Can anyone please advise why so many consultancies are such dreadful places to work?I can't quite put my finger on it. Whether it's the lack of job security, the back stabbing over-competitive colleagues, the constant pressure to be superman and 'the best ever consultant in the whole world', relentless stress and working hours, the 70 hour weeks followed by idiots who then insist on arranging drinks down the pub on a Friday night (as if you've not already spent enough time in their company!), or the fact that despite being the 'masters of the universe' many of us live in crappy little flats that are worse than the council flats given to many illegal immigrants free of charge, one thing's for sure - it ain't glamourous.

Don't do it then. Move on.

Thanks, but you've answered the wrong question.The question was "Can anyone please advise why so many consultancies are such dreadful places to work?"

All the reasons you mention, deal with it you cowardly worm! Perhaps if you were less antisocial? I'm not saying invite them home to meet your mum but a few beers with the people you work with is no bad thing... Consultants are people too! T

Well Dave,I think the responses that you've received so far say it all!I didn't enjoy the working conditions I faced as a consultant neither - although I did make some good friends at my old employer.Fortunately, I escaped! I did my MBA and made the move into banking. Yeah, the pressure and working conditions are just as bad - but the money is much better!

Thanks jb, I have been considering the move to banking as you suggest.Basically my logic is that the conditions can't be any worse. I originally chose consulting because I wanted interesting work and great people to work with. In fact, the work is OK and the people are in general just dreadful - there is something about the 'type' of person that becomes a consultant (especially at the big companies) that just repels me. I think it's because there are no professional barriers to entry and as such all sorts of unqualified and unsuitable people can come along and start pretending they're good at the job.The conditions in banking seem similar as far as I can tell, but the pay in banking is better.

Dave,This is one of those occasions where I suggest a short reading of a particular behavioural psychologist will really help. Might I recommend that you read the Wikipedia entry for Herzberg, who created an excellent and succinct model for defining those aspects of our working environment that truly motivate us and those where improvements in motivation tends to be short term at best (and avoidance of de-motivation at worst).You are considering a course of action that can be clearly identified as feeding short term motivators – money, physical work environment, colleague social skills – while ignoring the factors that are believed to generate more long term, sustainable satisfaction.I first read Herzberg 20 years ago and the insight it gave remains searing. I suggest that all consultants at least read the one page Wikipedia entry. It is simple genius at its best.

Thanks, Mr Cool. The motivation factors are all there for me. Sadly it is all the hygiene factors that are missing. An interesting predicament.

Hmmm – genuinely interesting situation. High presence of motivational factors and low levels of hygene factors are rare amongst well paid professions. The situation is often the reverse with accountants, lawyers, consultants, etc complaining of a lack of fulfilment that they put up with simply because of economic benefits.What you are experiencing is much more common in “vocational” careers where there is a high degree of fulfilment which compensates for an pain in terms of hygene factors (generally low salary and budget pressures) – obvious examples being teaching and nursing. Increasingly people in these professions who get to the end of their tether find relief by moving to private sector schools or clinics where motivational factors are just as high, but the day to day working environment is 100% more pleasant. Would you consider a move to a smaller boutique consultancy? It might provide you with a better set of colleagues as they are often staffed with people who have experiences similar to your own and want to continue in consulting without having to work with pushy prats every day.