Pros
Compensation including bonus structure merit-based and aligned with larger Management Consulting firms. Quality of work very interesting if curious about the aerospace & defense market. Relatively flat structure with all team members below the Managing Director level exposed to similar work responsibilities. High level of interaction with corporate management (often $1B+ global companies) as well as private equity clients (including the largest funds). Boutique-nature of firm allows for vertical movement and exposure to all levels of internal management. Quality learning experience leveraging institutional knowledge of upper management. Exposure to both strategic consulting work and M&A advisory work. Working hours dependent on employee efficiency and preference, 'face time' in the office not much of an issue. Unlike larger consulting firms, travel required less than twice a month on average for no more than two/three nights. Travel well. Significant opportunity to demonstrate talent and hard work to upper management.
Cons
Coordination and project management between upper management could be improved. Narrow work-life balance a result of high volume of engagements annually. Often required to balance 2-3 engagements at once. Consequently, difficult to plan long-term (e.g., vacations) as a result of short-term notice of new engagements. Less resources compared to larger consulting firms such as dedicated HR, IT, research teams. Teams often spread thin by volume of engagements annually; increase of head count specifically at the lower level would alleviate constraints and burden. No formal training program, expectation to learn through experience; a positive for some.