Hi, I have the first round interview for the SI&T consulting graduate scheme coming up.Accenture have e-maild me saying I need to be aware of the various business areas and work groups within Accenture.However, there seems to be no consistency in their web site as to what these are. I've managed to get myself quite confused.Am I right in thinking these are:Business areas - Management Consultancy, Technology Services, Outsourcing ServicesWorkgroups - Management consulting group, Systems Integration consulting, Technology consulting and Outsourcing. Plus the different sub work groups in these areas.Or, as the graduate site suggests:Business areas - Analyst Consulting Group, Systems Intergration and Technology Consulting, Outsourcing.Work groups - The numerous work groups that come under these, such as technology, UK Delivery Centre etc.Or do they want Consulting, Services, Accenture Technology Solutions and Enterprise as business areas?Any help much appreciated!

so its basically split as follows for consulting management consulting, and tech consulting, which are known as MCIM and SI&T respectively. Within these you get capabilities such as Delivery Centre, Information Management, SAP, Oracle etc. Whatever you do don't go into the interview and start banging on about services and ATSthe ACG is literally a pool of new analysts (upto 2 years(ish). the idea is that you are no aliogned to any particular thing, so that you have time to get settled and see where you want to be. what else do you need to know

Thanks Accenture Dude,The workgroups in Systems Integration and Technology Consulting seem quite easy to find. Am I right in thinking the Management Consulting work groups are: Customer Relationship Management, Stratergy and Supply Chain Management etc? And you don't think I should mention Outsourcing?

Thanks Accenture Dude,The workgroups in Systems Integration and Technology Consulting seem quite easy to find. Am I right in thinking the Management Consulting work groups are: Customer Relationship Management, Stratergy and Supply Chain Management etc? And you don't think I should mention Outsourcing?

yes about MCIM but there is also talent and organisation performance, what i mean by don't mention them, is that yes state your awareness about them, but thats it, the work in outsourcing is different, and services is different roles (less £ too), and ATS well is ATS.

While you're here Accenture Dude, as I'm guessing you're an Accenture employee, do you have any suggestions on the list of rivals i've drawn up?IBMDeloitteCapgeminiBearing PointMcKinsleyAny missing/shouldn't be on there? Will I need to know how Accenture differs from them? (eg. more technology focused, end to end solutions etc?)Thanks again for your help!

Accenture / IBM / Deloitte / Cap / BearingPoint are IT charlatans who provide absolutely no vaue to their deluded client base.Wheras the final one on your list is a pure strategy firm

Would it be incorrect to mention McKinsley then?

yeah ZB is basically correct. yes places like ACN, CG IBM etc are starting to try roll out strategy arms, but its not quite what they are known for or do. there are a number of other firms out that you could add in the list CSC, BT, EDS (to some extent ) *none of which i would work at, but you asked for others*, Bearing Point not so much of a big player in UK, Fujitsu is growing. and really the thing i would say is make sure you know what it is you want to do. don't come join SI&T at ACN thinking that you are doing management consulting and or strategy because invariably you will be disappointed. If you are into technology (and i don't mean you have to be a techy), then yes come right along, but just be sure you know what you are getting into

I'm now struggling with "what accenture does and why they do it". I understand what Accenture does but as for why they do it, the main thing that springs to mind is money. However, i'm guessing this wouldn't be a suitable answer for interview. Should I be saying things like to save the client money, increase competitiveness, improve efficiency ect?

i sincerely doubt you will be asked why accenture does what they do. for all intent and purpose it would be dumb question. what you will most likely be asked is how accenture differentiates itself from its competitors, yes i could answer that for you, but... do a little research. what is more related to your why, is more why you think clients hire accenture

All consultancy firms like the one liner 'Add value'. I got the impression those 2 words are the most favorite words within Acn. No matter how you put it, adding value is what they should want to accomplish (before ZB kicks off).

I work at ACN (and have been for about 5 years) and would not be able to explain our organizational structure so don't worry about it too much. I would be surprised if your interviewer, especially if HR, would have a better idea than you. In fact, if they ask you, good idea would be to show that you have a high-level view, and then turn it back on them and ask them to explain in detail "so you can use the opportunity to learn". At that point they'll probably say "well, its very complicated and I won't go into the details" showing that they haven't a clue either.

Oh, and if you want to understand what ACN wants to do for its clients, read up on our High Performance Business agenda. It way sound cliched and cringe-worthy to the un-initiated, but it pretty well articulates what we want to achieve. There should be piles of stuff on the website about this. High performance. Delivered.

Bob,Do you think it would be feasible for a grad joining ACN to study a part-time weekend course that requires 15-20 hours reading time a week? Or do you think it would be really tough to find that much time and remove any possibility of a social life?

I can't speak for Acn (I'm joining the Green Dot) but I can't imagine you would have a social life at all with that amount of studying.

It depends on the client you join.I work 9-6 so fitting in 15-20 hrs stdy a week is easy if required.

Agree with above posters: - if studying on weekends, should be highly possible, but of course will impact you social life. - you might still end up on a project and have to work some weekends, but I think the probability is low. - if planning to study in the evenings, make sure you have the energy to do this once you get home and finish dinner at around 8 or 9pm. - plenty of people study for things like CFA. Its down to your commitment to it.