Vault’s Verdict

Across its European locations, OC&C Strategy Consultant boasts a social culture that emphasizes professional growth and personal connection with coworkers. Leaders at the firm embrace their roles as mentors, and consultants typically build relationships with multiple partners. Most projects involve working with cross-border teams, and international transfers are possible. The firm starts new consultants in groups of 10, making it easy to make friends among coworkers of a similar tenure, and it funds large social events about once a month.

Despite working on some of the most challenging projects in its field, the firm offers a solid work-life balance, say insiders. The firm guarantees that staff can leave early at least one night per week, and the firm monitors hours to prevent burnout. Travel is limited, and the firm provides flexibility to work from home or even take unpaid leave. 

Compensation sits near the top of the market, with a good base salary and bonus. The firm offers excellent pay progression, especially early in a consultant’s career since salaries jump substantially upon your first promotion. Additional non-salary perks include a wellness subsidy, fully paid health insurance, fully paid dental insurance, and breaks following intense projects.

Employee Reviews

Firm Culture

• “Excellent firm culture, large events at least once a month with large budgets and impressive locations. Young, exciting group of people who are very welcoming and supportive. Cohort system creates a ready-made friendship group of 10+ people.”
• “OC&C has a strong culture to promote a relatively healthy work-life balance, in the context of the industry, of course. We get a life night per week even in projects, and business dev weeks (non-project) are lighter.”
• “OC&C is a fun environment, with great attitude towards employees and leadership team.”
• “With the right focus you can plot your own journey.”

Quality of Life

• “Work-life balance is very good. The firm monitors hours closely to prevent overwork and burnout while consistently enquiring about the satisfaction towards the work done.”
• “The work mix means our client travel commitments are much reduced.”
• “Flexible holiday, time off, respect for home commitments.”
• “Home office. Not much travel. Unpaid leave. Maternity/paternity leave.”

Career Development

• “Great informal mentorship culture, though weaker formal training. However, apart from hard technical skills, the best learning for consulting is typically more through learning by doing.”
• “Promotion processes are very clear, with an elaborate process that appears fair. The mentoring is taken very seriously from the entry at OC&C, with a peer group and formal 1-to-1 mentoring sessions. International opportunities come in different ways: We work in international teams and on international projects on a day-to-day basis. Being transferred to another office in the long term could prove more difficult.”
• “Strong mentoring opportunities with clearly communicated guidelines on promotion.”
• “The working model means build close working relationships with seniors across broad base rather than just always working with same one partner and having them be responsible for your development. International opportunities.”

Compensation

• “Large jump in pay from associate consultant to consultant after approximately two years at the firm. Large signing bonus. Lower pay vs. US employees (similar across all consulting firms). Small pay increases following rapid inflation in 2020s (benchmarked to top quintile within consulting).”
• “Good base and bonus, though there is a big jump between entry level and the next step up.”
• “Salary progression is good, in line with high end of the market.”
• “£500 annual wellness subsidy. Full health insurance. Full dental insurance. Strong mentorship program. Fire breaks following intense projects.”

Inclusion

• “Multiple LGBTQ+ events annually, extensive network with support from senior management, support of external LGBTQ+ charities. Everyone has equal opportunity to do well.”
• “We are now the top-rated consultancy on several indices (social mobility, LGBT, etc.).”
• “Very meritocratic hiring with a strong emphasis on inclusion.”
• “Lots of networks run by staff with a clear ability to effect change.”

Business Outlook

• “Massive headroom for international growth in the US and significant headroom in Europe. Lots of opportunities for cross-border working and transfers.”
• “Consistently strong trading outlook that has been able to sustain through hard times without shedding workforce.”
• “Specialist in sectors we play in, most interesting projects in the industry. High growth business. Very high utilization of staff vs. other consultancies.”
• “Industry-leading work. We are often the go-to strategy consultants in our sectors of expertise. However, our brand is nascent in the US and weaker outside of London in Europe.”

Hiring Process

• “Online yest and one-way interview, two back-to-back interviews with consultant/manager grade, followed by two back-to-back interviews with associate partners/partners. Ideal candidate is extremely intelligent and very personable.”
• “The design principle of the interview and callback process is speed.”
• “Looking for smart, mature, team players who are curious and push to insight and advice.”
• “Extremely intelligent high performers from any degree background with excellent commercial awareness and critical thinking.”

Interview Questions

• “Standard consulting case studies but with a twist to make them harder to prep for and more interesting for good candidates to do.”
• “You are a budget hotel operator in the UK. You are considering entering another European market. How would you decide which market to enter?”
• “Cases depend on the person; we try to provide cases in all sectors. Examples of cases include market entry, go-to-market, etc., based on real cases we work on.”
• “Case interview. Why do you want to be a consultant?”