Developing Task Orders:Making PBA actionable

"Octo offered me the opportunity to continue growing professionally—across a wide range of solutions and client experiences—while enjoying the benefits of working for a small firm."- Dominick P. Ciserano

Story

I joined Octo in April 2009 after three years at a large federal consulting practice. I knew I wanted an opportunity to use both my interpersonal skills and my technical background. And I wanted to work at a firm where I would truly be a part of the solution.

Octo offered me the opportunity to continue growing professionally—across a wide range of solutions and client experiences—while enjoying the benefits of working for a small firm.  In particular, I was drawn to the fast-paced, dynamic environment where I could see the impact of my hard work, as well as learn the internal operations of a business. Sometimes this is not so transparent in larger firms.

I graduated from Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in 2003, so I’m still fairly new to the work world. But, during my tenure at Octo, I have been exposed to all of our solution areas and have been challenged to play a leading role in all of my client engagements. I feel a sense of ownership and responsibility that I would not have expected at this point in my career. With each new experience, I am able to apply knowledge and lessons learned from previous engagements.

A Day in the life

My day usually starts by checking my BlackBerry to see if new emails have come in overnight. On any given day, I could be working on one or more engagements, at either the client site or Octo headquarters. This takes serious time management. Our engagements tend to involve smaller teams, so each role is specific and critical in its own sense, which gives me a lot of client exposure and responsibility. The day can get hectic, and the high levels of client interaction require me to think on my feet.

Aside from client delivery, the day will sometimes entail leading or supporting internal or business development tasks, ranging from writing proposals to evaluating our on-boarding process. Balancing client work with internal responsibilities is sometimes challenging, but it gives me a valuable opportunity to play an active role in building our company.

After work, you can find me doing something active to decompress or feed my competitive side, typically watching or playing sports.

"Everyone at Octo is encouraged and given the opportunity to get involved in the various activities required to successfully manage and grow a business."- Richard Eilbeck

Story

I arrived at Octo in the summer of 2009 looking for a new and exciting challenge.

Apart from a short interlude in the music industry, I spent the first eight years of my career working for big-name global consulting firms, mainly in the fields of strategy and business transformation. After college, I wanted to travel for business, and my job allowed me to see the world.  Over time however, I grew tired of the endless travel and frustrated by the politics, bureaucracy and inefficiencies that are inevitable in all large firms. I turned to Octo because I wanted to work for a small business, where I could play a significant part in building something special and see the direct impact of my efforts.

Octo offered all of that and more. Octo is a vibrant and exciting place to work, full of bright and talented consultants eager to make an impact in their field.  What I enjoy most about working here is the approach we take to client work. We don’t bring huge project teams armed with canned methodologies and "best practices."We focus on really understanding our clients’ individual needs and designing smart, pragmatic solutions that deliver maximum benefit. It’s refreshing to work this way and something our clients—and I—really appreciate.

A Day in the life

A typical day at Octo requires flexibility and good time management.  Whether working on a single project or juggling several, there is always a lot to do, and often internal responsibilities place competing demands on your time. Everyone at Octo is encouraged and given the opportunity to get involved in the various activities required to successfully manage and grow a business.  Whether defining internal processes and policies, recruiting new staff or contributing to business development efforts, everyone is actively involved.

Client work typically involves small project teams, with high levels of client interaction and responsibility.  As an associate, I get to lead small projects or workstreams within larger projects and manage teams that include Octo, client and sometimes vendor staff.  In my first year at Octo I worked with six different clients on a wide variety of problems—each one unique and challenging in its own way. 

My current role involves helping to manage a large system implementation effort. In addition to my client work, I spend part of my day on internal and business development tasks.  This may involve writing proposals, interviewing new hires or contributing to thought leadership.  When the work is done, there’s plenty of social activity at Octo.  It’s a fun environment, and we get together frequently as a firm to socialize and celebrate.