Vault’s Verdict

As a true boutique with a genuine focus on creating positive social impact, Applied Value represents an opportunity for those seeking management consulting careers with a sense of purpose. That’s not to say that there is anything wishy-washy about the firm’s approach or work product; Applied Value consultants work hard to deliver results for clients in a highly competitive field.

On the work life balance side, the firm’s small status can lead to longer hours at peak times, while there is no shortage of firm-building work available for those with bandwidth. As such, this is a firm where every employee has a sense of ownership, and where career development opportunities aren’t sought out so much as there for the taking. All of which adds up to a firm that offers a highly rewarding experience—with the one tradeoff being a compensation package that doesn’t quite hit the heights of some of the industry’s bigger-name firms.

Firm Culture

“As opposed to other firms, Applied Value actively challenges practitioners of all levels to take more ownership. Period. That manifests in Senior Consultants generating actual leads that Senior Managers support and joint sell. It means Managers and Senior managers owning client accounts. And ultimately, it means AV talent is encouraged and free to leverage their interests and talents rather than wait for permission from a top-heavy B4/MBB-esque firm.”

“Corporate social responsibility is a priority for the company and the founder. We donate time and a significant amount of money to global and local charities, focusing on supporting people find employment and addressing poverty.”

“Entrepreneurial firm of smart and driven consultants, that provides countless opportunities for growth.”

“The early responsibility at applied value is a key strength, as you are exposed early on to clients and to complex work.”

“Three legs of the business: Consulting, Investment (portfolio companies), Social Responsibilities. Able to get involved in all areas of the business.”

Quality of Life

“Applied value is very flexible and realistic in its quality of life. You have the flexibility to work from home or in the office, which is something I value highly. Travel is dependent on the project, but it is very reasonable. Time off is encouraged at all levels of the company. Overall, my quality of life has been very reasonable, both in terms of hours worked and flexibility of WFH.” 

“I work about 10-12 hours per day, which is long, but manageable.”

“Projects vary from 6 weeks to 6 months, allowing for plenty of different experiences.”

“The best aspect is the culture. We are small so we are very close with all co-workers, and we travel a lot together (both for client work and offsites). Hours are a little iffy, especially the weird culture of people not wanting to leave office even with no work (though this has declined a LOT since I started).”

“The travel policies at Applied Value are better than any other consulting firm's that I've heard of. I love the flexible client travel policy and the biannual international offsites.”

Compensation

“Applied Value provided a mid-year salary bump to all consultants of 8% to match the CPI print. The firm is very attentive to talent retention.”

“Competitive compensation that scales quickly, defined-benefit plan, ability to invest in group portfolio companies starting at manager level.”

“Overall, the compensation package is very good, with a good salary and good healthcare coverage.”

“Salary progression is very difficult. We are given a base for your position, which doesn't change for 1.5-2 years. Don't think we have yearly inflationary raises either, so you could be stuck with the same salary for multiple years.”

“The salaries feel to be lagging behind competitors.”

Career Development

“Applied Value has a great horizontal structure that allows employees of all levels to interact with more senior leadership of the firm. They present a very clear career path and are very transparent in terms of promotions.”

“Applied Value places significant emphasis early in consultants’ careers on sales components. This is positive as it is a skill set essential to those seeking a career in consulting; but also challenging in that it may push away talent that otherwise would benefit the firm (i.e., introverts).”

“Career progression happens faster than at other firms, mostly driven by the immense responsibility you are given when first starting your career with Applied Value.” 

“Everyone from the CEO to other consultants engages in informal mentoring and coaching opportunities. I would say it is one of the strongest aspects of the firm, everyone is willing to help each other in any way.”

“The best aspect is the level of responsibility you get at a young age. You are expected to contribute in a meaningful way as soon as you come in, regardless of your experience level. The negative aspect is in regards to the project diversity. I feel that there isn't as large of a breadth of things to do so the sectors you can learn about are limited.”

Community Engagement

“Have been significant efforts by the firm to increase gender diversity, there are now more women than there has ever been previously. Need improvement specifically on ethnic/racial diversity."

“Made a recent push to hire diverse managers at our company. Hired woman-only recruiting firm focused on recruiting only women in leadership roles.”

Business Outlook

“Applied Value is well positioned to compete against name brand consulting firms due to a uniquely pervasive attitude of ownership across the firm. That means that we actively build meaningful relationships among our client base and provide more personalized services for our key clients.”

“Great employee morale; leadership keeps employees feeling like owners.”

“Macroeconomic factors as well as client performance are the primary factors for concern. However, I trust leadership to navigate these potentially tough times.” 

"Some concentration within top client accounts provides risk. High expertise in current hot topics, including raw materials, electrification have generated high inflow of opportunities.”

“The firm is doing very well. We are maintaining key accounts while expanding our account portfolio, performing projects for a variety of new clients this year. I have full confidence in the leadership and the direction we are going in.”

Hiring Process

“AV seeks future partners.”

“Fairly standard: resume screen, initial fit interview / market sizing, manager level interview with case and super-day partner level case.”

“Ideal candidates have ‘future partner potential’. Ability to do project work and to sell work.”

“Seeking entrepreneurial people who look to take ownership of workstreams and projects early on in their career. Not just looking for data crunchers, you need to be able to communicate effectively with clients immediately.”

“We seek proactive, high-EQ/IQ, sociable individuals who we believe have the capability to become partners at the firm overtime. Candidates that lack coachability and are not team players are actively removed from our candidate pipeline.”

Interview Questions

“Case studies based on real project examples (manufacturing footprint, commodity risk mitigation, investment opportunity analysis).”

“Should we open a pizza or bagel shop in NYC?”

“Make a presentation on the potential recommendations to help Apple deal with the IC shortage.”