We are not like many consulting firms in terms of travel. We do most of the work at the office. The people who do travel and get a lot of face-time with the client are Senior and Consultants. I would like to get out more and have more interaction with a client as an early Analyst.

You will get some training as a new Associate but the bulk of it will be on the job training. We are worked hard, and consistently work on two projects at the same time. This can be somewhat hectic, but it really give you some great experience on multi-tasking and managing your time effectively. Each project is about three months and there are about 4-5 people on a team: Partner, Consultant, and 2-3 Analysts or Associates.

I work an average of about 55 hours a week. This greatly varies though. I'll find myself working 45 hours one week and the 80 hours the next week. However, being staffed on hour-intensive projects are rare, and you'll find yourself working the 50 hour a week projects more often.

There is very little travel. When we do travel, it is for a client presentation, so we really never work at the client site. This works for me because I love being able to go back home every night and not have to sleep in hotels all the time like most consultants.

We don't travel much here in this company. We're have one long trip about once or twice a month to meet with a client, but other than that, it pretty office oriented. The trips usually last a day, and I'm always able to get back to my place before the night ends.

Work is always stimulating, never repetitive, and I learn so much from doing it. Each person on the team is accountable and responsible for their own work, making the entire experience very rewarding. You have the ability (even as a young analyst) to make recommendations for clients and be a part of the high-level strategy.

Work hours are 8:30am to 6pm. Even if you aren't staffed on a project, you are required to be in at the office. When you are staffed on a project, you are expected to stay as late as your entire team. When deadlines are coming up, you will stay at the office until 10pm easily. You won't work weekends unless there are deadlines coming up, and the managers do a great job in giving you a work/life balance.

I work an average of about 50 hours a week. When it is deadline time, you can bet that we start working till the late night to finish the project - this is of course expected at any firm. When you have a deadline, expect to put in your 80 hours.

We are very busy (60-70 hour weeks) about 2-3 months a year. Other than that, we have a strong work/life balance. I have friends in other consulting firms and they work and travel far more than I do.

Don't expect to interact too much with a client as a first or third year. You will participate with clients through calls, emails, and some meetings. The Consultants, Partners, and Associates are the ones who interact heavily with clients.

Putnam is a healthcare consulting company. Most healthcare consultant firms just crunch numbers all day and adjust sales force alignments. On the other hand, we do amazing and fun stuff! We interview clients, analyze data, and make strategic recommendations for our clients that add value to the business. I love my work because I work on high level strategy rather than sit around all day and crunch numbers.

Like any Analyst position at any consulting firm, you will be doing a lot of quantitative work. You will be building financial models and analyzing data taken from surveys. This work requires attention to detail and staying very organized. Unlike most consulting firms, we are able to get involved with high-level recommendations for the client. When you demonstrate your value and are able to offer recommendations for the client, you will get promoted for your abilities.