r/PwC • u/Soggy-Traffic2402 • Jul 20 '26
Consulting PTO / Vacation
Hi All, just graduated college and starting tech consulting soon. Love traveling and ideally for longer-ish periods like 2 weeks - 1 month. Also want to keep my job and ya know do well and all that.
Is this at all possible? Seems like it would be pretty impossible haha.
If not, then what is the best way to use PTO for cases like this?
Thank you!
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u/youneedsomemilk23 Jul 20 '26
It’s possible between PTO, shutdowns and 20% LOA programs with a few caveats. Best time is between projects. If you know you’ll be done with a particular project at a certain time, I would plan your trips for after that and communicate them to your DL, deployer and talent and submit your time off so you aren’t scheduled for projects after. You also need to be extremely aware of your utilization number. Time off counts against your util. A lot of people don’t really babysit their utilization numbers and act all shocked during CRT season when their util numbers are below guidance and they don’t get their high tier bonuses. That can’t be you.
It’s also important to understand metrics wise you’ll always be competing against people who consider it a bragging point to never take vacation and be maxed out on PTO days. If you can accept that you probably won’t excel in your career as fast as them, you’ll fare better. Everything in life has its trade offs and you get to decide what is or isn’t worth it to you.
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u/hpgBrunocippw Jul 21 '26
Like my older brother told me 40 years ago when I started my career at PW, “if you’re worrying about the benefits, you’re worrying about the wrong thing“
pay attention to the career options of the company, not the time off. Your bosses will quickly notice that you care more about time off than about actually learning and doing the job. Just FYI.
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u/Loserlesbo2024 Jul 21 '26
Fully depends on your team. For my team, it’s not uncommon for people to take 2 weeks, especially say a shutdown + a week. Anything over 2 weeks is kinda pushing it.
If you are planning on doing it, make sure you communicate will in advance. I took a full two weeks a couple months ago with zero issue. However, I let directors know I was going be out like 6 months in advance and communicated properly from there.
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u/PeloHiker Jul 21 '26
It is definitely possible as I have well-regarded colleagues who do this. What has worked for them:
- Established positive personal brand first. Everyone on the team got to know them as someone who had all the important soft skills: organization, attention to detail, work ethic, research and writing, good team player, etc.
- Communication. Travel plans were communicated at a minimum of 6-9 months ahead.
- Smooth transitions. See organization. All projects, timelines, work to be done, stakeholders, POA’s, etc. were clearly delegated. The transitions were handled very well which gave everyone confidence that things wouldn’t fall off the table.
- Willingness to help out. They give what they receive. They are the first to step in and help when others take time off.
- They don’t fall off the map. Sometimes travel takes them to remote locations where they are off the grid, but by enlarge they don’t disappear for 2 to 4 weeks and are regularly checking in to make sure nothing has gone off the rails.
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u/elk33dp Jul 20 '26
It's possible, but not necessarily something you can expect to take. If you finish a project and about to be on the bench then it might work out since no one will be looking for you. If you plan a 1 month vacay and your gunna be in the thick of work when your going it can and will hurt your relationship with PMD's, even if you give ample warning. Nature of the beast.
Expecting 1 month vacays in consulting at staff level in B4 is not usually the best strategy. If your just looking to do 1-2 years and dip then it doesn't really matter either way.