FAQs
Why start another consulting firm?
In 2003, the market demanded a new approach to consulting because many current firms were too large, bureaucratic and expensive. We wanted to start a firm that is objective and independent of software alliances and accounting firms. All of our principals and most of our directors have worked for leading consulting firms and know that successful consulting is addressing great challenges, working collaboratively to develop innovative solutions and achieving results that drive measurable, sustainable value.
We are very proud of the accomplishments we’ve made in our short history. As a small Strategy, Operations and CFO Advisory Services consulting firm, we’ve developed an impressive client list and have grown from a handful of handful of professionals and now have 4 domestic offices, 3 international offices and approximately 250 professionals. Throughout our rapid growth, we have retained an entrepreneurial spirit and are focused on a successful future.
What is the background of your leaders?
Archstone Consulting is comprised of seasoned consultants with proven track records and years of experience in all areas of business operations. The firm is led by Principals who have deep experience serving the leaders in the industries in which they practice. Our consultants come from both the consulting world and from industry, so our teams have a good balance of “real world” insight and strategy-based training.
Who is your competition?
Our competition depends on the services that we are offering to a client, and it includes everyone from traditional “Big 4” consulting to strategy firms to boutique players.
Ok, so you’re a private company and you don’t want to name your clients. But can you give me a sense of who your clients are?
Our clients are marquee names in the industries that we target. As a general guideline, about one third of our clients are Global Fortune 500 – since they are headquartered outside the U.S. About 25% are Fortune 500 U.S. based companies. The rest of our business is with privately held companies or categorized as very large divisions of companies. Roughly 75% of our clients do from $3 billion to over $30 billion in annual revenue, and currently are pretty evenly distributed across our practice areas and industry groups.
Do Archstone Consulting professionals work on one engagement at a time or do you follow a two-case model? Why does your typical project team look like?
Generally, we focus on one client engagement at a time, but our Principals and Directors are often involved in multiple proposal and client efforts. Our typical project teams are small in size and usually consist of 3-7 consultants and a Principal. In addition, each consultant is expected to participate in firm building, including developing thought leadership, recruiting, and culture activities.
Are your consultants generalists or specialists in a particular industry or service area?
We expect our analysts, senior analysts and associates to join Archstone Consulting for a solid generalist experience, meaning that they will likely be exposed to our various services offerings and industries. However, over time, some analysts, senior analysts or associates might find that one service or industry particularly interests them, and it becomes easier to specialize once the consultant has some experience. In that case, they can certainly seek out other consultants who do that kind of work, but there is always the possibility that they will need to work where there is demand.
As consultants become more senior in our organization, we expect for them to specialize in a particular industry or practice area because they will need to manage complex projects and start to sell work. In the recruiting process, we almost always target managers (though there are exceptions to this), directors and principals for a specific area, and then try to have the most appropriate people interview them.
Does Archstone Consulting have international growth plans?
We absolutely do, and the main driver is that we serve global clients. We have offices in Amsterdam and London, and we’ll look to build up those practices through direct hiring and, potentially, acquisitions. In June 2006 the firm acquired the Hazelton Group, a research-based brand development consulting firm, headquartered in Toronto, Canada.
Are you hiring for your international offices?
Yes, we are growing our international offices. Each candidate should make sure that they have the appropriate work authorization for the respective country. Inquiries about any particular office should be sent to recruiter@archstoneconsulting.com.
What does the Analyst interview process look like?
Analysts will go through two rounds of interviews, with the first occurring on campus. Each candidate will meet with 1 interviewer in the first round for approximately for 45 minutes. Each candidate will receive a mini case study in round 1. The second round of interviews will most likely take place in the respective office. Analyst candidates will see two additional interviewers and will receive another case study
What does the Associate interview process look like?
Associates will go through two rounds of interviews, with the first occurring on campus. They will meet with 2 interviewers in the first round for approximately 45 minutes each, and they will receive a case study. The second round of interviews will take place shortly following the first round either in the respective office or on campus. Associate candidates will see two additional interviewers and will receive another case study.
How can I prepare for my interview with Archstone?
A critical element of our interview process is the business case portion. We’ll present you with a real life business case and we are looking to understand your approach to the problem, your rational and your recommendations.
Do you have a summer program?
We currently have a Summer Associate program for business schools students between their 1st and 2nd year. We strive to give Summer Associates an idea of the full time experience, including working on 1-2 engagements, participating in office activities and leading various firm-building initiatives. Summer Associates are placed in full time Associate roles on live engagements. As such, summer associates are primarily responsible for planning, organizing and leading portions of an engagement.
What does the experienced candidate interview process look like?
Our experienced hire process almost always begins with an introductory phone screen. If the phone conversation is mutually beneficial, then we will bring you in for a series of in person interviews. For our Manager candidates and experienced Associates, you will typically meet 3-4 Archstone consultants who will ask you about your work experiences and what you’d like from your next career move. You may receive a business case as well. For senior-level candidates (Principals and Directors), you will have multiple interviewing days to allow you to meet a variety of appropriate experts across the practices and industries. The goal of these conversations is to understand your subject matter expertise, project management capabilities and breadth and depth in the marketplace.
I’ve heard that consultants travel a lot. Can you tell me what to expect at Archstone?
As with most consulting firms, the majority of our work will be at the client site so there will be some travel involved. We typically spend 4 days at our client and each Friday we spend in our home offices. We also make it a priority to staff smartly utilizing our regional resources to help mitigate excessive travel.
What kind of training can I expect?
We offer training at all levels which is developed and delivered by our own consultants. When a new hire comes on board they will spend the first day in orientation learning about the firm’s policies and procedures and generally getting settled. Our campus recruits can expect to participate in new consultant training. They will learn and build on the core consulting skills through an interactive case study. For our more experienced hires, we offer level specific training. Typically our new consultants will spend the first few months learning on the job and will then attend the appropriate training session to expand on their skill set and meet others at a similar level.
Can you tell me about career progression at Archstone?
At Archstone we believe that career development is a shared responsibility between the firm and the individual. One of the ways we support the career progression of our consultants is through our Advisor Program. The goal of the Advisor Program is to ensure that every consultant receives the guidance and support they need and deserve to help them develop and grow professionally.