4 ms·

It varies tremendously. Imo the people who have sweatshop experiences bring it upon themselves mostly.

jfengel 2y ago
I've always been unclear on this. Various careers are famed for extremely long hours, but I don't know just what it is they do for all that time. Consultants, financeers, etc. I know that I have only so much brain power to spend a day. I can work longer, but at best you're going to get more grind, not quality. I keep wondering if these consultants could accomplish as much in fewer hours if they weren't so intent on being the one who puts in so many hours. I know almost nothing about what they do so I'm just guessing. But I find it hard to square so much effort with results that don't seem to merit it.
- jncfhnb 2y ago
  I am a McKinsey consultant, and I tend to think the people putting in those insane hours are shooting themselves in the foot. It is easier to work longer hours when a hotel takes care of everything for you, but if you’re bragging about how little sleep you get you’re just teetering on the edge of burnout and American Psycho neuroticism.
- JambalayaJimbo 2y ago
  There is a lot of work done that is effectively meaningless and doesn’t take a lot of brain power. Sliding things around a PowerPoint for example.
  - jncfhnb 2y ago
    Sliding things around on a PowerPoint is a lot of nitpicky communication design thinking. It’s still draining.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
rightbyte 2y ago
Mm ye. I don't have first hand experience but two class mates and a friend that worked there gave the same picture. They described it as up or out where you really have to grind long hours and the career is in sales and management not as a consultant really.
- jncfhnb 2y ago
  Not really what I meant. It is up or out, but I don’t really believe the long hours are an effective way to achieve the up. It’s just something a lot of people impose on themselves. The sales and management part only really comes in after you’ve passed the team manager level which is fairly advanced.
  - rightbyte 2y ago
    > I don’t really believe the long hours are an effective way to achieve the up. That is an interesting comment. I think you are right. Probably more of a baseline competency but extraordinary 'soft skills'? I meant team manager as included in 'sales'. Where I've worked as consultant (warm body, not a real consultant) team managers were essentially sales people.
    - jncfhnb 2y ago
      > Probably more of a baseline competency but extraordinary 'soft skills'? And luck, tbh. It’s not too different from a typical org except career velocity is fairly fast and does not depend on vacancies opening up above you.

I've always been unclear on this. Various careers are famed for extremely long hours, but I don't know just what it is they do for all that time. Consultants, financeers, etc. I know that I have only so much brain power to spend a day. I can work longer, but at best you're going to get more grind, not quality. I keep wondering if these consultants could accomplish as much in fewer hours if they weren't so intent on being the one who puts in so many hours. I know almost nothing about what they do so I'm just guessing. But I find it hard to square so much effort with results that don't seem to merit it.

jncfhnb 2y ago
I am a McKinsey consultant, and I tend to think the people putting in those insane hours are shooting themselves in the foot. It is easier to work longer hours when a hotel takes care of everything for you, but if you’re bragging about how little sleep you get you’re just teetering on the edge of burnout and American Psycho neuroticism.
JambalayaJimbo 2y ago
There is a lot of work done that is effectively meaningless and doesn’t take a lot of brain power. Sliding things around a PowerPoint for example.
- jncfhnb 2y ago
  Sliding things around on a PowerPoint is a lot of nitpicky communication design thinking. It’s still draining.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]

rightbyte 2y ago

Mm ye. I don't have first hand experience but two class mates and a friend that worked there gave the same picture. They described it as up or out where you really have to grind long hours and the career is in sales and management not as a consultant really.

jncfhnb 2y ago
Not really what I meant. It is up or out, but I don’t really believe the long hours are an effective way to achieve the up. It’s just something a lot of people impose on themselves. The sales and management part only really comes in after you’ve passed the team manager level which is fairly advanced.
- rightbyte 2y ago
  > I don’t really believe the long hours are an effective way to achieve the up. That is an interesting comment. I think you are right. Probably more of a baseline competency but extraordinary 'soft skills'? I meant team manager as included in 'sales'. Where I've worked as consultant (warm body, not a real consultant) team managers were essentially sales people.
  - jncfhnb 2y ago
    > Probably more of a baseline competency but extraordinary 'soft skills'? And luck, tbh. It’s not too different from a typical org except career velocity is fairly fast and does not depend on vacancies opening up above you.