Slalom Consulting Reviews

Pros

Most people are nice, and there's a general feeling of camaraderie. Company's big into social gatherings and celebrating. Known for its Technology arm and if you are in to then you may be able to work on some pretty slick work i.e. mobile & portals/collaboration.

Cons

Incumbents be aware! The awards are all manipulated and do not reflect reality. The interview process is just for the sake of building a resource pipeline. They will not hire ahead of revenues, so you'll be kept in a perpetual holding pattern until something strikes unless there's a big need and almost anyone can get hired, which is why the culture is eroding and morale issues are cropping up all over. These past 2-3 mos have seen a high amount of attrition as smart people have caught the scent of deceit.

The comp model is very convoluted and sub par in comparison to other professional services firms as are the benefits. PTO is unbelievably absurd and no sick days. General benefits are sub par and 401K is only applicable after 6 mos of service. Performance incentives, recruiting/business developement bonuses are all subjective with no real meaningful measures.

The recruiters will sell the so-called "no travel policy" until you are sick in the head, but conveniently forgets to mention that you'll be commuting all over metro ATL, averaging 40+ miles one way. Staff aug is the flavor of the season; no matter how hard leadership tries to sell "consulting" work, clients don't look at Slalom as an advisor, just simply as a staff shop. You'll be PM'ing until you are blue in the face, working 50 hours a week. Your Big 4/large consultancy skill set will rust as you'll never get to use it.

Advice to Senior Management

Please stop the subjective based, frat-boy mentality management styles! Put some structure in place, carve-out an operating direction i.e. augmentation vs consulting and stick to it. Be open from the beginning, none of this bait & switch tactics. People are leaving after being hired <6 mos into the jobs as a result of this deceitful practice. Fuel your anticipated growth areas within your service offerings. Local P&L reporting vs. national delivery is a self inflicting wound as nothing gets accomplished.

Pros

Lots of autonomy, very hands off, trusting organization. Leadership is always open to ideas to improve the business or experience at Slalom. Great place to shine, and easy to get to know your whole office. Very smart consultants who want to work hard, please clients, and enjoy themselves all the while. Company seems to evolve into something greater every year.

Cons

Sometimes feels that leadership has covert operations going on all of the time, but you have faith and trust in that they are working for the benefit of you and the company. Sometimes a little too hands off, and when someone does approach you about something meaningful, it seems like a distraction. Paid practice leads are needed in each office. Folks sometimes are allowed to work in ways that are profitable to Slalom but not profitable to the consultant who is doing above and beyond what is required of them. You only get a day of vacation after billing slightly over a month's time, so you have to consider taking non paid time off days if you want to save your PTO for a nice vacation. Only getting paid half your salary if you are unstaffed stinks, so I try all I can to remain staffed. It seems almost impossible to refer someone and have them be hired. I think your referral must walk on water as well as the moon to be hired by Slalom.

Advice to Senior Management

Allow more frequent communication on what strategically is being planned for the company. Grant more PTO upfront.

Pros

Energetic and fun community
Caring and smart management team
Entrepreneurial and thinks outside the box
Selective and strong recruiting process

Cons

At the end of the day it's staff augmentation firm since the company is not large enough to support too much upward mobility. This may be fine, since many people just want to consult without the "up or out" model of typical Big 4's.

Pros

Slalom's business model is to have local consultants for local clients, which means no travel. It is good for those who have a family and want to see them every evening. Slalom pays competitively.

Cons

Management is very Accenturic! A little arrogance in senior management. Senior management analyzes everything too much and it makes some employees uncomfortable.

Pros

People, culture, local work, type of work, internal initiatives

Cons

Benefits, growth opportunities, PTO, lack of support for training

Advice to Senior Management

Start treating your people better by including profit sharing, more PTO and more opportunities for growth and movement.

Pros

Slalom has a good reputation in the community, and their hourly compensation model is comparable to other similarly situated consulting firms. Also, every third year consultants earn a month-long sabbatical (for which they receive 75% compensation).

Cons

Inadequate paid time off (2 weeks combined sick and vacation); strings attached to training budget (i.e., must reimburse if you leave within 6 months of using it); 401(k) match is only made once a year (and you have to be employed on the day of payout).

Pros

Actually it is rather average company

Cons

Almost everything is ok here

Pros

Local model, focused delivery, management support, great social atmosphere, like minded people to work with.

Cons

Excessive overhead management compensation takes from employee benefits and salary.

Advice to Senior Management

Allow consultants to incur more expenses, including client lunches, trips, get together and the like. reward employees more, especially with intrinsic cultural rewards and small cash "thank you" hand outs as these are easier for our personality types to handle over sincere appreciation which is not possible from our kind of folks. Once the company makes a certain percentage over the employee's compensation, reward the excessive bill rate with excessive bonus beyond the stated HR policy.

Pros

My coworkers are competent, well spoken and simply "get it". Not only do you not have to clean up other peoples messes on projects, you get to choose which projects and opportunities you personally want to pursue.

Cons

It's just as much driving as other firms, but that's no surprise given our location in Southern California.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep growing our company and our presence locally!

Pros

View from the 19th floor, really nice and smart consultants

Cons

Low pay for MBA interns, projects lack intellectual rigor, management too focused on her own projects to empower employees

Advice to Senior Management

Hire an undergraduate intern to do grunt work. Use your MBA interns to move the company forward.