"What do you do?" I said"I'm a consultant", she replies. "Oh, so that means you do what?", I replied.....I met a really interested girl yesterday at a conference and we got talking afterwards in the bar about what Consultancy are all about. It was equally interesting to listen to her go through a typical day as a "consultant". I'm not a consultant, as you've gathered, but work in industry though refreshing to hear what other people do to add value to an organisation/project.I am interested to listen/read about other consultants on here who have the time to go through what a typical day would entail (minus the fag, p1ss and misc breaks :P)Thanks.

My day today: - Read this forum - Read BBC News - Coffee with Partner about my bench situation - Searched for trips to the Caribbean - LunchRest of avro presents: - Check out some blogs - Another coffee - Sneak off early

Bench - Quality answer!

Even better today...9.00 Wake up (only cos someone's coming to see the roof)9.00-11.00 internet, including checking that I have got paid!11.00-11.30 telcon with HR as to why I'm still on the bench "er, there are no jobs" and would I like to take this 18 month role, out of sector, using none of my skills, in the middle of nowhere... "lemme think about it..."Soon: off for a runLater: late lunch with colleague who's also benchingAnd the cheek: will head into town later for drinks with rest of the team...

Monday's update will probably incorporate a phonecall detailing that you are no longer economically viable for your firm and ta ta.

Ouch! That's harsh... But maybe true...Ah well it's been fun...

Half a day sorting the animation of a slide deck. 2 hour client presentation to recommend outsourcing. Save the clients loads of annualised future savings while destroying their business in the near term. Bill them at an hourly rate.

Well I survived the Monday telcon!!

I fell off my chair when I read about what Bench does. The shocking truth is the majority of consultants do just that! But then again, with no regulatory body, who cares what they charge, who cares what they deliver, who cares what 'value' they add, and I can go on.. In all seriousness, industry is waking up and realising the use of 'consultancies' is not adding value, but are just glorified individuals who sit on the bench all day acting they know much about nothing. Any way, must search the internet for a holiday and check what's on the box tonight..

Just because some consultants are sitting on the bench all day, should that place all consultancies in the firing line?Many, many businesses have skills gaps that they can't plug themselves immediately, insufficient knowledge in certain areas that aren't cost effective to buy-in permanently, inexperience in new areas. The role of consultants is to bring in either new ways of thinking, or short-term skills that a business doesn't already have. Or it could be to take blame for unpopular decisions by weak (or clever) management. Or to bring in unbiased advice. I genuinely believe that there will always be a role for consultancy.The inefficiencies of companies such as Accenture keeping people on the bench are nothing in my experience when compared to companies like BT, who simply don't fire people but let them think they're actually in a job when really they're doing nothing at all.Having consultants on the bench, in reserve, is partially about helping smooth over the business fluctuations all firms experience. The figures certainly don't back up your claims that industry is waking up - in fact, as more and more flexibility is required in future working practices (knowlesge based, services economy etc etc) the opposite is likely true.

Bravo anon.People spout so much cr@p on here. There are probably an equal number of posts complaining about how consultants are overworked and underpaid as there are about how consultants laze around all day buffing their fingernails.A consultant's workload is cyclical. When on a project, you may have to work 60 hour weeks for months on end but when you are on the bench (unless you are a model employee) you may work from home and take a few easy days. It balances out and I don't think this is something that industry or anyone else is 'just waking up to'.

To Curious: I'm glad you were amused by my post - that was the whole point! To anon and tX: Thanks for explaining how project-based works... That is, it is not practical to expect to roll off from one project straight to another one.... "It doesn't work like that!"

I disagree with you there about consulting and project life....I've worked for over 4 years and I've never spent a day on the bench. Nor do i want to.In fact, when it comes to taking people on projects, I dont like taking people from the bench, I'd rather approach people I know are coming available that people have worked with in the past or whom i know to be quality.Then bench tends to be the people: 1) who are not good enough (ie do not generate enough demand) to either remain at the client in a new capacity, or on a new project2) do not have a good enough reputation in their group to get them another job with another client through their networks.There are loads of arguements for having a "bench", but in all honesty, I'd save it for new joiners or people who are going to be phased out.

Hey bench, fancy a jog :)yep its pretty slow at the moment, and were all looking at cost cutting, which means handing everything offshore, and not expensive india were talking stable areas of Helmand province here :)Anyway its all cyclical, once things blow up and the partners are taking the flak there will be a lot of work, however I dont see it picking up much until the Banks get over the credit crunch that their still hiding from us all :).Note if you dont work in banking ignore the above, pork bellies are good etc...

I have never sat one day on the bench, from the first day I started I have been on projects and at clients. And I don't recognize what Taxman states about Banking and Financial Services. I spend a lot of time at retailers and telecom but since Q3 2007 I have been at several (top15) banks due to high demand (out of my comfort zone?).Without bench time it's important to make sure you don't overstretch yourself with 50+ hours per week every week.ps. My 'homebase' is Amsterdam. Any other dutchies around here?

*beep* The Ego Has Landed.

India and china have a hard time with European languages, so your always going to be in demand.As for Amsterdam I was there once, we got a hooker and asked if she would do 7 of us for 20 Euro, she said yes, then we said 'All at once'....After she slammed the door and we had a good laugh we went to a cafe and were 'in demand' well so it seemed in that hazy dreamlike state.....As for constantly working 50+ hours a week, what do you do in your spare time?My guess is work, and one day...soon.. you will be old and the world will have passed you by...then you can try and regain some youth and time, but it will be too late.Anyway must dash, got a beer to grab in the pub with the mates :)Chin Chin old chap!

I wake up at 9, arrive at work at 10am, surf shiit on the internet till 10:30, do a bit of work ( make me look busy), take a 2 hr lunch, have s@x with the client office secretary ( discreetly, of course), return to work at 3:30, do some busy work till 5. Leave for home.And I get paid north of US100k for this. No shiit.

I don't think having people on the bench can be helped. Especially in project related work - it is not an inefficiency it's a flipside of two unavoidables. The project I work on is the opposite end of the spectrum, they do not have enough people, everyone is maxed out and there is still plenty to be done. The project will not hire more people because they have no clear view of what the pipeline of work is at the start of the new financial year. In the meantime, they are not equipped to pick up new business or anything because everyone is too busy to take additional responsibilities.

Any chance of an update on this post? I get that when the economy was in a hole there were lots of consultants on the bench. But what does a typical day look like for you now that the market is picking up again?

I read this message and it said From By Curious and me thinks 'bloody blackberry' I'm sure I clicked on top consultant forum!!SO my altered answer is watch for the tight projects with little room to manouvre !

This thread does not add any value! in reality, consultants work their ass off, I used to work from 7.30 to 23:00 and then weekends.Other projects where I worked 9.00 to 4 oclock, it just depends on the project. Consulting isnt "fixed" routine, just like legal, depending on the client and the task in hand.Could be a task you cannot complete, until other people have done their bit, while you wait for the work to get done or more likely 'batch to run' you can do other tasks.

[quote]I fell off my chair when I read about what Bench does. The shocking truth is the majority of consultants do just that! But then again, with no regulatory body, who cares what they charge, who cares what they deliver, who cares what 'value' they add, and I can go on.. In all seriousness, industry is waking up and realising the use of 'consultancies' is not adding value, but are just glorified individuals who sit on the bench all day acting they know much about nothing. Any way, must search the internet for a holiday and check what's on the box tonight..[/quote]What would a regulatory body do? tell private company how to price.. this absurd.

[quote]it is not practical to expect to roll off from one project straight to another one.... "It doesn't work like that!"[/quote]Er, it does where I am. Maybe that depends on how successful a consultancy you're at. In a year at my firm I've spent a grand total of 2.5 days benched.

Just because there is a project that needs a position filled doesnt mean you take it!