Hi All,As time nears for my start at ACN, I had a few practical queries for Senior Consultants.For referance, I am joining the CHT group at C31. Consultants at Small firms dress as per the client's work place - is this the same for ACN or do the men always have to wear suits, formal jackets, ties etc?2. Once working for a client, are work timings as per client hours? I know the standard 'you always work late' and 'read your contract' but again, I'm looking for practical answers. For example, if I come into work at 8am some day, will eyes roll if I leave by 4 or 4:30pm - its standard practise where I work now but not sure about ACN3. Everyone talks of long hours and tremendous work pressure. Keeping this aside, if a Consultant is put on a not-so-demanding role, then are work hours quite standard and sticking to the 9-6 routine?4. Finally, a lot has been said but none confirming ACN's policy on business numbers. Does ACN provide all Consultants with a Business Phone as I do not want to give out my personal number to update hungry clients. Also heard of some cases were they provide an option of making your personal phone the business one but really sounds illogicalHope for some straightforward answers rather than sarcastic jibes but dont mind some humorous answers / anecdotes as well !!!CheersAces

you need to preserve some element of distance - the client will not see you as one of them 1. dress broadly as per the level of client you face off to but respecting 'professional dress' boundaries even if they don't.. 2. yes, eyes would roll.

1. Differs from project to project. If clients wear suit and tie, mirror it. If they wear 'whatever you're comfortable in' such as at Vodafone (where you will inevitably end up if you're in CHT) - then it really depends what the rest of your project does. Usually suit and no tie or chinos / shirt.2. Eyes will roll when you leave at 5pm, even if you came in at 7am.3. Sometimes you can luck out and get a role that is 9-6 most days, these are probably few and far between. 10-20% of roles I would guess.4. You can order a phone and new sim as part of our corporate deal with Vodafone. Many people do this.Good luck with this.A question for you, if you don't mind; How many years experience at the small firm do you have and what did they offer you?

Thanks guys - these inputs help get an idea.Very surprised on this entire concept of 'staying late every night means working hard and billing well' but I know enough not to be surprised.Wonder why, on an occasion or two, one cannot come in at 8 and leave at 5 in case it's required. So would eyes roll if you slog it out, get results and leave by 6 or 7? I dont buy the fact that a majority of the Consulting workforce on an average works 10hrs everyday - Guess Im too green to get this into my thick skull - will know better once I start!I totally accept and have done long hours during crunch times but it wasnt crunch time from Day 1 on a project. Crunch time does not take up more than 15% of the total project duration so wonder everyday must be dragged out for so long.Mike - Spent just over 6 years in a mid sized Consultancy before getting the ACN offer. Total package of £56k - lets see how it goes at ACN.Why do you ask?Aces

I'm interviewing for Manager at ACN. If I'm getting a bunch of 'consultants' who need to ask a board like this about suits, working late and mobile phones, then I think I might withdraw. And seriously, why is everyone so obsessed with the mobile thing? "Do I get an IPhone? That would really make me look cool and important"Deary me.

Its better to put your hands up, openly state you dont know how ACN works specifically and ask the questions RATHER than assume what ACN does.While most of us know how the Consulting world works, its always good to get certain obvious doubts cleared out than just think we know how it does.And on those lines, I'm pretty sure you will find it tough in ACN, given you havent read my query clearly and the pretext for asking these. Avoid joining ACN and then leaving in a year's time cribbing how bad ACN are and not what you thought it to be and spare us the trouble!Aces

Kind of with anon on this... the amount of times people come on this board to ask questions like this ..well .. it makes interesting read. I can understand it prior to an interview etc. but after accepting an offer and about to start..You've signed on the dotted line and have a start date..hypothetically what if the ans. you got to your questions above were to the extreme / not what you expected? Would you then not show up on your start date? What in the world do people ask HR nowadays when they have been made an offer or indeed during the recruitment process.. wow...

Aces, did you actually read that reply back before posting it? The grammar and syntax make it practically indecipherable. However, after a couple of reads, I think you were; 1) accusing me of not having read your post properly 2) defending your pointless questions by saying that it's better to ask than not to know3)and then telling me, with the benefit of your immense experience, that I will find life at ACN very difficult.Firstly, I read your post very carefully. It went something like:1. Help guys, do I need a new wardrobe?2. Am I really going to have to work all those hours3. What, really!4. Do I get a phone and will it be a Blackberry/IPhone/Eseries or shall I go and buy one so I look important. Secondly, the questions you are asking are the sort that you should be able to get answers to yourself within a half hour of walking through the door in your new position. If you can't then chances are you shouldn't be doing it. Finally, you haven't the first idea about how hard I may or may not find it at ACN. You don't know me and you don't yet know the company. And as a serious aside, if, before even getting day one out of the way, you are worrying about having to 'drag out' every day - then I think you have bigger things to worry about than your wardrobe and your mobile phone.Anyway, good luck in the new role and perhaps our paths will cross one day. I'll be the one in the Ozwald Boateng suit and an IPhone4.

Aces appears to be a regular contributor to this forum and gets upset when others call him for naive posts or for pruporting to be an expert on Acn by advising others on what they should expect when he has not even joined yet.To put it bluntly he is a passive aggressive charlatan and will no doubt explode in the next post claiming that his questions are completely valid and then go off on a tangent that makes no sense.

It gets all the more clearer every day that this forum is being monitored by Crap than actual Consultants. If there were REAL consultants here, I would not have had to spell out the reason behind each question in so much detail.But since this is the case, here is my reasoning1. Firstly, all these were asked to HR and HR dont seem to have a clue how to answer - yes, ask ur manager, no, ask your manager, maybe ask your manager, good question etc2. I put these questions here to get more specific answers but its freaking pointless. HR give text book answers but you so called Consultants, I thought, would know better3. I dont give a damn about mobile phones - i have enough of them. My question was for a Business Number - I dont want clients calling me on my personal num. Even young and decent kids just out of college dont think a swanky new company phone is a big deal - grow up!4. Wardrobes - how thick headed are you lot? It's easier to dress is formals, smart casuals when you commute and not all clients/consultancies are so stuck up about their attire. ACN HR dont know the answer and so I thought I'd ask here how it is in most cases.5. Work timings - if you read my post, I asked WHAT IF and I dont intend to breeze in and out of work - my question was WHY and WHY NOT - is it really so much of an embarrassment to ask the question?A few members have clearly stated that this forum is filled more with trolls and have been consultants who, because of failing consulting careers, come on here and bitch around and talk shite - and I'm not surprised seeing all your replies!!!!Thank you allAces

Aces you don't do yourself favours with your tone unfortunately. ZB was as straight to the bone as always, worth considering that.But here is some straight forward pointers.Attire. Invest in some well fitting, neutral suits. Greys suit most well, and you can play around with this a little with a price of wales or suchlike, keep them in a narrow fit and you will be surprised at how they take you everywhere - tie on, smart, tie off just look well dressed and 'together'. You need to look like you are worth the buck for your clients after all. As for clients calling you on your personal mobile, just be pleased if they are calling you at all - chance to network with them, show them your credibility etc. If you have plenty of phones just pick one for work contacts. Working hours - well that goes with the territory. Dont be the first to leave. Not only will the client raise an eyebrow but your project team will not take kindly to it. No one can go into consulting wanting regular hours, but the burn out rate is relatively low, so most people will find a happy medium.

Some observations:1. Firstly, all these were asked to HR and HR dont seem to have a clue how to answer - yes, ask ur manager, no, ask your manager, maybe ask your manager, good question etc <b> Write a note to one of the directors there. They need to know if their own HR dept can&apos;t even give a straight response to this one. HR is there to serve the company, not fudge around trivial issues like this. As a new joiner, they should go and get you the answer if they don&apos;t know it. For the record, the answer is that you should wear a suit and tie unless you notice everyone else on the project wearing casual, in which case you wear chinos and a shirt without a tie.</b>2. I put these questions here to get more specific answers but its freaking pointless. HR give text book answers but you so called Consultants, I thought, would know better <b>As far as I can tell, they&apos;ve answered your questions fairly directly. Remember, the world of consulting (and, dare I say, particularly the large consulting firms) is full of people who are full of bluster and are deliberately unhelpful. The guys on here can be extremely rude, but their advice is generally sound. You can tell that several of them are particularly experienced because they no longer have that starry-eyed look of wonder and are under no illusions about the practical realities and downsides of consulting.</b>3. I dont give a damn about mobile phones - i have enough of them. My question was for a Business Number - I dont want clients calling me on my personal num. Even young and decent kids just out of college dont think a swanky new company phone is a big deal - grow up! <b>Well regardless of whether you get a company phone, don&apos;t give your personal number to clients if you don&apos;t want them using it! This is very, very simple. If ACN gets all shirty about it, tell them you don&apos;t have a damn personal mobile and they should give you a payrise if they want you to be able to afford one. Or tell them you do have a personal number but it&apos;s just that - personal. </b>4. Wardrobes - how thick headed are you lot? It&apos;s easier to dress is formals, smart casuals when you commute and not all clients/consultancies are so stuck up about their attire. ACN HR dont know the answer and so I thought I&apos;d ask here how it is in most cases. <b>Stick with a suit one day one of a project and you can&apos;t go far wrong. If the dress code turns out to be more relaxed, take off your jacket and tie. Then, later, go in wearing chinos or whatever. This is easy.</b>5. Work timings - if you read my post, I asked WHAT IF and I dont intend to breeze in and out of work - my question was WHY and WHY NOT - is it really so much of an embarrassment to ask the question? <b>It took me about 10 years to figure out the answer to this one. You want to know the truth? It&apos;s because consultancy isn&apos;t a real profession and the type of people that work for large consulting firms are generally extremely insecure and worried about their job. They can&apos;t rely on professional status and constantly have to keep proving their worth, so one way of doing that is to be seen as diligent and putting in long hours. My advice is to be yourself - you may raise eyebrows, but if you&apos;re blunt about it with your line manager and get the job done, people will appreciate it. Everyone secretly wants the trend to reverse - i.e. they want everyone else to start leaving the office early so that they too can leave early. Don&apos;t drop people in the sh1t or be lazy on projects, but if you have got the job done, then go home! Nobody appreciates the extra mile anyway. Believe me, in a large consulting firm, if you give then they will take. And take they will. Don&apos;t be yet another burnout victim that gave some corporation the best years of his life only to end up redundant with 4 weeks notice. Get the job done, do a good job, be direct and truthful with your manager, and leave the long hours brigade to stay sitting at their desk ordering groceries from Ocado at 10pm every night, just they way they like it.</b>

Thank you Mars and Cynic - got what I was looking for and happy to see lines of reasoning in there.My apologies for sounding rude or daft or both - it&apos;s just that I&apos;m fed up with people who want the money that Consulting gives but cannot put up with the mess that comes with it. It&apos;s quite simple really - those who want perfect 9-5 roles end up getting a mid £40k package but are very happy and relaxed - they rarely crib about pay.But in Consulting, 99% get in first for the money and second for the real hard knuckle work and then become very negative - you cant expect £70k plus packages without 9/10 hr days. And I have never seen so much whining and complaining before landing on this forum! People should get on with it or walk away and not spend eternity cribbing every time they get the chance to do so!As for me, I dont mind long hours but it has not become a permanent thing in my career - what I tend to do is come in to work by 7am but end early by 5/6pm - sounds strange but my brain works that way and all my previous clients had no issues given the fact I got the work done no matter how demanding or bad it was. You think I dont see those very types in my work at the mo? They tend to come in early and work until 8pm every day with an efficieny rate of 0 - so I dont give a damn to what others think or how they roll their eyes - I have come this far doing my work just fine and ensuring I am happy with the way my work hours pan out - and will continue to do so as much as possible. I cant be a schmuck on Day 1 but you get my ideaAbout business phones, I have already planned to get a SIM, stick it in and use it for work because I know the importance of networking - I just asked the question to know what ACN normally do in such instances.And finally the attire - I have well tailored suits gathering dust in my wardrobe - in most cases, its just a suit on Day 1 followed by months of chinos/shorts or formals and hence asked what&apos;s the ground reality at various client bases at ACN - thanks for the detailed reply to this.And HR are the same everywhere on this planet - the last and worst mistake one can do is listen to the HR and assume what they say is the ultimate truth, and keep mum without having the courage to ask a well known forum the most basic of questions!CheersAces

Tip for when you land at Accenture Aces,If you speak or write emails in the same style or tone as you post to this forum, you will not last long. Unless you coming in as a SE (in which your may be tolerated)Suggest you try shortening your posts too - almost all your points could be made more succintly.

Point noted u=Uncle Bill - I dont write this much professionally and I would not tolerate myself if I wrote in such a tone and manner at my work place - there should be some advantages of posting on an anonymous forum right - aah the freedom of speech and all that jazz :-)Aces

Aces,If you have spent "just over 6 years in a mid sized Consultancy before getting the ACN offer" and you&apos;re still asking questions about dress code and mobiles (i.e. kind of questions that green grads ask) then I seriously suggest that you take a spare pair of pants with you on your first day.How you mess the pair you wear will depend on whether you get over-excited before or after you panic.I&apos;m offering 2-1 on an early spurt3-1 an akward smell

I understand,Advantage gained here is that you come accross as w****r - but credit for keeping the last post short.Well done!

Leave Aces alone!! (done in the style of the Leave Britney Alone guy)His boundless enthusiasm for and attachment to a company he hasn&apos;t yet joined is an inspiration to all of our hardened, cynical hearts. But where he goes above and beyond is giving advice on said company despite clearly knowing nothing about consulting whatsoever. If I were to be nasty I&apos;d say he&apos;ll fit in at ACN spot-on, offering expertise on topics he hasn&apos;t even heard of, but that would be misrepresenting the company - it just isn&apos;t that dishonest. The next 12 months should be a great learning experience for Aces. I just hope he&apos;ll let us know when he gets his first constructive feedback session - given the maturity displayed so far it should give good value.

Lovely, mature and sensible comments for all you well experienced and great professionals on this forum.But yeah, I never had a long crappy career over the past 7/8 years so my work has not made me so sullen, depressed and miserable to have such a nasty and forelorn outlook in life - but hey, what am I in front of all you geniuses...just a lowly over enthusiastic fool :-)BTW - will surely be on this forum and let you all know how it goes - there&apos;s no shame in admitting what happens - either I will be proven wrong or most of you here will - which is fine because you have already labelled me enough...Hope you all have better luck in your professional lives going ahead..and do try being happy and positive sometimes, it sure helps :-)CheersAces

hm. dunno mate. I think you come across as a know it all and always have to have the last word. prove me wrong?

Aces makes a reference to "college" in one of his posts, perhaps he is American.

His English is certainly poor enough to be an American, but he does not use enough nouns as verbs to be a yank. e.g. "Why are you guys feedbacking me so bad?" I suspect "college" refers to the Further College of Education where Aces did his HND in Media Studies.

Man - as I rightly said - there sure seems to be a lot of those who have seriously made a mess of their professional lives on this forum trying to make life a misery for as many people as possible and convince the world that every company sucks :-) Dont you guys have anything better to do or does this forum attract more losers with only negative thoughts?Wonder when you all gave up your hope for a decent professional life and realized that you have failed in your careers and now just live life like a drone? Ha ha ha.....keep moaning and whinging, its great to see you vent out your disgust and take a stab at me!Aces

I rescind my earlier comments. That last post was beautifully written. It reminded me of a young Jane Austen; the light witty touch wrapped around a barely concealed searing insight... Perhaps it was an MA in English Lit at Cambrdge and not an HND in Media Studies after all?

Aces you sound like an absolute bell-end.You&apos;ll go far.