SMS Technology Reviews

Pros

The people are really great ! Since i've been here I have met lots of people from diverse backgrounds with some great experiences and have been able to learn a lot from them. I have been lucky and have been given the opportunity to work on a couple of different clients - in different industries so far. The opportunity to work on Blue Chip clients is great for my CV.

Cons

It's a really flat structure - which means it will take a while to get to a management position - but saying that in the interim I was offered a site lead role and the client experiences are building my profile throughout my practice.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up the catch ups with the consultants - I appreciate the opportunity to provide back and it's great that you really take my feedback on board.

Pros

Probably a good launching pad to go elsewhere as a stint as a consultant gives you a degree of credibility.

Cons

Very poor choice of engagements. If you have a specialized skill you may spend a lot of time doing something else.

Advice to Senior Management

At a minimum, increase salaries yearly by CPI. One small increase in 5 years is inadequate, despite the global financial crisis.

Pros

For the most part you get to work with competent, technically skilled co-workers who know their stuff and are happy to share knowledge (most of the time). If you're lucky you'll get managed by someone who knows what they're doing and more to the point know what you do. In which case you get to pick and choose the roles you take and you have some power in turning roles down. It's a good place to pick up an intro to consulting but not for too long. A small handful of the account managers are great people but most are completely amoral and interested in little else aside from feathering their own nests.

Cons

Poor investment in consultant skills. Zero training budget - more focused on shareholder returns and maximising the bums on seats time. After a number of years SMS is still unable to do large projects well. A recent move to a silo mentality has created some unpleasant situations where silo managers are sniping work out from under other managers by using consultants from their own silo even if their skill set isn't entirely relevant. Expect at some point to be dropped into a role you're entirely unsuited for and be expected to deliver, even if the client isn't getting value for money. Middle and upper management often focused more on getting people in the door rather than delivering a good result for the client. High attrition rate for consultants. Hiring policy is fairly slipshod and is largely dependent on who interviews you. I worked with some real mouth breathers who wouldn't have been hired to dig ditches let alone develop software but I also worked with some truly brilliant people.

Advice to Senior Management

There's little point in giving advice when it won't even be read let alone absorbed. Best bet would be to gain some capacity for self analysis as well as try and work out why people want out so soon after joining. Acquire some account directors who don't suffer from ADHD and whose moral compass isn't permanently broken. Invest in people, don't just SAY you do. Change is good, but when it's all just seen as management hot air it tends to lead to dissatisfaction and resentment.

Pros

Good people, good work, a fun culture. A genuinely good company that suits people looking for an entry level into the consulting world.

Cons

Very 'below the line' in consulting terms - few high level management consulting opportunities.
Poor senior management, with an incentive structure that encourages silos and behaviours that focus on numbers, not people. Very few genuine long terms career opportunities.

Advice to Senior Management

Encourage management to loosen the control systems on revenue - good people, combined with strong IP will win the work and create the revenue without you focusing on it to the detriment of your 1400 employees morale. Its no good just to say your focusing on people either - you need to back it up.

Pros

flat structure, information sharing between employees, variety of interesting people to work with, quality of work (generally), work life balance is usually good

Cons

lack of communication at times from management, reluctance to invest $$ in winning work, pockets of short term focus, shareholders vs employees needs

Advice to Senior Management

focus more on the people not the numbers

Pros

Dynamic and aggressive company with great growth and potential

Cons

I worked on a large technology project where, frankly, the company had bitten off more than it could chew, both in the scope of the project and their capability to do the work. Good IT consultancy moving into broader business change/transformation space and they need to do more to develop that. Also, treatment of contractors and consultants a bit to much driven by the whim of the client - need to push back occasionally.

Advice to Senior Management

Know your limits - but keep reaching for lofty goals. Also, potentially look to get more diversity into your work place to encourage broader thinking.

Pros

I worked as a contractor - excellent rates. Also, they do hire lots of good people (not a lot stay), but it provides good networking opportunities

Cons

Long hours, conservative culture and lack of 'connection' with the organisation.

Advice to Senior Management

Get better account managers and be careful not to bite off more than you can chew