros

Talented, highly-motivated staff
Competitive benefits
Wide range of competency areas within which to work

Cons

Senior leadership not well equipped to deal with contracting government market.
Senior leadership has some severe blind spots with regards to managing people effectively.
Growing focus on short-term profitability and utilization targets, combined with an unrealistic expectation about how much effort and thought needs to go into effective marketing.
Decreasing embodiment of the Core Values in day-to-day work.

Pros

Competent staff
People's willingness to share information and help

Cons

Too much emphasis placed on selling additional work to clients with dwindling financial resources
Although the competencies laid out in the assessment process are clear, there is no clear or standard way to achieve them...promotions are a pipe dream.
Assessment process is entirely too taxing and distracts from core work...very little return for the time and effort invested.

Pros

fun, interesting. I enjoy working there I think that it is fun. i have met a lot of people that I like.

Cons

Not that much fun when you are sick. They get really mad when you call out sick and that is not fair.

Advice to Senior Management

try a little bit harder to understand that people have lives outside of work and do not be so aggressive.

Pros

Currently, the company is very big and has a good reputation which is great for your resume. You meet a lot of different peope so that helps out your network.

Cons

The company hires too many people with not enough projects leading to layoffs. You usually end up on a project you not aligned with your experience. You also have to interview for new projects as of you're applying to a new job which makes it very exhausting.

Advice to Senior Management

The hiring spree was not very advantageous and a lot of people who got hired hoping they could make a career out of this job ended up losing their jobs.