Pros
Having worked for a number of other large management consulting firms, I always just assumed that being in the industry, you had to accept a poor work-life balance, prioritise sales, focus on specialism, navigate highly political environments, etc. That is before joining The Berkeley Partnership.
Throughout my 1.5 years here, I am constantly reminded of why I got into the industry in the first place and why I can't imagine going back to a larger firm. At The Berkeley Partnership:
- You are able to work on some exceptionally interesting and challenging projects, without feeling like you need to push a sale or specialise to progress. Before 2 years, I have already undertaken interim, strategy, and programme mobilisation, management and assurance roles across three different sectors.
- You are recognised for doing great work, without having to constantly market yourself internally.
- You are treated like an adult and given the freedom to make your own decisions and choices on how to run a project, whilst you have the support of your peers and the partnership group.
- You are able to join in on the social stuff as much or as little as you like - there's always lots going on and it's always great fun.
- You feel part of something special, working within a group of incredibly smart, talented and decent individuals who all value each other and the firm.
Cons
The Berkeley model means that you don't have a horde of more junior consultants from your firm who you manage on a project. Instead, Berkeley teams are made up of one or two Consultants with Partner support who will manage client and/or third party teams on a project. This can be daunting and challenging at first, especially when you're used to being part of large consulting teams.