Booz Allen Hamilton: An insider guide - Gymkhana

Looking Out for Number 1Insiders say that once you finish your training (which one describes as “reallyquick”), you’re pretty much on your own. If you’re not comfortable being selfmotivatedand assertive about getting ahead, Booz Allen may not be the placefor you. According to one insider, “People have to be aggressive in managingtheir own careers. There is a whole mentoring program and a staffing groupthat take people in and ramp them up, but there’s also a lot of self-direction.You can’t be a passive player and walk in the door and expect everything towork out perfectly for you.” Another insider tells us, “A lot of one’s success atBooz Allen depends on the network and alliance that you can build for yourself,especially among partners. If you think you’re getting into consulting to getaway from networking, well, that’s definitely not the case.” Not to worry, addsthis insider: “It doesn’t feel as yucky as it sounds.”Data-HeavyThe WorkplaceThough Booz Allen does its share of work on organizational and peopleissues, insiders acknowledge that the firm places a relatively heavy emphasis onquantitative analysis. Playing on stereotypes, one insider notes that the firmmight be a better fit for those coming out of MIT’s business school thanHarvard’s. Another insider says, “You should become really proficient withfinancial analysis and doing spreadsheets and modeling in order to get respectat this firm. This is coming from someone whose personal weakness isquantitative analysis, and I’ve done just fine, but it is something I’d tell peopleto be aware of.” If you’d rather spend your time dealing primarily with peopleissues, you might be happier somewhere else.But keep in mind that Booz Allen isn’t looking for employees who are brilliantwith data but bad with people. “If you have all the answers, but you can’t relaythat message in a convincing manner, it’s useless to us and to the client,” saysan insider.62