AArete

AArete (“uh-reet”) is a consulting firm offering services in profitability management, digital transformation, and advisory. They utilize data, technology and market intelligence to provide solutions for clients, though there is some debate as to how much “intelligence” and up-to-date technology is really in use. Aarete is on the smaller end of the management consulting firm spectrum, which naturally comes with both pros and cons. We’ll dive into all the details here.

Table of Contents:

1. Aarete Key Stats
2. Aarete History
3. Practice Areas
4. Industries
5. Aarete Locations
6. Target Schools
7. Diversity Programs
8. Exit Opportunities
9. Aarete Careers
10. Aarete Internship
11. Aarete Culture
12. Aarete Interview
13. Aarete Salary

Aarete Key Stats

• Aarete Website: www.aarete.com
• Aarete Headquarters: Chicago, IL
• Aarete Number of Employees: 530
• Aarete Number of Locations: 9
• Aarete Chief Executive: Loren Trimble
• Aarete Revenue: $60 million

Aarete History

Aarete was founded in 2008 with a vision to clarify the data that companies found themselves surrounded by. There was a lot to sift through then and the amount is only increasing. Aarete wanted to be a place where companies could come to have something concrete extracted from all the numbers and insights companies were seeing and create something actionable from all of it.

Practice Areas

Strategic Profitability Improvement
Digital & Technology
Advisory

Industries

Healthcare Payer
Healthcare Provider
Financial Services Consulting
Education
Retail Consulting Services
Public Sector
Transportation, Logistics & Distribution
Technology & Professional Services

Aarete Locations

United States

• • Chicago, Illinois
  • Dallas, Texas
  • Denver, Colorado
  • Los Angeles, California
  • New York City, New York
  • Washington, D.C.

United Kingdom

• • London, England

Asia

• • Hyderabad, India
  • Pune, India

Target Schools

• • Indiana University Bloomington
  • Savitribai Phule Pune University
  • Indiana University – Kelley School of Business
  • Vishwakarma Institute of Technology
  • University of Iowa
  • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • University of Notre Dame

Diversity Programs

Aarete’s only established program dedicated to diversity is The Women’s Initiative Network (WIN). It works to support women in their professional goals through hiring and retention, and while this is a worthy goal, some previous Aarete employees say the firm has a long way to go in terms of making minorities feel supported and living out its value of an inclusive workplace.

Exit Opportunities

Because of its data analytics focus, employees looking to leave Aarete would be well suited to other positions in tech, data analytics, and the digital space.

Aarete Careers

Because of its relatively smaller size, Aarete isn’t able to offer endless job options, but it does always have something available, and careers with Aarete include extensive benefits and PTO.

Aarete Internship

Aarete offers internships for current college seniors, as well as those who’ve just graduated. For example, in their digital marketing internship, current students would work 10-15 hours a week, post grad employees 24-32. Summer internships are also available to students who are going into their senior year.

Aarete Culture

Aarete’s culture is based on work happening in smaller groups. Employees are designated spots on project teams which work closely with each other, and Aarete claims that everyone has access to those both above and below them in experience and position. While this may be true in most cases, there is a significant number of past employees who shared that communication and mentorship from higher-ups was nebulous and sometimes nonexistent. Some talked about favoritism, lack of diversity, and nepotism. Conversely, many felt that the work-life balance was great and found the PTO policy incredibly flexible. Experiences are subjective and should be taken in with an open mind, but it’s relevant to note these since there’s some dissonance between them and Aarete’s purported company vision.

Aarete does provide some internal opportunities like AAreaching Out, an internal volunteer group whose goal it is to give back to the community, and AArete Athletic Association (AAAA), or “quad A,” a fitness network employees are welcome to join.

Over time, employees are also able to accumulate shares in AArete through an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Previous employees say this doesn’t begin accruing until you’ve been there for 5 years and that it’s longer than necessary. However, it has also been named one of the world’s best management consulting firms by Forbes and a certified Great Place to Work.

Aarete Interview

Unfortunately, Aarete’s interview process tends to be rocky for most candidates. Previous applicants have reported that during recruitment and application, the staff members they were in contact with were often uncommunicative and unprofessional. Some were told the position had been filled before even interviewing, others didn’t get a follow up email after speaking to HR. Experiences will vary, and some peoples’ have been positive, but keep the alternative in mind.

Aarete Salary

Keep in mind that exact salary numbers will always vary by location and position but some averages are:

• Senior consultant: $137,025
• Manager: $159,418
• Data Analyst: $107,107
• Operations: $96,331

Conclusion

While Aarete offers competitive benefits and quality internships, many applicants have had negative experiences with its interview and hiring process, as well as its internal practices. It has impressive awards to display, however, and experiences are always subjective. It’s difficult to clearly predict what any one person’s time at any firm will be like. Take those opinions and experiences with a grain of salt and approach Aarete with an open mind, but stay aware as you move forward.

 

Additional Resources:

• Top 25 Consulting Firms
• Boutique Consulting Firms
• Consulting Resume: Complete Guide
• Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide