Hi I am considering applying to this group - I am currently in a niche IB player - I would be applying to FPM side. Can anyone shed some light onto ho BAS is developing / growing?Thanks

I can only talk about the ICG bit (non-FS) of FPM, but it seems to be going ok. New people joining weekly, guess normal about 80%+ people on jobs, culture open and friendly, I think a good quality of people.Lots of people wanting to progress will make pay review and promo time intresting.

I take it you are in a support role at the moment. What level are you looking to join at?

what is a support role? Im front office. I am an associate, looking to come in as snr manager. I am 27. the pay is less than half, but i know the hours are too and thats very appealing to me.

I'm in BAS. The culture is the thing that I like the most. Open, honest, friendly, great work ethic (but not insane), consultants and partners are supportive but tough. A lot of good people have joined. Good for business, but will make promotion tough. (though I guess promotion should be tough!)We've just had all the ICG consultants (nearly 300) at a Cambridge College for a black tie night and then a day of fun and learning. It felt like my old firm before we were sold to IBM! We do two of these "Timeouts" a year. The one before this was a night in Brighton where we all stayed over in the Grand Hotel then had fun around Brighton on a treasure hunt.

The atmosphere is simply fantastic. It's great to be part of this big team. There are a lot of people from IBM, some Accenture folks. Managers are great - they are demanding but fair. Partners are truly inspirational leaders. We've got a number of initiatives that recognise our people: Best of the Best, Chairman Value Awards, to name a few. You can nominate EY people who are the best exponents of our values and they get to meet our Global Chairman or something like that.

i think its the opposite. the culture is fake, the people are clones, the work is meager, cut backs are soon to come, the strategy group is pathetically organised, some partners are lost.

Much as I love BAS-baiting, this description could apply to more than half the businesses out there (both in consultancy and industry).

pedro which team you in ? I don't think I know any that are like that ?or is it that failed to make it at interview ?

This the silliest critique: when one offers a negative opinion, everyone at BAS immediately comes out and says you didn't make the interview process? As if the real BAS is so perfect that only those who fail to get in can criticise it? What an empty and desperate argument.BAS can be lived in many ways. I do not hesitate to believe that those that came from Accenture, IBM, atos etc have found it a breath of fresh air - filled with talented people. However, someone coming from IB / or a strat house might view the atmosphere, talent and leadership differently. Accept that.

It's not just a matter of "IBM vs. IB" background. You have to remember both that BAS hired a lot of fresh grads and that most users of this forum are at the younger end of the spectrum. There are plenty of people at BAS who simply don't know that an organisation can be better run, or who are still in the "honeymoon" period where it's a novelty to be working in a big office with brand-name clients.You can't criticise people for believing there's a really good culture and team environment - a shared belief that these things exist goes a long way towards realising them. I just worry that in a couple of years a lot of bubbles will be bursting at around the same time unless things improve to meet the high expectations our new hires have.Of course, we all know those who are desperate to believe they are something special, either by being a big fish in the small talent pond or by pretending the they are part of something very special. Let's just try to ignore their group emails and focus on building something slightly less mediocre.

BAS is really dominated by the failed ex-IBM and Accenture partners. The culture is slowly sliding that way.

I'm in BAS; I have 12 years consulting under my belt. I dont recognised the culture and work commented on by the last two postings...the consultants around me are all very capable indeed.....Ignore the acid from those that aren't in BAS...I feel sorry for johnny and frm....I assume that they are part of some great big SI machine and are just plain sad to be there...the BAS business is going very well indeed and is a great place to work.

What will first strike anyone from the normal world is how indoctrinated so many people are in BAS. EY are clever. They don't pay enough but spin a great story about values, the EY way, etc. With the low pay structure to get people to join they take them in on a higher grade. So, if you have 2-3 years of grad experience in industry or are an analyst at ACN or IBM they take you as Consultant, if you are a Consultant - as Manager, etc. The bottom line the pay is shite. They are bobbling along in this buoyant market - neither an SI nor a start house - just fluff about 'differentiated customer experience'

pinko - I already am in BAS. I don't hate it - there are plenty of worse places to be. But I'm not blind to reality. Are you sure you're not one of the progenitors of the b/s group emails?If so, please note that it's such an impersonal communication medium, you'd be better off halving the time you spend writing them and instead drop a voicemail, or even talk to people face to face. The message might be more credible that way.

I am currently a senior manager in BAS, and I guess I will throw in my two cents to this debate as well. I think that BAS is growing very well: we are winning more work, our jobs are getting bigger, we have a good spread of 'household name' clients and we are bringing more new consultants onboard every day.Like pinko, I do not recognise the organisation I work for in the comments of some. I think my partner team are great, really visionary and genuinely committed to building a great consulting organisation. This is definitely not a place for IBM or Accenture cast-offs, and if anything, the quality of people I work with today is better than what I have come across elsewhere.I have worked in a number of consulting organisations, both Big 4/5/6 (as they were) and smaller niche players, so I am speaking with a decent frame of reference. BAS is genuinely different.I really like working here and wouldn't trade it for the world. The pay isn't rubbish -- it isn't class-leading but it's certainly within the normal range for the grade. The hours are good and the home-life balance is genuinely respected.It's easy to sit outside and throw stones at BAS without really knowing the whole story. If you are really interested in BAS, don't believe everything you read here. Come down, talk to a few people, and make your mind up for yourself.

Fine, I am one of the partners of BAS - ill let you decide which one. I can take this opportunity to answer any questions, anonymously, openly and honestly. Ill check the site regularly today.

Where has the previous post gone? Why is this site constantly censored at Top Consultants whim? Can you please explain why that was removed??

I think it was because the poster actually put their real name by mistake and was discussing sensitive issues.

Or maybe because she named someone else...

and another post deleted. incredible. why does BAS HR regularly speak with Top Conusltant staff?

How do you know that? Do you not think that perhaps the poster just got it removed?

interesting

IBM also used to regularly get any criticism of their so-called consulting division pulled, when ever it appeared here.Given that many of the partners from IBM now work in BAS, its no surprise to see that they've brought this behaviour with them.

The comment in question was removed because it purported to be by a particular member of the consulting team there - who called to say this was a hoax.It would be nice if you'd give us some credit for running this forum in a professional manner - rather than always assuming that any deletion is some kind of client cover-up. But then everyone loves a conspiracy theory!Tony Restell (Top-Consultant.com)