Consulting Best Firms to Work For FAQs
Q: What is the Best Firms to Work For?
A: Consulting magazine's annual ranking of the profession's Best Firms to Work For and the Best Small Firms to Work For.
Q: How does it work?
A: The rankings are based on responses to survey questions taken by a firm's own consultants. The questions cover six areas of employee satisfaction: Culture, Career Development, Work/Life balance, Client Engagement, Compensation & Benefits and Firm Leadership. Scores are measured against all qualifying firms.
Q: How do I submit a nomination?
A: This survey is the nomination form. It needs to be filled out by your billable consultants, other employee nominations do not qualify. Please see below for the specific numbers we require. A PDF of the survey questions can be found here.
Q: What are the size categories for survey participation?
A: Qualifying firms must have a minimum of 20 full-time, billable consultants. Qualification is based on the number of completed surveys per firm. A survey sample of at least 10% of the firm’s billable consultants need to complete the survey. However, specific minimums are established for each category:
- Boutique firms (20-50) require a minimum of 10 completed surveys
- Small firms (51-249) require a minimum of 20 completed surveys
- Midsize firms (250-999) require a minimum of 30 completed surveys (10% preferred)
- Large (1,000+) firms require a minimum of 100 completed surveys (10% preferred)
In some cases that means more than 10% would need to complete the survey. (For example, a firm with 500 employees would require a minimum of 30, but should strive to deliver 50 (or more) completed surveys.) The number of surveys completed increases scoring leverage so it is beneficial to meet or exceed the minimum requirements.
Keep in mind 10% is a MINIMUM number required to qualify for EVALUATION. A firm’s score is likely to increase with the percentage of final submissions.
Q: My firm isn't showing on the survey - what should I do?
A: Please select 'Other' and type your company name. Try to ensure all the respondents from your company use the same name so we can attribute each entry to the same firm. Unfortunately, we cannot add new companies to the drop-down list once the survey is open, however we will add you to 2025's survey.
Q: What if my firm has less than 20 consultants?
A: Firms with less than 20 billable consultants do not qualify.
Q: How does my firm qualify for the ranking?
A: A survey sample of at least 10% of the firm’s billable consultants is required to qualify for evaluation. However, specific minimums are established for each category: Boutique firms (20-50) require a minimum of 10 completed surveys; Small firms (51-249) require a minimum of 20 completed surveys; Midsize firms (250-999) require a minimum of 30 completed surveys (10% preferred); Large (1,000+) firms require a minimum of 100 completed surveys (10% preferred). For example, a firm with 500 employees would require a minimum of 30, but should strive to deliver 50 (or more) completed surveys. The number of surveys completed increases scoring leverage so it is beneficial to meet or exceed the minimum requirements.
Q: Does qualifying mean I make the ranking list?
A: No. Qualifying means you have enough responses to be judged against all other qualifying firms. Many qualifying firms do not make the final ranking.
Q: What if our results aren't very good. Do you publish a list of participating firms?
A: No. If your scores are low and do not appear on any of the lists we publish, no one will know.
Q: How do I know if my firm has qualified?
A: Please email awardsinfo@alm.com to see how many entries your firm has submitted.
Q: We have participated in the survey, what are the next steps?
A: We will announce the companies who have made the list mid-July, but the ranking order will be revealed at the gala dinner.
Q: How many firms participate in the survey?
A: Typically, we get between 12,000 and 15,000 completed surveys representing more than 300 consulting firms. About half of those firms qualify.
Q: What happens to the data collected from our surveys after the judging?
A: The data is compiled and collated for use in valuable BENCHMARKING REPORTS. Each winning firm will receive their raw scores and where the firm placed in each of the six categories measured by the survey. Each firm will also be able to acquire additional bespoke reports with comparative aggregate data measured against the top three firms.
Q: What if we make the final list?
A: Congratulations! You will be recognized in a few ways: one, with an editorial feature showcasing achievements of each honoree. Two, honorees are recognized at a celebratory in person awards and various package options are available to help publicize their success. Three, highlighted on Consulting Magazine's LinkedIn page.
Q: How can I make the most of being listed as an honoree?
A: Should you or your firm be listed for an award, there is an expectation that a representative will attend the awards ceremony to accept a trophy as part of the proceedings. Note that these events are pay to attend and various promotional packages are available. We also encourage you to share your achievement on social media, be sure to tag Consulting Magazine on LinkedIn @consulting magazine and on Twitter @Consulting_Mag.
Consulting Magazine is owned by ALM and therefore all correspondence relating to these events will come from an alm.com email address. Please disregard any offers from alternative companies claiming to be affiliated with these awards as they are unauthorized and not endorsed by this brand.