Churn and burn agency with lip service to work-life balance
Pros
Training programs are great for new college grads with little experience. I participated in the Microsoft Dynamics AX "Bootcamp" which was a very rigorous training program that brought new hires with little to no experience in ERP software up to speed very quickly - but only if you put in the effort. After initial training program you can earn multiple Microsoft certifications that have value even if you leave the company, which most do sooner or later. Also, close ties to Microsoft are of great benefit when working on projects.
Cons
They follow a churn and burn model for their consultants, forcing them to travel extensively while paying salaries that are much lower than their competitors. They also charge clients a premium rate for the overtime their consultants work without passing any of the earnings on to the consultants. Consultants are encouraged to pretend they know more than they do for clients and learn on the job, which is difficult. Managers have very outdated ways of thinking, and believe that extensive processes and methodologies are all that is necessary to successful project delivery. They cling to an antiquated methodology that insists you can eliminate all uncertainty on projects and a "one-size" fits all development approach, at least within the ERP practice, which leads to disastrous results. Project managers who have no working knowledge of the product they are implementing are valued over consultants who do all the legwork for clients. Project managers are valued for handling clients well instead of leading effective teams. Overall, working hard is valued over working smart. HR representatives and career managers don't always look out for your best interests, and even when they do, they can't overrule senior management to help you. Your colleagues may be smart, dedicated, hard-working employees, but poor management leads to constant thrashing on projects. Overall, these methods are still profitable to the company, so burning through consultants is no problem because they focus a great deal on training and can always hire more college graduates who are eager to start their careers.
