I will soon be joining a Big 4 advisory service line at senior consultant level. I am moving from "industry" (contracting as a project manager in mainly financial services and public sector organisations) to a consultancy firm so I have always chosen which projects I work on.I have a barrage of question about this since I really have no idea. I assumed you just get told what you'll be working on but I have come to realise it may be more "political" than that![list][*]How are senior consultants assigned to/selected for the project team on a client engagement (especially when you're new to the firm)?[*]Do you just get told which project you'll be on in the initial stages? What criteria are used to resource roles on project teams? [*]Do you have to build up an internal network so that you get better assignments? [*]Do you have to schmooze and "hussle" for assignments? [*]Is it very competitive between consultants at the same level trying to get "good" roles a project team, especially as you get closer to going for promotion?[/list]

BUMP! Anyone out there?

BUMP! Anyone out there?

not sure how it works in the Big 4, however in my experience there are two processes:1. the official line: liaise with HR and get staffed on projects as they determine.2. the "real" method: get chummy with the seniors and let them know you would like to work with them on their projects.I think you need really to use HR and follow the official process in case internal networking doesn't work, but definitely do the internal networking too as that's the quickest route to getting staffed on the projects that you want to get staffed on.My best advice would be to find somebody reasonably senior who is willing to take you under their wing and who will pull you onto his/her projects (or ones that he/she is working on). You can usually be quite direct about asking somebody to be your mentor - people are usually quite flattered by it and are usually happy to help.