A diverse, intellectually-focused firm that should weather the current storm and be positioned for continued growth.
Pros
Above all, there is a real commitment to living by its core values. This is not to say that incidents don't occur which violate them - but that they appear to play a larger role in the day to day culture of the organization than any other consulting firm I have worked with/for. As well, they are reinforced by a true 360 performance evaluation process. This process is time consuming, but in many ways it provides a buffer against favoritism and bias influencing salary and promotion decisions,by mandating a broad range of feedback sources and oftentimes also involving an objective 3rd party reviewer to collect and compile input into an initial evaluation. The workforce impresses in the range of experience, with colleagues from a variety of different backgrounds including private sector consulting, engineering, military service, intelligence and security fields, and the non-profit world. This diversity of background is one aspect of the Firm's overall diversity approach, which was energized in past years by the Board Diversity Initiative, and is now reaching its 5-year anniversary. While the workforce comes from diverse backgrounds, an appreciation for the intellectual rigor brought to addressing problems unites them; Booz Allen's work style and training in logical problem structuring and analysis helps to reinforce this commonality. Finally, the overall stability of the organization during current and previous economic cycles represents a clear advantage during this time, and with potential opportunities growing in the years following the Booz Allen/Booz & Co. separation, the future outlook continues to be positive.
Cons
The quality of life at Booz Allen definitely depends upon the project an individual is assigned to. In particular, there are the "black hole" engagements where someone may be staffed and not reappear for years; this is even more typical with government clients than in the private sector. While this can help with career advancement by positioning someone to know a client well and grow their business case for moving into a management role, it can also prove stultifying for those individuals who enjoy the frequency of change and new experiences that consulting has traditionally offered. As well, Booz Allen - rightly or wrongly - suffers from the perception that its compensation is not in par with the market, due in part to the perceived quality of life trade-offs (e.g. limited/no travel for staff). This will continue to be an on-going challenge, although those who actively engage their leadership can sometimes drive for improved salary adjustments - a case where the "squeaky wheel" approach works well. Finally, as in any organization, politics are a consideration; in Booz Allen, they come into play in part with the competition for advancement encouraging territoriality around specific clients and/or capability areas.
