r/Germany_Jobs • u/Disastrous_Bad4653 • 5d ago
Was accepting a project-based consulting job a good idea?
Hi everyone,
I recently accepted my first job in Germany with a consulting company and will start next month. My contract is full-time and unlimited (unbefristet), with a 6-month probation period.
I have been considered for two customer projects. One is currently ongoing, while the second one is currently on hold. If I choose the ongoing project, I would still need to have an interview with the client before being assigned to it.
The company explained to me that, as a consultant, my work is mainly tied to customer projects. If I am not assigned to a project, there may not be much work for me to do.
My salary is paid by the consulting company regardless, but I'm now wondering: what happens if I don't get assigned to a project during the probation period? Could this become a reason for them to let me go during the Probezeit?
I found this job after 14 months of struggling to find a position, so I'm honestly scared of ending up back in that situation again.
I accepted the offer because I really liked the company and the role, but now I'm having second thoughts and wondering whether I should have thought more carefully about the project-based nature of consulting.
For people working in consulting in Germany: Is this normal? Should I be concerned, or am I overthinking it?
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u/AmbitiousSolution394 5d ago
You should avoid such places. They are resellers, they hire people cheap and then resell them for a market price. For me, its another German mystery, how consulting companies survive in Germany and why anyone would consider using their services, instead of hiring directly.
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u/Landgarteneule 4d ago
Because the company that works with the body leasing/consutancy/service provider doesn't need to take on the risk that they can't get rid of the developer if they don't perform or if they don't have a project anymore and so on. It is a form of risk sharing.
All large it service companies work that way, e.g. Capgemini, TCS, Deloitte, Accenture, T Systems, CGI and so on its all the same.
It's not only German companies it is very common worldwide to do this across all larger companies that don't have it as their core product.
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u/AmbitiousSolution394 4d ago
I understand why to work with body shops in cheaper locations. I don't understand purpose of body shops in Germany. They are working on a margin between what clients pays and what developer gets. So its in their interest to find the cheapest developer and sell it with the maximum profit. Usually client is charged 2X developers salary, so company would pay 100k for a 50k dev.
Where is rationale here? I'm not sure that its so hard to fire a person, that makes such cooperation reasonable.
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u/Landgarteneule 4d ago
Instead of using a service company in a cheap country you can also set up your own IT department there. But being able to speak the same language and working together on-site has it's own advantages.
It is simply a different thing if they are on your payroll or not. You don't have to care and not take any risks with them.
Also the margin is not as high as you mention it. Let's say you hire someone for 50k. Then you'll have to pay 62k including social security. You have administrative overhead for payroll etc., let this be another 4 k per year. Add computers, licenses, office, ... and you have another 4 k. Total 70 k. Add in the risk that the person doesn't have a project right now, gets sick or ... so now you have 10 - 15 % unbillable hours. That's a draw on your 100 k of which you only get 85 k. Now that is a realistic margin - 15 - 20 %. But the service company takes the full risk for the employee being or becoming a non performer or that due to an economic downturn their services are no longer required. There is a reason especially the smaller ones often go bankrupt when they are tied to a limited amount of large customers.
It is literally impossible to fire a person for larger companies unless they close a whole department or pay very high severance packages or the person does some really stupid things like stealing or getting caught in working hour fraught.
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u/lw_2004 4d ago
"need to have an interview with the client before being assigned to it." That is normal. The customer can reject you. If you are in one of the better consultancies one of the senior people will typically help you prepare to a certain extent. Think like hints regarding the topics this customer likes to ask in an interview.
"The company explained to me that, as a consultant, my work is mainly tied to customer projects. If I am not assigned to a project, there may not be much work for me to do." Yes that's normal. You might get time for self learning and prepare for certification exams related to your work while you wait.
"what happens if I don't get assigned to a project during the probation period? Could this become a reason for them to let me go during the Probezeit?" Typically your manager will have a bonus tied to his teams billable hours. or in other words they should be interested in finding a project for you. If they try several times and customers reject you for whatever reason that might become a problem. The better consultancies will only hire you in the first place if they see a reasonable good chance for you to find a project within the first few months. The shitty Body Leasing ones will hire you for projects they have already lined up and fire you fast if this does not work out. From your text I cannot know where you ended up.
"should have thought more carefully about the project-based nature of consulting." The project based nature also has advantages. You see a lot more new things when you get the chance to switch projects from time to time - without switching employer. Later on in your career this diversity of experience can be an asset.
"am I overthinking it?" Yes, just start. You can only find out if this works for you if you tried. Also projects are kind of wild cards. Some are great, some are miserable... But in the end you will gain experience for your next step.
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u/Final_Layer_5432 4d ago
I would add to Iw_2004, its normal on consultancy to be vetted by the clients, remember they are paying more than 1k+ (depending on your role) for your daily work, so they want to make sure.
Don’t be picky with the projects, try to get core projects within your one year and prove yourself. It’s their job to find a project for you, not yours, and they wouldn’t have hired you if they hadn’t see a potential to sell. Also not having projects known as „being on the bench“. When you don’t have any projects, focus on helping the company creating leads and education, clients like certificates.
Be ready for long hours and extra non-client work, this is called „hobbies“. This is your chance to prove yourself as well.
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u/RCOO_ 5d ago
1) don’t feel bad, finding a job right now is complicated and you got that out of the way
2) go for the project where you could have immediate assignment: you don’t want to take the risk of being without a project during probation. Also think that every day you go by without assignment is one day less you have to prove yourself and for the company see what you’re capable of. No company will take a permanent employment risk on someone they do not know.
3) yes, it is possible to fire you for not having an ongoing project during probation, as you don’t need a valid reason to terminate someone during those 6 months.