BCG - Careers - Flexibility at BCG

BCG offers a very flexible work environment, and it gives me a good work-life balance.

Hanna
Consultant, Helsinki

A Personal Story

At BCG you should expect to chart your own career path as well as your own daily schedule.

Consulting can be stressful and demanding; no two days are alike. But at BCG, colleagues and team members understand the value of a flexible schedule. Some mornings find I me in the office very early. On other days, I take some time to myself—I like to work out early in the day—and arrive in the office a little later. It’s give and take. If a project requires me to stay longer in the evening, I will. Similarly, if I want to work from home, I’m given that flexibility. As long as the work gets done professionally and punctually, where and when don’t matter too much.

BCG offers a very flexible work environment and gives me a sense of balance in my work and my personal life.

Background

Hanna holds a master of science degree in industrial engineering and management from Helsinki University of Technology. She first came to BCG as a summer intern in 2003 and joined the firm as an associate in 2005. Although officially affiliated with the Helsinki office, Hanna has worked in Stockholm for one spring and is now on a short-term transfer in the Boston office.

The intensive time I spent with my daughter is the basis for my strong relationship with her.

Thomas
Project Leader, Düsseldorf

A Personal Story

The birth of my daughter in July, 2005 changed my life in many ways. I planned and took a three-month leave of absence beginning in April, 2006 to coincide with the time my wife returned to work after her maternity leave.

At the beginning of my time away from work, the challenges in my life and the daily schedule suddenly changed significantly—from client meetings, workshops, and phone calls to playgroups, preparation of meals, and “scream-driven night-missions.” With my wife’s flexible working hours and my leave of absence, we were able to go on holidays as a threesome for the first time.

Most of my friends really envied me for being able to take a leave for three months. From my point of view, the intensive time with my daughter is the basis for my strong relationship with her—today she can definitely be characterized as a “Daddy’s girl.”

In December 2007, my son was born, and I am really looking forward to spending some months with him as well, beginning in December 2008, when my wife returns to work.

Background

Thomas studied electrical engineering at RWTH Aachen University, where he worked as a research assistant in technical computer science and obtained a doctor of engineering degree. He joined BCG in 2003. At BCG he focuses on information technology and telecommunications cases.

Many of my friends have had to trade off personal development for flexibility, or meaning for security. I’m very lucky that my career can meet all these criteria.

Alex
Project Leader, Sydney

A Personal Story

I was hugely attracted to the individual approach to managing my career that BCG offered. Compared to the other consulting firms I was looking at, BCG really stood out as tailoring an experience to meet my individual skills and aspirations. I’ve been given fantastic opportunities and the support of mentors and colleagues to pursue them, as well as wide exposure to different industries and business problems. I’ve done a secondment at Foxtel, an MBA at Harvard and a fellowship in Cape York working on indigenous issues.

I think women are looking for a career where they can develop their skills, work flexibly as their personal needs change and make a meaningful difference in the world. Many of my friends have had to trade off personal development for flexibility, or meaning for security. I’m very lucky that my career can meet all these criteria. Maybe I can’t do it all at once, but I still feel it’s possible to do it all.

Background

Alex has Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy) and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degrees from the University of Sydney, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School, where she graduated with Distinction. She joined BCG in 2002.

Rejoining BCG was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Tongjai (Pam)
Principal, Bangkok

A Personal Story

I left BCG to join the management team of an asset management company, and then led a team of corporate bankers in a global bank. When I needed a job that was just as rewarding but offered more time flexibility, however, I called my friends at BCG. I was able to arrange a flexible time commitment to allow me to spend time with my two young boys. In 2008 I led two major projects, and spent the whole summer break with my children—while managing to put them to bed most nights.

Background

Tongjai has held senior management positions in Thai and global financial institutions. She has a BA in economics and East Asian studies (magna cum laude) from Princeton University, and an MBA in finance and international business from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University.

The support and flexibility BCG gives women to help them establish and prosper in their careers sets the firm apart from many other employers.

Catriona
Principal, Melbourne

A Personal Story

I was attracted to BCG by the opportunity to learn and develop in a fast paced environment, working with switched on, inspiring people. I had so much to learn–I didn’t know what I didn’t know, as the saying goes – but I was keen, and BCG’s apprenticeship model was the ideal place to start. I learned by doing, working on real business projects with real clients, coached by some brilliant managers. Today I am leading a team of fifteen consultants on a major corporate merger integration. I am enjoying the leadership role and am proud of the results we have already achieved and the impact I've had personally. While it can be difficult managing career demands with raising a young family–I have two small children–the support and flexibility BCG gives women to help them establish and prosper in their careers sets the firm apart from many other employers.

Background

Catriona joined BCG in 1996 with a BA in Geography from Melbourne University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. While at BCG, Catriona went on secondment with British Airways and on a leave of absence to build a film production company.

While at BCG I've spent five years in three countries working on growth projects for the consumer and fashion industries.

Leslie
Project Leader, Paris

A Personal Story

Today I am a project leader in Paris, having started my career at BCG in New York, and then in Sydney. For my first assignment, I worked on the growth strategy of an American lingerie company. Since then I have been able to specialize in two industries I am particularly interested in, consumer goods and fashion, on topics as different as brand strategy, distribution strategy, and sales force performance.

Since my arrival in the Paris office, which coincided with the end of my maternity leave, BCG has allowed me to combine exciting work with my role as a mother, adapting to my new situation by allowing me to work part-time.

Background

Leslie joined BCG in New York in 2003 as a consultant after her MBA at Harvard Business School. She left for Sydney in 2005, then joined the Paris office in 2008 as project leader after a long maternity leave. Before her MBA, Leslie worked for three years at General Electric where she was Black Belt Six Sigma consultant.

I am learning about the “pointy end” of making change happen in a way that you don’t always get to see in client service.

Sarah
Recruiting Director, Sydney

A Personal Story

Having worked at BCG for about seven years in both Sydney and New York, I looked for options to step back from client service while concentrating on my young family. I was impressed by the variety of opportunities open to me and decided to dedicate myself to recruiting. This was a natural synergy for me: having become an expert within BCG by helping clients on a myriad of organisational issues, I saw this position as a great chance to get some line management experience in the same area.

The recruiting role is important, both to me and to BCG, because people are our most valuable asset. Finding the next generation of talented people to join us is a key priority. Plus, as part of the broader support team, I am able to contribute beyond recruiting to other human resource issues, actually implementing the kind of ideas that we typically leave with the client as recommendations. I am learning about the “pointy end” of making change happen in a way that you don’t always get to see in client service.

I am currently working three days a week. I find the biggest challenge is setting my own personal boundaries. After more than six years in client service, I am used to putting in the extra effort to get the job done to a high standard. Learning to balance what I can achieve in the time I have is a constant tradeoff, but a great lesson in prioritisation!

Background

Sarah is the recruiting director for Australia and New Zealand. Before she joined BCG in 1998, she started and ran a professional-services consulting firm. Sarah earned Bachelor of Commerce (with honors) and bachelor of law degrees from the University of New South Wales and a master of philosophy in economic and social history degree from the University of Oxford.

I am still working out my path at BCG, but I have no doubt that when I turn another corner, BCG will be there to support me.

Jen
Principal, Chicago

A Personal Story

When I came to BCG in 2002, I wanted to do operations work. Even though I was a new consultant, I was supported when I reached out to other offices for experience working on supply chain and manufacturing issues. I spent my first four years doing operations work across many offices. BCG’s flexibility, which allowed me to focus the direction of my work early on, has enabled me to create a home within the Operations practice.

Recently, my first child was born, and my priorities shifted. BCG continues to support me in figuring out not only how to balance the new demands on my time (I am currently working only 80 percent) but also how to shift the focus of my project work so that I can stay close to home. No matter what I choose to do, I know that BCG will be there to help me figure out how to be as successful as I want to be.

Background

Jennifer joined BCG in 2002, and her work has focused primarily on operations. Before BCG, she spent four years at Enron. Jennifer received an MS in chemical engineering from Vanderbilt University and earned her MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.

BCG provides great opportunities, flexibility, and support for those seeking a non-traditional work environment.

Sue
Project Leader, Singapore

A Personal Story

I joined BCG New York, got married at the end of my first year, and decided to move to Atlanta to be in the same office as my husband. BCG enabled the transfer in only a few weeks. Then, when my husband and I decided we wanted a deeper understanding of developing markets, BCG was quick to support our transfers to Singapore—where our first child was born in 2009. We have been working throughout Southeast Asia since 2008. Each BCG office has provided a great new learning experience, but the BCG culture and commitment to individual personal growth are the same everywhere.

Background

Sue holds an MBA from the Wharton School of Business, was a Rotary International ambassadorial scholar, and has a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Ottawa. Prior to joining BCG, she spent over six years at Lucent Technologies and Nortel Networks.

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