All - currently working at Accenture and keen to know how career level is perceived outside the company. I'm at Manager level, very close to pushing Senior Manager (in Dec) and I'm thinking of moving on before landing the promotion. For further details...the next role is a permanent one, somewhere I'd look to stay for a while and it's in Consulting.

I doubt anybody will ever ask. It may however help you to negotiate a few extra quid for your next job.

It might make a difference considering the topic starter is moving to another consulting role, like BEP mentions to negotiate a better salary - or even a better position (level / sub-level)

Not important. Time to grade is more important, as is level of responsibility and reporting line. You can really skew a move by focusing on exit level from one firm and entry level at another - and once you start talking about proximity to promotion...it just comes across as an attempt at salary negotiation. Nothing wrong with that but label it what it is. Another thing is that levels vary widely by responsibility between firms - so a Manager at one can be an SC at another, or more senior elsewhere. Focus instead on the find-mind-grind stage/gates. You want your next role to be moving you out of mind and closer to find.

Hi Mars; thanks for the perspective. In terms of using it to negotiate salary, sure it definitely comes across like that although that wasn't the objective. Money isn't a huge motivator for me although obviously I still want to be paid market worth. I'm probably slightly naive in thinking that hitting SM at Accenture is a significant career milestone and one which is widely recognised externally as so many in the industry have spent time in the company.I think the response here so far is that it isn't so important in the market, so I need to ask myself the question - is it important enough to me to stay with the company another 8(ish) months.

I'd have thought the next role would be based on projects/industry experience/size and scale rather than a material grade (was in my case anyway) and the new employer should work on salary expectations rather than actual.I know if I'd got SM before I left and applied for the same role I've got now I wouldn't have been able to get any more pay...

If you are confident that in December you will definitely be an SM, then it is definitely worth staying. There is a huge salary different in M and SM level as you know, but more importantly, M level is Acn is not that great outside, while SM level has a significant perceived value externally. Most of the SMs, end up at a significantly higher positions in the industry. If you are joining another consultancy, then however it may not have a huge difference other than the salary.the first statement is very important. If you dont make SM in December then....!

I disagree on the salary point - the gap from M - SM in terms of base at ACN is small - approx 10kish if you at M3 - certainly not huge...until you start hitting A / SA at SM level and your bonuses are back up it's not a huge jump.

[quote]I disagree on the salary point - the gap from M - SM in terms of base at ACN is small - approx 10kish if you at M3 - certainly not huge...until you start hitting A / SA at SM level and your bonuses are back up it's not a huge jump. [/quote]Makes sense, it's mostly the variable part that takes a significant step forward when you get promoted from M to SM. The salary step will depend largely on how well one has been doing in the years as manager (and how many years it took to get to SM - say 5 years at manager level with decent salary increases can outweigh 3 years as manager with significant salary increases).

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