I should preface that this review is only applicable to ALTEN UK. If there was a way to give 0/5 stars I would, however 1 star is the lowest (makes you think about the real average score)
As a business manager:
- You will be part of a glorified call centre: If you don't have anything else to show for you'll be judged solely on new customer acquisition. Be aware that for entry-level business managers, calling random people will consist in 80% of your day-to-day. I have seen people fired because they didn't reach unreasonable targets.
-You will be asked to do 40 interviews a month simply because of metrics.
- You will be constantly in unhealthy competition with your colleagues with the managers tracking so-called KPI's (nbr of calls, nbr of meetings, nbr of hires, nbr of engineers fired, etc...). Faking your numbers will get you promoted - make sure to brag about it as well for extra credit.
- You will become great at doing the job of a business manager in ALTEN however you will become unemployable to outside companies. Alten is great at developing a skillset that is unique to your day-to-day activity in ALTEN. If you're considering a career in a scam call centre, ALTEN may be a good stepping stone. More seriously - no engineering company functions the way ALTEN does.
- You will be made to feel like you have a lot of responsibility but in fact your have little to no decision making and you're just made to work 4 people's worth of work.
- Extremely toxic culture.
- Your bonus is entirely not based on performance but a formula that is badly applied for everyone, in some cases you win in most you don't. Don't expect to hit more than 30% of your bonus.
- Ultimately, ALTEN UK is fit for people with nothing to prove. You are overqualified if you have a degree, all you need is a phone.
As a consultant:
- You are no more than a +1 in someone's metrics
- Should you not successfully secure a project within 1-2 months, you will be fired.
- The majority of consultant roles in ALTEN UK are boring - prepared to be bored, most customers just need an extra pair of hands.
- Should you excel in your role you might get a £60/m raise.
- The visa is a false sense of security. I have seen consultants let go days before visa expiry. Equally, I have seen the company issue bills/withholding salary to employees leaving whilst under a sponsorship.
- I have seen business managers remove consultants from projects and then move them across the country simply because the project was not at target margin.
- Don't be surprised to be placed in a project that has nothing to do with your specialty. Remember it's more important for them to get their +1 than to place you in your ideal project. You will get fired if you refuse the project(s) and end up without one.
As a customer:
- In the majority of cases you'll be sold a consultant that has 1-2 years of experience at the rate of someone with 5-10 years of experience.
If the above wasn't enough to deter you here are some of the things I saw during my time.
- Success (and pay) in ALTEN UK isn't based on performance or how hard you work
- Graduate schemes cancelled from one day to another (all grads fired and escorted out)
- Entire departments doubling in size just to be reduced to half by firing a mix of new and old people.
- So many people fired within a short time frame that we were told to be quiet about it as it was illegal.
- Colleagues fired because they wouldn't sign visa lock-in clauses AFTER they were hired from abroad. Not to mention these are people you have made to relocate at their own cost.
- Firing business managers and consultants without any proper evaluation and sometimes even without HR input. - if it's isn't obvious by now ALTEN UK has operated illegally in many ways.
- Massive pay disparities for the same grade/role going from 30% to 100% guaranteed bonuses with some colleagues not even getting 30%.
- Consultants fired because they didn't meet the minimum threshold for visa salary.
- Completely useless departments whilst other departments are heavily understaffed.
- People working 11 to 12 hour days in the office with no more than a 5 minute lunch break.
- Business managers put on performance improvement plans with unreasonable targets to fire them (illegal)
- You are judged on financial performance and yet the only tool giving this information isn't trusted by anyone in the company.
- ALTEN pushes the limit of legality hoping no one is aware of their employment rights.
