Booz Allen Overview

Posted on March 26th, 2008 in Career, Random Stuff by Warren
Q: What does your firm do?
A: Booz Allen Hamilton is one of the world’s leading management and technology consulting firms. Our more than 10,000 professionals on six continents work in support of the CEO agenda to help clients—from Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies to Internet and e-commerce innovators—revolutionize and transform their organizations. We combine specialized industry understanding with functional expertise to deliver fully integrated solutions fast.Booz Allen Hamilton’s Worldwide Commercial Business (WCB) creates innovative solutions for corporate clients by coordinating the industry specialists and e-gurus of our nine global teams. Our Worldwide Technology Business (WTB) provides the same cutting-edge services to public sector clients.

Our service offerings encompass information technology, organization and strategic leadership, operations, and strategy. We work closely with clients in all major industries, including automotive, aerospace and industrials, communications, media and technology, consumer and health, energy, and financial and health services.
A: Our competitors are top-tier management consulting firms that consult to senior-level management.To help a client strategically reinvent its industry with digital technology, a consultancy needs to understand strategy, industries, and digital technology. Only Booz Allen has the whole package.

The following chart demonstrates how we stack up against both traditional and nontraditional competition.

  Booz Allen E-Specialists Other Top-Tier
Strategy
Consultants
Dual strengths in Strategy and technology v
Deep industry expertise and business insight v v
“Big picture” grasp of networks, channels and customer needs v   v
True “e-delivery” implementation capabilities v v  
Separate subsidiary devoted exclusively to Web development v    
Full-service IT practice with deep technology expertise v v  

Additional differentiating factors:

  • Strategy-based transformation: Booz Allen Hamilton’s business is all about working with ambitious organizations to change the world, from Fortune 1000 companies and government agencies to Internet and e-commerce innovators.
  • Opportunities for our people: Because of our unique dual strengths, our professionals see their work have a greater impact on the business landscape and enjoy the best opportunities to develop the skills required in tomorrow’s economy.
  • Diversity: Our firm is made up of a broad variety of people. More than any other consulting firm, we embrace diversity in culture and gender as well as in skills and experience.
  • Customized career development: Because we value diversity, we tailor a career path to each individual. We don’t have a cookie-cutter career path.
A:
  • Businesses by Booz Allen is our own venture consulting program, where we take an equity position in e-clients as we help them build their businesses.
  • Innovate@Booz Allen, Nordstjernan and Accelerate are our incubators for e-startups, providing new ventures with a complete range of services tailored to each company’s level of development and ultimate goals. Each incubator represents a strategic alliance between Booz Allen and global investment and law firms.
  • Our new, wholly-owned subsidiary, Aestix, is a London- and McLean-based e-delivery lab. Aestix brings together Web development, graphic design, database modeling, information modeling, software development, and applications hosting to make “e-delivery magic” happen.
  • Booz Allen’s recent engagements reflect our firm’s global e-business presence:
    • We developed a global distribution and fulfillment strategy and a new cost allocation methodology and that made Amazon.com, the world’s largest e-retailer, profitable in its core books business.
    • We helped Telecom Italia Wireline Services develop and implement a comprehensive e-business program and improve the company’s revenue growth and efficiency.
    • We helped E-trade, one of the world’s largest online brokers, reduce its cost of customer acquisition with a world-class e-marketing strategy.
    • We helped Grupo Financiero Bancomer, a major Mexican bank, generate greater value from its e-business services by creating an organizational framework to manage its existing Internet initiatives and develop new e-businesses.
    • We worked with BP Amoco, one of the world’s largest energy companies, to create a global auction marketplace.
    • We invested in, incubated, and helped launch R&R Direct, an Australian loyalty program and portal, which captures information that is used for direct marketing campaigns.
    • We conducted research on the state of Internet access in the U.K. versus other European Union countries, and offered recommendations to enhance penetration.
A: Booz Allen recruits outstanding candidates from graduate schools, undergraduate institutions, and other degree programs, as well as from the world’s top corporations. New MBA hires begin at the associate level and advance to senior associate, principal, and then partner. People typically spend two to three years at each level. On average, it takes about seven years to become a partner.Undergraduates join the firm as consultants, who are integral members of our teams. Because consultants usually join the firm directly from undergraduate schools, we don’t expect them to have the same expertise as new associates or industry hires. We invest in their training to enable them to develop the high-level business skills they need to become powerful contributors on client projects. Most consultants remain with the firm for two to three years before attending top-tier business schools or, on occasion, moving on to other career opportunities. Booz Allen supports their choices and offers tuition reimbursement to consultants who choose to attend business school and return as associates.
A: Booz Allen hires a significant number of experienced individuals. Last year more than 25 percent of our new members were experienced hires. We expect to continue that mix ongoing. Among the strategy-consulting firms, Booz Allen is uniquely suited to utilize the skills and perspectives offered by experienced individuals. We work closely with clients in all major industries, including automotive, aerospace and industrials, communications, media and technology, consumer and health, energy, and financial and health services. We are very interested in individuals with backgrounds that they wish to utilize in a broader area as a strategic consultant. We and our clients greatly value the knowledge and know-how people with experience represent. We hire experienced individuals at all levels in the firm, but more so at the middle levels of senior associate and principal.
A: Our compensation package consists of a signing bonus, salary, performance bonus, and benefits, including relocation, medical, dental, life insurance, and retirement program options. Our compensation package is highly competitive within the industry.
A: Booz Allen’s turnover rate is comparable to the industry average. While we seek candidates who are committed to a career in consulting, we also recognize that many candidates need to experience consulting before deciding on a long-term career path. For consultants who decide to transition out of the firm, Booz Allen makes available a number of services to assist them in the process. In addition to career counseling, consultants also have access to a well-maintained database of job leads, as well as an extensive contact list of executive search/outplacement professionals.
A: Booz Allen is looking to see if your previous work experience demonstrates leadership and teamwork—which will be essential components of your work at the firm. We also look for intellectual and personal integrity, analytic ability, creative problem-solving skills, the ability to see the “big picture” while maintaining attention to details, and superb communication skills.
A: At Booz Allen, we know that it’s our people who make the difference. We seek out creative people with a passion for work and for life, people who want to have a real impact on their world. We encourage independence and entrepreneurial spirit within our strong team-oriented community. And we work hard to give our people the opportunities, latitude, and resources they need to excel.Our culture is shaped by our core professional values—client service, excellence, diversity, teamwork, and entrepreneurship—and individual values—trust, respect, integrity, fairness and professionalism. This is a true meritocracy: We value ideas over hierarchy, respect over arrogance, and merit over politics.
A: Consulting in general requires travel, and nights away from home. The average number of hours worked is similar to that worked in other demanding business fields and professions. However, the project nature of consulting means that the intensity of your work will vary, depending on the stage of the engagement. We know from experience that if you are capable of intense effort, you must also make significant commitments elsewhere in order to balance your life, and to maintain motivation and vitality.
A: Our non-partner professional staff is 38 percent female.
A: We actively recruit at top business and undergraduate schools, as well as through leading non-MBA programs (for example, those for PhDs and JDs). We provide students with many opportunities to interact with Booz Allen staff members at all levels through our corporate presentations, club events, case workshops, and other initiatives. Information on where to send resumes is made widely available to all students at the schools where we recruit. In addition, you can always send your resume to mba_recruiter@bah.com or advanced_degrees@bah.com.
A: All candidates should expect a rigorous and highly selective interviewing process. The interview will cover the individual’s academic and career background, motivation for seeking a career in consulting, and more specifically, with Booz Allen, and the individual’s ability to assess business situations. Most candidates will have multiple interviews, and in most they should expect to assess a business situation or case. Of course, individuals should be prepared and will have an opportunity to ask their questions about Booz Allen and career opportunities with our firm.
A: www.bah.com
A: The most important components of a good interview are:

  • Be prepared to talk about yourself, your desires, and why consulting and Booz Allen would be a good fit for you.
  • Approach business-case analyses as interesting challenges and don’t expect to solve every aspect of every situation posed in one interview.
  • Approach your case assessments in a structured manner and as you typically approach issues that require problem solving.
  • Be yourself and use the interview as an opportunity to see if strategic management consulting and Booz Allen are a good fit with your abilities, interests, and goals.
A: During the past two years, Booz Allen and Special Olympics have been working closely together on a reorganization that will set the stage for unprecedented growth for Special Olympics’ global sports movement. Our goal is to double the number of athletes involved with Special Olympics around the world by 2005.For the next four to five months, a team of eight Booz Allen consultants and five Special Olympics representatives will address two critical issues:

  • A global technology assessment and strategy; and
  • An integrated program development and planning system.

Special Olympics and Booz Allen have decided to carry out this engagement on the Web for two reasons:

  • To increase awareness of Special Olympics’ growth campaign, and
  • To help people understand what Booz Allen consultants do

Coverage of the Booz Allen/Special Olympics project kicks off on October 31, 2000, at www.boozallen.com/special_olympics.

Check in regularly to follow our progress—and to offer your own suggestions to the team.
A: Community service is an important part of the Booz Allen culture. The firm provides financial support, pro bono support, and volunteers for a wide variety of not-for-profits—from Little League teams to medical research and the performing arts. Some of our major partnerships include Partners in Education With Schools, the Arthritis Foundation, the American Cancer Society, Harlem Dance Studio, the Dallas Opera, Christmas in April, The Smithsonian, Wolf Trap, the United Negro College Fund, and Special Olympics Inc.The number of activities in which Booz Allen is involved varies from year to year, but our professionals are active advocates for local communities and worldwide charities alike.
A: Booz Allen provides students with excellent opportunities to learn about consulting first-hand through our summer associate program. Summer associates typically spend from ten to 12 weeks with us, working on real engagements with real teams and real clients around the world.
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3 Responses to 'Booz Allen Overview'

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  1. Stacey Derbinshire said,

    on March 26th, 2008 at 6:56 pm

    I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

    Stacey Derbinshire

  2. » Booz Allen Overview said,

    on March 26th, 2008 at 7:23 pm

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  3. Chris Tackett said,

    on March 26th, 2008 at 7:37 pm

    Been reading for a while now. Just wanted to say good job.

    Chris Tackett

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