Work Assignment on Consulting vs Non-Consulting Industry
Consulting industry has unique ways of working that can be never seen in other industry especially for the team assignment. On non-consulting industry, employee often be plcaed on specific department or divison and work for same manager for a long time (sometimes even until retirement phase).
In contrast, a consultant can be part of team A today and next week he can move to another group! or even worse: not part of any team a.k.a bench time. Benchtime is a condition where consultant doesnt have any assigned project. If the benchtime is lasted for more than X months(threshold vary per organization/service group), they will get terminated from the organization (laid off).
— “Consulting is not for everyone”, commonly said by a consultant that about to execute their exit plan.
It can be happened due to the nature of consulting business that highly depend on the project assignment. Once the project ended, consultant will have to find a project that would like to “employ” them. They find “work” within work itself.
in short: consulting in project based (which is temporary. Only last until the project ended) while non consulting is department/divison based (often permanent, unless an organization restructuring is intiated).
The implications of project based assignment
Project based assignment cause a hunger game situation where consultants are actively seeking for projects during benchtime or often when the project engagement already reaching the final stage and close to the roll off date.
— Personally, i experience it like a hunger game due to resource oversupply. The available projects can’t absorb all consultant causing a situation where everyone is competing to find project and get staffed.
Thats why, consulting job security is less secure compared with other job in other matured industry such as banking, oil& gas, telco and manufacturing. (eventhough, in today’s economy and political situation, there is no 100% full secure job).
How to survive in Consulting?
After spending more than 8 years on consulting company, i can say that these risk (lay off) can be minimized(can’t be completely mitigated) and manageable with correct attitude and mindset.
Below are the strategy that i used (then and now) to survive on consulting industry.
1st Rule - ABC (Always be charged)
Do whatever it takes to at least do chargeable project, business development, csr or traininng
Always be charged (ABC), this is the most critical rule that should be followed by consultant.
Below is the chase prioritization based on how the difficulties to get the charge code
- Chargeable project - highly depend on the market and the sales performance
- CSR Volunteer - seasonal event, not available at any time but still reasonable to chase
- Business development/work on proposal - Always available at anytime with a caveat (circle based, require deep networking to get the opportunities to work on proposal)
- Training - almost available all time. However, be mindful with the number of hour charged for training activities as usually consulting firms are limiting the duration.
- PTO - last resort, if no option left, use the available PTO balance.
Note: higher order meaning lesser change to get the charge code, lower order indicate the code for such activities is relatively easy to get compared to other activity.
Our contribution to the organization/firm is measured by the percentages of “chargeable” timesheet that are reported per months or weeks.
a timesheet can be considered as “chargeable” if only if its submitted using billable chargecode to the client. Otherwise, the timesheet will be considered as “non billable to client”, meaning the firm can’t generate revenue and must paid you using the firm’s internal budget.
There are two ind of non billable worksheet, first one is unassigned time. On this scenario, we’re idle. absolutely doing nothing. The company will pay us for do nothing. Avoid this scenario.
second is non-billable worksheet but for business development activities. For example: creating a new proposal, become class instructor, volunteer on CSR (coporate social reponsibility). Basically we’re getting paid by doing something benefical for the firm except its not paid directly by client (not a project)
— avoid first non billable scenario at any cost by expand our network on the firm by considering 2nd and 3rd rules.
2nd Rule - Always be Visible & Show Your Worth
(if possible) Show what we’ve been accomplished during the project (slide, code, presentation, etc) and ensure the project leads are aware of we’ve been doing by copy (CC) them on email or by verbally tell them during lunch break / coffee break.
Limiting the visibilities of our abilibities to the leadership might affect benchtime length as no one understand or know our skills and ended up reducing the chance to be staffed on the next project.
— presenting best slides to our client is as important as presenting our worth to the leadership to ensure they are aware that we have the capabilities and put us on their staffing radar for upcoming opportunities or engagement.
3rd Rule - Minggle with Co-Workers
As the name suggest, if time permits (eg; under low season or benchtime) try to socialize with co-worker by joining any events that held by the firm (eg: drinking, outing, community event, etc) or as simply as joining lunch with co-worker from different project/services group.
4th - Stay Healthy
Doesnt matter how busy the project is, it is VERY IMPORTANT to spend some of our time to do exercise.
Keeping our physical and mental health in good condition is as important as always be chargeable.
— SICK = Can’t work = Non Billable Code.
Spend an hour a day to do jogging or weight lifting and ensure complete time off during weekend (unless its require by project situation, eg : golive preparation) to maintain our sanity.
5th Rule - Actively Looking for New Job
Consulting is one of non-secure job that has high rate of lay off / termination.
Most of consulting firm will cut at last 5% of their workforce every year to ensure they stay competitive. These bottom 5% non performer will be replaced by fresh blood or newly hired profesional that has been re-algined with the latest market needs.
Usually the bottom performer are the one that not aligned anymore with the market needs.
Hence, actively updating CV on linkedin and proactively response to the head hunter/recruiter is good strategy to keep up with job market, and just in case we getting laid off, the recovery options is already available on our hand.
