This varies from project to project, but typically they range from six to 12 months. However, in some instances where a customer asks us to undertake smaller analyses, preliminary studies or practical applications, they can be completed within a few weeks. In the case of contracts concerning the building and running of market-data systems, or project management, we also have some longer-term projects that can run for a year or more.
Both the size of a team and its composition differ from project to project. For some, the customer leaves it up to us to choose the team members, including the project manager. In this scenario, depending on the size of the project, the team will consist of one or more of our employees. For major projects, it is possible that external consultants work on ancillary sub-projects depending on the specialist knowledge required. In this case, every project team also has customer team members who are specialists in their field or IT experts.
As consultants, our job involves spending most of our time on-site with our clients. That means a lot of travel. An employee can frequently be out of the office for up to five days a week. Now and again, there are projects that can be worked on off-site i.e. in our offices. There may also be phases between different customer projects when our employees work on internal tasks from the local office.
Newcomers, particularly first-time employees, receive an initial training in the specialist areas and methods used in the company under the watchful eye of a mentor. This experienced colleague will look after you for the first six months and will offer help and advice while you get familiar with your first projects. In addition, you will have the opportunity to attend internal and external seminars as part of introductory training. Of course, we also make all necessary background literature available to you.
Our salary structure is based on the usual consultancy sector rates. Your initial salary depends on your professional experience and how much knowledge of the sector you bring to the job.
We expect you to have an outstanding degree in mathematics, physics, IT or business sciences. It is vital that you are interested in and understand the main issues that characterise the finance sector. Ideally, you should already have some practical experience in banking or consulting. You can speak fluent English and German. Furthermore, a consultant must be able to grasp facts quickly, have an analytical mind and be able to work in a results-oriented manner. Equally important are a talent to communicate and the ability to work in a team.
In general, we confirm receipt of your application on the same day. It is immediately passed on to the specialist contact. Within a few days, we arrive at a shortlist which means that, as a rule, you can expect to hear from us at the latest within a week. If your profile meets our requirements, we will invite you to a meeting in our offices. Sometimes there is a telephone interview prior to this. Normally, the entire process, from the initial meetings to the final decision, takes no longer than four weeks.