Nous Group Reviews

Promotions are considered twice a year. Promotions are merit-based, and office politics do not influence decision-making.

The organisation is very committed to social responsibility. They work heavily in the decarbonization and sustainable development industries and carry this into the organisation. We have a net zero plan and commitment and take steps towards this.

Culture is good. You are surrounded by other really motivated high-performing people and the company has a strong culture of two-way feedback. There are plenty of interesting after-hours’ activities that are entirely optional. Cooperation is strong. Employees are not compared to their peers, so there isn't a sense of competition, but rather a culture of lifting each other up. Personally, I am very motivated to affect positive change in the community. The company does a lot of important, valuable work in very influential spaces. In terms of culture, I have really enjoyed being surrounded by other staff who are equally motivated in this regard.

The company has a firm commitment to ensuring minority groups are represented across all levels of seniority and function. Women represent the majority in management and across the firm. We have targets for inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of the community and make a consistent effort to promote reconciliation. Coming from a middle-class background myself, I was very nervous to join a consulting firm as I the impression I had prior to the company was that consultants came from the same suburbs, same schools, same degrees. I had previously had negative experiences in situations where I was surrounded by people from overwhelmingly privileged backgrounds. I have been very pleased to see how welcoming and diverse an environment the company has.

When staffed on projects the work is engaging, meaningful and it feels like a difference is being made. The teams are highly capable, and you feel supported every step of the way. There are plenty of opportunities for you to involve yourself in business and client development. I've been the Client Coordinator for a client and have transitioned into a CC role for a sub-practice. It's a surefire way to acquaint yourself with the way business is won, industry trends and with important decision-makers across the firm.

Mentorship is very accessible and valued. They invest a lot of time in your development and make sure that you are constantly evolving and getting better and comfortable.

The office is in the heart of the CBD, it is very modern, and we are provided with free snacks and refreshments. Dress code is 'dress for your day' so we can be as casual as we like and then present formally to clients.

Interviewers were all very warm and made me feel comfortable in a usually stressful environment. The assessments felt relevant which is rare for a grad role. I encourage candidates to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. The point of these interviews isn’t to confirm that you can answer each question correctly, rather, to verify that you take the right approach when confronted with ambiguity. Consulting is about problem solving. Industry doesn't hire consultants because they know the answer, but because they know how to get to the answer.

I'm happy with my salary, although I've heard it's less than some other consulting firms I think the culture, the quality of the work, and the opportunities to learn and develop more than make up for it. It's also more than my previous job and competitive with other entry level roles. We have an optional bonus structure, and I haven't been here long enough yet to have my bonus. So, you either have full bonus (lower salary and high bonus), half bonus (medium salary and medium bonus) or no bonus (high salary) option. The amount of bonus varies depending on your level and your performance. We have a $500 allowance for setting work from home equipment, and an ongoing allowance for covering work from home expenses. We do get free taxis/Ubers home from work parties (i.e., Christmas party).

Onboarding training takes about 2-3 weeks and covers all of Nous' internal systems, processes and how to become a consultant. Nous also has lots of online learning, including 'savvy sessions' which are pre-recorded online meetings that you can watch to learn about a sector or skill. There are plenty of links to linked-in learning and other online courses to upskill in various skills.

Nous expects 8 hours of client work, and 0.5-2 hours of self-development every day. I'd say the company is very flexible because it's all self-managed, so if you need to fit in a doctor’s appointment or anything like that, even run an errand or an exercise class, it's up to you to balance your time and meet all your commitments. I'd say I typically work 7.5-8 hours of client work, with maybe 0.5 for other things (internal company meetings etc.) a day.

We have a dedicated sustainability manager. There is also an intention to become completely carbon neutral by some point.