Pros
The consultants I met both in training and on the bench are very kind and helpful. It is a shame they are in this predicament. The charitable project during training can help some companies
Cons
Xander was, for me, a huge waste of time, money, and effort. Reading the job description, they claimed that they would kickstart your career in consulting and that "extensive" training would be provided before a 2-year placement. I was initially very excited to read this and applied, quickly going through the process before getting an offer. As with anyone, before starting, I looked at the Glassdoor reviews and did see some concerning reviews with quite a few likes; however, I saw some of the replies by the company saying they changed (not true, lol), and being a relatively young person who just got a “career” in consulting, I tried to look on the bright side and ignored them, which in hindsight was a big mistake (most of the negative comments on Glassdoor are accurate). This review is my opinion of what I witnessed. The training itself is 6 weeks long and is split into 2 weeks of consulting and 4 weeks of technical. The training was a massive disappointment, as firstly, the technical side is taught by previous consultants who are on the bench and not by an ‘industry-leading training team’ as they claim on their website. It is also not comprehensive because, let's face it, you are not going to learn SQL, Python, or whatever else they have on the job listing in any meaningful way in 4 weeks. The consulting side is average and the only time where we are taught by a trainer however the slides are quite outdated and there are a lot so you won’t remember most of it but you will get the gist of what is being discussed. I later found out that the academy was 9 weeks long, and for what seems like a short-sighted cost-cutting measure, they cut it down to 6. It was no wonder that, through no fault of the consultants on the bench teaching us, they had to rush through quite a few of the slides due to the tight timing. Because of this, you will also have to study and complete assignments in the evenings to be able to submit them on time on Friday midday, which is very stressful because you don't have time to actually learn the content in detail but just find a way to submit something that can be marked. There are many cases of consultants staying up past midnight to complete their tasks. Keep in mind that we also have a charitable project that we have to start and finish in that time frame as well. The placement rates are pretty poor; last year, a lot of companies stopped hiring and a lot of contracts were cancelled, so loads of people were laid off. I understand that a lot of other consultancies were caught off guard as well. However, what I find most appalling is the fact that Xander continued to run its training academy. They kept thinking that the economic situation would improve so they would take on people, but when it didn’t occur, these cohorts were either cut entirely or only a few would be given contracts. This happened multiple times last year and this year as well. The people who come to train are either career switchers who quit their jobs or graduates looking for a break in data or software consulting. To be told after you went through an unpaid academy (spending all your savings on travel as an investment in your future) that business is not going well so you won’t be taken on is very stressful and detrimental to mental health (this is very ironic because Xander claims they care about wellbeing when in reality the source of the stress is the company itself) because now you have no job, have a feeling of worthlessness like you are just a number and betrayed. Still, of course, Xander doesn’t care. What I find especially sad is that despite the company preaching about increasing diversity on their website and job postings, those people are the ones who are primarily getting screwed over by Xander's failed promises of ‘kickstarting your career in consulting’. The salary you get on the bench if you do make it there is abysmal. It is close to the minimum wage, and there are no other benefits apart from perkbox (which is terrible). Furthermore, you are trapped with huge training fees that are predatory and unjustified because the training in my opinion is inadequate, rushed, and run by previous cohorts. It is just used as a way to control and stop consultants from leaving, but if Xander wants to let you go, then they can. More often than not, you will remain on the bench for many months before getting laid off. It seems like more people have been let go than placed since the company's inception! Even if you do ask the successful ones who are on placement, they will most likely say a lot of their cohort is still on the bench or has been let go. Even this year, there have been multiple layoffs with consultants, with the most recent one being in May. Management is not safe either, as there are people who have left for other jobs (lucky ones) without their posts being filled or have been let go by the company. You are always worried that you may be the next one, and you can't make meaningful connections with people because they may be the next ones out. There is also not really any direction on what you should be learning while on the bench (as expected because of the lack of a technical trainer will knowledge in the industry). In conclusion, I do not recommend Xander to anyone. A lot of their claims on the job posting are frankly false. Do not be like me who just ignored the red flags everywhere the moment I got the “job” offer. The replies by Xander on previous Glassdoor reviews promising the changes that will occur have not come true. Please do not quit your jobs and move for this company; they will most likely screw you over. If you are a new grad you won’t find your break into the industry here. Every month, there are fictitious stories of clients that do not materialise and a slow bleed of consultants being laid off. Go instead to a company where you will actually have a decently paid job and not just be living in a shroud of uncertainty on the bench, hoping you get placed when most won’t. If you are still trying to figure out whether to take up this job or not, look at the other Glassdoor reviews and talk to current or former employees on LinkedIn to build a proper picture.
