Vault’s Verdict

Life at the Poirier Group tends to be focused around growth—of individual consultants, clients, and the firm writ large. That makes for an environment that insiders report provides challenging, rewarding work and the ability to make rapid career progress—as well as gain a broad spectrum of industry experience through regular client interactions.

On a day-to-day basis, the firm’s culture is geared towards high performance. As a result, it is a place where open communication is valued—something that is supported by a flat hierarchy. Insiders report that relationships with colleagues are typically collegial and non-competitive, not marked by the kind of corporate politics seen in some competitors. All of that is supported by a strong focus on work/life balance and adds up to a firm that may suit those with a few years of experience who are looking for a change of pace.

Firm Culture

“A commitment to continuous improvement from management and staff.”

“Growing organization with strong leadership and healthy culture.”

“I have worked in a lot of places where I often felt like the smartest person in the room. That (almost) never happens here.”

“Our commitment to the relationships we have to our clients is quite a bit more personal than most other firms. This allows a level of trust most people don't have within their own organization, and it allows us to aid our clients in the most effective way possible. We are not working with the organization just for profit, we are there to make a lasting positive impact on the organization and the people we worked alongside.”

“We have a drama-free workplace. People are focused on creating results for our clients. There are no layers to navigate through given it's a flat structure so no one is ‘gunning’ for anyone's job. People learn from each other, have great mentors and grow on a steep curve. Thus, our delivery per unit time is that much better than our competitive, especially that of a larger scale. And we're able to do that at a lower cost given less overhead and more agility. This culture rubs off on our clients and they end up befriending us, and generating enormous trust, which is why we have 100% positive client experiences and relationships lasting more than 15 years.”

Quality of Life

“… Time off/PTO is very much encouraged and we are given a substantial allotment of time to take. I have never felt pressured to not take time off because of a project/client. Worst - the remote lifestyle has many benefits, but also limits team connectivity. This is true of any company that employs at hybrid work environment.”

“Consulting is tough in terms of work commitments. Our firm does a great job in managing and supporting you.”

“I've really enjoyed the experience of working at TPG. I've never had a strained relationship with anyone in the office or anyone I've worked under. I really enjoy the culture of open communication and feedback they have here as everyone communicates any issue or question early on before it becomes a bigger issue. No one is argumentative and everyone really wants you to succeed.”

“Within the consulting industry, the quality of life at The Poirier Group is very strong. Incentive pay is the highest we know of and the organization and fellow workers are very supportive of anyone who needs help or a break because of family needs. It feels very much like a family organization with strong values. This enables each of us to feel safe, secure and supported in new challenges. The commitment by senior management to avoid layoffs during downturns shows true commitment to our wellbeing. We can wrap up work at the end of the day and feel secure in knowing we are part of a truly caring company.”

Compensation

“Base pay is lower than competitors but balanced by a generous bonus that is productivity and performance based. The benefits package is strong.”

“I am currently very satisfied with my compensation package. For those that travel frequently, the expense rules could be updated to better support traveling consultants given inflation and price hikes.”

“The best is certainly the bonus plan which recognizes individual performance, team performance, and ability to bring in leads. The compensation package and bonus also considers our work on Purpose Beyond Profit, which is pro-bono work done by the company team members to help the not-for-profit and charities in the communities in which we engage. We were recognized as a winner for the last 3 years as Canada's Best Corporate Culture. This was a recognition of not only our values and culture but focus on diversity, equity and inclusion which included compensation. Management quietly provides perks such as trips and dinners for over and above performance.” 

“While I did not receive a bonus last year because I was still an intern, upon reading the bonus policy and hearing about the bonus structure from other employees I am excited for the end of the year. As well, the firm has a very extensive medical package. Those are my two favorite things about the compensation package. The worst thing about my firm's compensation package is that salary progression is only discussed once per year, which is disappointing for someone early in their career.”

Career Development

"Best aspect of my firm's career development opportunities is the meritocracy, leaving it truly in the hands of the individual. In addition, the flat structure provides everyone an equal opportunity to take on greater responsibility.

Worst aspect of my firm's career development opportunities is due to the size of our business and the clients we work with, some engagements are with smaller businesses. Those big-name opportunities are difficult to come by.”

“I appreciate that there is a willingness to teach me and give me exposure to anything I'd like to learn or be involved in, whether it's in scope of my position, or something totally new. There are tons of opportunities!”

“Our career development process offers lots of room to improve and grow, along with exploring different areas of the firm and different services provided.”

“The best aspect is that my firm encourages learning and advancing education. The people here have a breadth of experience I have not found elsewhere and regularly set up trainings for people to attend and develop their skills. The worst aspect is probably the lack of structured development as it is up to you to develop your skills—it can be intimidating as a newer employee.”

“We are a boutique firm, and this means that high-performers have the opportunity to stretch upwards to take on additional responsibilities on projects. Everyone in the firm has access to information on how to lead a program or project, and thus can inform themselves of the areas they need to develop. With respect to promotion, the firm is a meritocracy—it rewards performance above tenure.”

Community Engagement

“I believe our firm is very accepting and encouraging of all backgrounds. As a white male, I cannot really speak upon the feelings of my colleagues, but our firm is about as diverse as my university campus (UofT) and that is an improvement compared to most places I have worked in the past.”

“I feel that all consultants have access to the same opportunities, it would just be in our hiring practices that I see we need a bit of work. We currently don't have any self-identifying LGBTQ+ or disabled employees.”

“The firm caters to a diverse and equitable culture. There is a concerted effort to recognize various ethnicities and underserved populations throughout the year. I definitely believe all consultants have access to promotional opportunities if they are willing to apply themselves to the work.”

“We are a small firm so some of the above we have not had much experience with (veterans and individuals with disabilities) but diversity is front and center in our recruitment and staffing processes.”

“We have very strong consultants and managers from all walks of life. Could use more diversity at the very senior level but this has been identified as a priority and the team is working on it.”

Business Outlook

“Currently, we have a number of in-flight large-scale projects and many of our current projects have a large opportunity for extended implementations.”

“After a year of 80% growth last year, the beginning of this year was very challenging coming off of major projects. The company invested significantly in the first half of 2022 in transforming the organization's processes, technology, business development, project execution, measurement systems, people development, knowledge management and skills development. The company is now growing quickly again and we are hiring to keep up with the new growth.”

“The organization is positioned as a business with a great track record (100% positive customer experience over 17 years and hundreds of projects). We continue to attract new customers who have been drawn to our high integrity, trust and referrals from past customers. Every team member here takes great pride in their contributions to the team effort. The culture is very collaborative as we are not competing with one another to get promoted. Our promotions are earned based on our performance, not having an open slot in the org chart. We all are very excited about the awards we have won, including the Vault award the last 3 years in a row, Canada's Most Admired Corporate Culture, the Communitas Award for service to our communities, The International Stevie Award for the Best Small Professional Services award, and the Globe and Mail's award for Fastest Growing Companies in Canada over the last 3 years. 

We aren't as proud of the awards as we are of the culture that we have built and maintained over the years that has attracted these awards and great team members and clients as well! We are all aiming to grow the company to be the largest independent consulting firm in Canada by 2025. The two offsites that we have each year are an amazing experience for each of us and bring us closer together as a team/family. This is a company that really cares about our clients and each other and combined with a diversity of talent, backgrounds and expertise of our team members, is what sets us apart from our competition.”

“David Poirier himself is a great culture driver in our business both in sales and people. Our worst aspect right now is probably our temporary need to fill a marketing/sales role.”

Hiring Process

“[A candidate’s] ego and arrogance stick out like a sore thumb in our interview process, and that is the first thing that is weeded out. We are looking for career learners, people committed to high integrity and doing the right thing for our clients, even if that may not fit profit margins. We are attracted to great communicators, people able to persuade meaningful insights based on data, but not get lost in the ‘tool’ or ‘algorithm’, only what value it can contribute to our client. We communicate to everyone that interacts with us on where they are in the process, and if they aren't moving forward, we are open, honest, and direct. We never ‘ghost’ anyone and want to treat people with respect in this process, especially those that don't get the job.”

“I think the firm is seeking a candidate who fits with the organizational culture and who is willing to learn, and I think the hiring process reflects that.”

“Initial interview is often with HR. This is generally followed by one of the experienced consultants and followed up by a panel and case study. The final interview is more of a conversation with the CEO before an offer is made.”

“The interviewing process is similar to most other consulting firms I have applied for, and I like that the first interview/round of questions was a phone call and not some assessment via math games. The interview questions were difficult, but we were given room for creativity and it was much more engaging than other more direct interviews I have had. The callback process was pretty quick; overall, I spent maybe 2-3 days waiting before my last interview and a job offer.”

“We want someone who fits the culture of open and honest communication with tact. We want self-starters who go above and beyond to serve the clients and who best embody our values.”

Interview Questions

“Case presentation on a past project requiring data analytics - what was the approach, analyses, and results.”

“I haven't interviewed others. My own interview was focused on what I was looking for and how my skills aligned.”

“It has been several years since my interviews; however, I recall they were very situational and character focused. There were typical consulting case questions, however, the leadership team was far more interested in who I was as a person and how I dealt with challenges situations.”

“We are very selective but not as much around the ‘answers’ to the case, or their intelligence/IQ, whether they went to an Ivy League school or not at all. We are much more focused on their integrity, values, culture fit, what they believe in, defensive routines, how they take and receive honest and courageous feedback and communicate. We have a number of cases that are stratified by role/experience level, and while there are analytics involved that challenge their data science and tool skill sets, we primarily want to see to what degree can they learn rapidly, ask questions, humbly communicate, not be judgmental, and articulate their own personal values.”

“Would you consider yourself to be a curious person? Share some examples of how you learn and grow.”

“Tell me about your experience in businesses other than consulting.”