Overview

Introduction

Don’t be fooled by Alvarez & Marsal’s deep and well-established reputation for operations and restructuring consulting. In the decades since the firm began, A&M has diversified its expertise across various industries and services. If anything, that heritage of operational work has influenced the firm’s tactical, action-oriented approach to consulting—perfect for jobseekers interested in rolling up their sleeves and digging into a range of complex business issues.

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Featured Rankings

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Major Departments/Practice Areas

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Major Office Locations

New York, NY (Global HQ)...
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Firsthand Findings

Alvarez & Marsal employees describe a meritocracy in every sense of the word. A growing firm that toes the line between boutique and a larger outfit, the firm encourages an entrepreneurial spirit, exposing consultants to a tremendous amount of early responsibility and encouraging them to take advantage of—and seek out—the ample opportunities for career development. As a result, A&M employees have increased promotion potential; there are no arbitrary timelines in place—you’re promoted as you earn it, allowing for rapid growth based on merit over tenure.

The values of meritocracy are similarly reflected in the firm’s compensation structure: competitive base salaries that skew towards the middling point of the market rate are augmented by virtually u...

About the Company

Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) is a privately held leading global professional services firm that delivers business performance improvement, turnaround management, and advisory services to organizations seeking to transform operations, catapult growth and accelerate results through decisive action. Companies, investors, and government entities around the world turn to A&M when conventional approaches are not enough to activate change and achieve results.

The firm's senior professionals are experienced operators, world-class consultants, and industry veterans who leverage the firm's restructuring heritage to help leaders turn change into a strategic business asset, manage risk, and unlock value at every stage.

Co-CEOs Bryan Marsal and Tony Alvarez II founded A&M in 1983. Today, ...

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2021 Vault Rankings

#11

Vault Consulting 50

#9

Best Consulting Firms for Overall Business Outlook

#11

Best Consulting Firms for Compensation

Employee Reviews

  • “Diverse client experience in a small-feel culture, but in a company large enough to accomplish anything.”
  • “A down-to-earth and community-based consulting experience, with work that's focused on operations and action-oriented results.”
  • “A&M provides a strong focus on the individual to drive their own career path at the firm while also providing support to all employees through work opportunities, training and mentorship, and many other resources.”
  • “Our people are incredible - we are a cohesive group of driven professionals who always strive to do the right thing and their best work.”
  • “A&M has an amazing culture. We continue to grow and strive for excellence, with competitive salary and benefits. It is very common to be cross-training with other industries, expanding your capabilities.”
  • “Culture and people drive our firm; be ready to contribute in an intelligent and team-based environment, those that excel are self-driven and focused on being a servant leader, collaboration is key.”
  • “Firm puts a major emphasis on quality of life. There is a legitimate feeling of being part of a village where we support one another. Hours, at times, can be long, but I have not yet experienced anything too unreasonable. Generally, I was home at a reasonable hour every day [pre-Covid-19]. Travel conditions are nice and I have nothing negative to say. Taking time off is encouraged, but is ultimately determined by client needs. If there is no pressing issue at the client site, vacation time is easy to come by.”
  • “Especially during this Covid-19 era, the company has been putting an emphasis on wellness and mental health. Constant events and reminders to ensure that we are healthy and in a good state of mind. No shortage of resources.”
  • “Vacation is unlimited and is often encouraged. Due to the nature of the compensation model, employees must decide between a larger year-end bonus and more vacation time. It's a fantastic business model. My direct superiors have the utmost respect for my vacation time; however, due to the nature of the business, [I often need to be] available to at least talk through and provide certain information to the team at any time while on vacation, as to appropriately serve our clients...”
  • “Although projects can be demanding, my team still pushes to have balance where I can. Not perfect, but I appreciate their efforts here. I think I have a great quality of life for a consultant.”
  • “Hours can sometimes be unpredictable, especially now that everything is remote and lines are more blurred, though that can be said for most business professionals. It is relatively easy to take time off and is encouraged; hoarding PTO is not a thing here. Travel requirements vary from person to person and is truly by chance; however, the staffing model is regional, which often protects employees from excessive traveling.”
  • “A&M has implemented a Wellness program over the past few years with increased focus on health and wellbeing. Through our corporate culture initiatives, we are hosting office-specific activities/events for health/wellness that are employee-driven.”
  • “Base compensation with A&M is not as high as other firms, but the bonus potential is much higher than its competitors. Very much focused on contribution to the firm's profitability and growth.”
  • “The bonus structure at A&M is directly tied to the projects you work on and your performance. I feel like it accurately rewards you for the amount of work you put in. On the base salary, it is not adjusted for cost of living between cities.”
  • “The best aspect is that there is no cap on my bonus if I perform well. The most challenging aspect is that if I don't do well, my salary is generally below industry standard.”
  • “Salary - very competitive, with significant increases from one role to the next. Bonus - I received a sign-on bonus of [a percentage] of my starting salary. Performance bonuses are based on a formula of utilization and performance allocation applied to revenue *collected* during a particular fiscal year. Employees receive a year-end performance bonus if their total compensation calculated exceeds the amount paid to them as salary during the year. This can be difficult to achieve depending on utilization and perhaps performance as well (i.e. if your performance is inaccurately represented in the review process).”
  • “My understanding is that our base salary is average compared to competitors, however our bonuses are typically pretty generous – which is probably the best aspect of our compensation. Year over year raises are moderate and visibility into pay equity between genders is non-existent. Retirement contributions from the company are typically generous, although they do not do 401k matching. Non-salary related benefits exist, such as good health care and health care discounts, but we do not have subsidized child care.”
  • “Transparent, heavily performance-based compensation policy that pegs average compensation higher than most other firms. Very strong salary progression for high performers. Downside is that performance/ utilization-based compensation policy can incentivize over-working.”
  • “A&M has a strong focus on developing their people at every level. I have many mentors who help me and I am an official mentor for three individuals in our group and an informal mentor to dozens of others.”
  • “Robust and numerous training modules that put an emphasis on actual learning as opposed to "just going through the motions". Training modules have legitimate "exams" that ensure that we are learning what is being taught. Training credits are tracked and applied to your end of year review. We are encouraged to research new subjects and pioneer new training modules. Cross-functional training is available to all employees. Training modules are constantly being updated.”
  • “Best aspects include the meritocratic culture which allows individuals to pursue increasingly challenging roles and responsibilities on projects, and be rewarded for such efforts. Beyond entry-level promotions, the path is much more results-oriented and not based on tenure. There has been a much stronger focus on Diversity and Inclusion over the past two years, and I believe the senior leadership is bought-in, supportive, and helping direct those efforts. The firm continues to invest more heavily in training and development based on the needs of our employees and the shifting dynamics of the marketplace.”
  • “The firm is very entrepreneurial, which is good from a lot of aspects, but that also means in some areas there is no consistency across the firm (i.e. some individuals' performance may be evaluated differently in different offices than others). Additionally, the training is not as formal as other firms may be; however, A&M has invested a lot of time and money into this, and even in the two years I have been at the firm this aspect has increased dramatically. That being said, the firm is very flexible and supports most career development opportunities. An individual just has to find a training they want to do and make a case of why that will add value to the business.”
  • “Alvarez & Marsal operates as a meritocracy where the whole team is exposed to challenging work and strong performance is rewarded through the promotion and compensation processes. The structure is less rigid than larger “Big 4” firms, which allows the firm to be more nimble in different economic markets. Over the last couple of years, the firm’s investment in diversity and training opportunities is evident and improvements in these areas are ongoing.”
  • “The promotion process at our firm is one of the best I have seen. It feels truly merit-based and you have the ability to progress as fast as you want. Our training opportunities are still lacking, but the firm is aware of it and there has been continuous improvement every year I have been with the firm.”
  • “In my experiences over the past several years, my company has gone above and beyond to attract, hire, retain, and promote diverse members of the team. We have a dedicated diversity program and have been highly focused on awareness of the value of diversity and how we all can do better with our personal biases.”
  • “This company has made an effort to listen, grow, and adapt with the times. From effective inclusion programs to hiring practices, the firm has taken tremendous steps to make sure everyone feels included. In a more informal sense, they have hired good people in general. As a POC, the multitude of people that…made me feel incredibly welcome was truly amazing. I did not think there would be such a warm reception towards change at this company and I am incredibly fortunate to be working here”
  • “I served on our compensation focus group to provide transparency to comp practices. It was abundantly clear the emphasis that is placed on promoting equal pay among different groups for like situations. We've done much better at fostering diversity at more entry-level and experienced higher positions, but I believe our leadership recognizes the need to grow and retain diverse talent heading towards the Partner level. That area could still be improved upon.”
  • “We are working on this right now. There is a lot of commitment by the firm to improve. In fact, we just added Diversity and Inclusion as a core value. Excited to see how we progress in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”
  • “Top-performing partners at the firm include a higher share of women than I believe occupy top roles at similar firms, and one of our two regional heads in the U.S. is a woman. Good gender balance at mid and lower levels as well and women lead teams as often as men do.”
  • "All levels have the same salary regardless of experience, education, certifications, sex, race, etc. Promotions are based on experiences and technical capabilities and are not limited to "available positions”; if you can do the work and have the experience you will be promoted.”
  • “The firm has different verticals, which cater to different economic conditions. The traditional Consulting and Private Equity advisory groups are clearly in line with the overall economy. The other arms of the company, such as the Restructuring and Disputes and Investigations arms, are countercyclical. This allows the firm to pull in revenue during down years, where other firms may not be able…”
  • “A&M is extremely well-positioned to gain work no matter what's going on in the overall economy: our M&A/TAG group was highest growth through COVID, and now Restructuring and Performance Improvement is highest when the economy swung the other direction. I am confident in our firm's leadership to capitalize on engagement opportunities regardless of the state of the economy...”
  • “A&M thrives during unstable market conditions due to its restructuring heritage, strong leadership teams, and nimble organizational design.”
  • “Very aggressive go-to-market approach, ensuring the pipeline of clients and projects for the long haul. Due to good work performed by the staff, clients are more satisfied and the firm's name is more recognized in the market every day. The company is also starting to promote innovation initiatives, which can guarantee it stays ahead of the competition. The firm is also constantly hiring new consultants, and the brand is trending among students in large universities.”
  • “We are continuing to grow several practices, including non-restructuring business units. Utilization is slowly picking up and senior-level hires from competitors are going to drive the growth. However, A&M is still behind the curve right now in asset-based consulting and building true digital-enablement for its services.”
  • “Great place to be during the pandemic - I feel so much more secure in my job and at A&M than most of my friends right now.”

Why Work Here

The A&M Way combines fact-based gravitas with a “get-it-done” mindset. A&M’s leadership is about a bias towards action and the willingness to tell clients what we think is needed. Our restructuring heritage sharpens our ability to act decisively. Clients select us for our deep expertise and ability to create and deliver practical, rather than theoretical, solutions to their unique problems in addition to our independence and objectivity. Because of our rapidly expanding footprint, we have the ability to offer you an upward journey in your career. The sky is truly the limit at A&M.

Getting Hired Here

  • “We seek highly motivated individuals who have a passion for driving change in whatever their field of expertise may be. We reward those who assertively and proactively find ways to be valuable to our clients and work well within our teams and the broader organization.”
  • “For experienced hires, we conduct three separate interviews in which each interviewer prods for supporting evidence of different qualities. The interviewers rank the demonstration of each quality and come together as a team to discuss the outcomes of each interview collaboratively. If certain qualities could not be evaluated effectively, we may consider additional interviews. Collectively, we agree on either not moving forward in the process, considering for a later time, or giving an offer.”
  • “The ideal candidate is one that blends two different disciplines, preferably one in technology. For example, a double major in finance and in data science would be a perfect candidate for an entry-level consultant position in one of the consulting practices.”
  • “Generally, candidates are initially screened by corporate and then sent to the local recruiting contact. At that point, we check the candidate pool to see who, if any, we would want to call for a phone interview and get that scheduled with a member of the team. Once we have interviewed a couple of candidates that way, we move forward either with another phone interview or a few in-person interviews (currently being done by video due to COVID), usually with two or more people back to back to make it more efficient. We are looking for people at a variety of different levels. My specific business unit usually hires people with a law background or who have similar consulting experience, but we are really looking for people who might be able to adapt to the projects we work on or who might fill a gap in our current team.”
  • “Quick turnaround from the first round of interviews to when offers are communicated, which is very considerate to candidates. An ideal candidate would be entrepreneurial, passionate, and driven.”
  • “The firm does an excellent job with being very timely and proactive with candidates. I believe the ideal candidate is a self-starter with a good technical background in finance and accounting. Strong Excel skills are also extremely helpful.”
  • “Case Study for M&A gives an example transaction in which you have to present your considerations to a managing director after you've had a chance to read through the case.”
  • “We ask leaders in our organization to develop 90-day plans for how they would integrate and establish themselves in our firm. We also use a behavioral interview format to go beyond the content of the resume and understand how candidates solve problems and articulate their solutions.”
  • “Our first round interviews are competency-based hiring for behavioral qualities. Second round interviews are day-long group case studies with multiple candidates in which they review an actual problem A&M worked on for a client and present their findings/recommendations to a panel of A&M leadership.”
  • “They provide a case study at all levels of interviews, which allows the interviewers to evaluate a candidate based on their actual skills without drilling them in a rapid-fire round of questioning. Further, for lower-level candidates, this case study is also a great teaching tool, as they don't expect someone new to the industry to nail the case study. Thus, the interview process is both wholesome and efficient.”
  • “At a junior level (Analyst) we use the classic breaking into wall street questions focusing on an understanding of the financial statements with some questions on debt metrics.”
  • “What is your learning style? What are your favorite formulas in Excel? What are the characteristics of your favorite managers?”

Perks & Benefits