Out of curioisity ....In your experience, what is the most amount of time that a new joiner has had to spend on the bench? And at what point does the cosultantancy think moving them out?

I know people in my practice who've been less than 35% resourced over the course of their first year (i.e. long benched periods interspersed with a few light projects, and internal projects to fill the rest of the time). I've also heard of people who were on the bench for 18 months. However, they were in a Big4 consultancy so they didn't have any control over their own resourcing and the firm could afford to carry them.It'd be fairly rare to move people out as it'd be an admission that the firm had completely mis-estimated demand. Generally in the consulting model you under-resource and then use contractors and overtime to fill the gaps.In the current market, I reckon you could make it a year without being reconsidered for other posts/given a nudge, assuming you're working for a decent size consultancy, the issue was down to the firm not you, and you were being generally helpful around the place. To be honest, most consultants I know would have quit before then out of sheer boredom.

I have a friend who works for PA, she says some of the new starters she joined with a year ago are still on the bench and have never really been off it.They need to get up and get out, losers.

I also know of a few grads at PA who haven't really been out for sometime now.

IBM BCS - 6 months.The upside was that I got to watch a lot of Trisha !

my record time on bench - 45 mins....After rolling off from the first project, went over to office for less than a hour before the HR called up and told me to go over to the next project. BTW, i'm in ACN

I'd love some time on the bench, sign me up

...I have a friend who works for PA, she says some of the new starters she joined with a year ago are still on the bench and have never really been off it...But, I don't understand, PA people keep telling us how great they are (search for PA)..!

Is this particularly an issue for grads, or do experienced hires face similar periods of time "on the bench"?

The higher up the ladder you climb, the more problematic bench time becomes. As a grad or reasonably junior consultant, there is a certain acknowledgement that if there isn't work to put you on, you'll be on the bench.As you climb further up the organisation, there is a greater and greater onus on you to find work for yourself. While management may turn a blind eye to a junior consultant who has been on the bench for six months, a director who hasn't sold anything and hasn't delivered anything for six months is likely to be shown the way to the door.

Its a vocal minority

VI - whilst I agree with you in principle, where I work it's easier to get away with lower utilisation as you go up the organisation because you can book more time to "business development". As long as you book proposed deals on the system regularly, no matter how realistic or successful they are, there is no comeback. I'm loving it.

Mercerful - how naive. How long will it take before you get caught? (unless you work for CG ... but your nick suggests othervise).If I were you I would start looking for a job asap... b ut I am sure you already are

Mercerful, where I work, those who can get away with booking loads of time to 'business development' generally have low utilisation targets (or no utilisation targets). They do, however, have revenue targets -- and they are definitely measured on those.Besides, at the higher levels, most of the guys are shooting for partner. They're desperate for revenue so that they get the keys to the kingdom.

The one advantage of being off the clock at PA is you don't need to sit in the office til 10pm every night trying to look busy and fit in to what the busy people do. They actually understand you have a life. My first 6 months at PA were off the clock, the next 7 years were maybe 2-6 weeks off a year depending on the economic climate.

I've found the opposite in PA: my time on the bench is usually manic and involves late nights and weekend working - I've been pulled between developing thought leadership, writing proposals, delivering training, and partners trying to get you to do research for them. I've always scrambled to get back on to client facing work, so I can have a rest !!!!There is no concept of Work - Life balance in PA, certainly not in BTG

I've just left BT where "life's a bench".

"...I've been pulled between developing thought leadership, writing proposals, delivering training, and partners trying to get you to do research for them."What level are you? To be honest, it sounds as if your biggest problem is not saying no or not delegating enough, to be writing proposals etc. AND doing mundane things such as research tells you where your life goes. Yes, partners write your end of year review, but you are allowed to say no to them, part of getting promoted is being able to manage yourself and others, it's not measured on the number of hours in the day you put in. You may notice you're one of the few people in the office beyond 7pm!

"You may notice you're one of the few people in the office beyond 7pm!"Is this true ? Does everyone at PA do a 9 - 5? I heard they were amateurish, and relied mainly on public sector jobs, but this is really taking the mickey !!!With a work ethic like that, no wonder PA doesn't win any decent FTSE 100 work and pay peanuts

Ha ha, yeah we're Mickey Mouse, working with all the same clients as other consultancies but because we rely on people actually doing real work beside clients and not locking ourselves in a room to write reports we don't need to work 16 hour days. You can earn more at PA than many places, it's all performance related. If you think you're so good, try and have an interview and then let us have a right laugh at you when you try to sell yourself based on your pigeon-holed Excel or IT skills

Bri500 - I've always noted that you love to criticize people to the point of getting rude when they make a comment. You've praised PA alot so well and good but don't try to stop other people from expressing their opinions. Many people do not like the place and it would be appreciated if you took note of that.Now as its performance related and you can earn more than other places, I trust you would not going forth bother responding to the criticism and enjoy the merits of your performance?