Overview
Introduction
A storied name in the consulting industry, Charles River Associates provides specialist economic, financial, and management consulting services. Clients engage CRA for their litigation- and regulatory-related cases, as well as for its strategic advice and problem-solving capabilities.
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Vault Verdict
In a difficult year for the industry in general, CRA has been bolstered by the diversity of its services, offering some protection against economic fluctuations and positioning the firm well heading into 2024.
As an employer, CRA offers a blend of academic rigor and real-world consulting, making it an appealing choice for those who are intellectually curious and seeking exposure to high-profile litigation and transactions across various industries. This intellectual environment—with a significant portion of staff holding PhDs—results in a truly collaborative and equitable workplace, with less internal competition and politicking than can be found elsewhere in the industry.
However, not everyone will be a perfect fit: some insiders point to a fin...
About the Company
Charles River Associates is a global consulting firm specializing in economic, financial, and management consulting services. CRA advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings and guides corporations through critical business strategy and performance related issues. Clients engage CRA for its combination of analytical rigor, functional expertise, and industry knowledge, and for its objective solutions to complex problems.
Clients include national and international companies; federal, state, and local government agencies and foreign governments; public and private utilities; and trade associations, which operate in a number of industries. Among those industries are banking and capital markets, capital projects, chemicals, communications and media, energy and utilities, en...
Employee Reviews
“40% of our staff have Ph.D.s. We are committed to academic excellence and bringing that excellence to our clients.”
“Culture—quasi-academic but with an intense focus on ‘real world’ results. Very few (if any) difficult colleagues. Most corporate support staff are focused on helping the consultants do business efficiently, effectively, and safely.”
“If you want a chance to prove yourself and work on different projects as opposed to cookie-cutter consulting, come work with CRA.”
“The culture of academic rigor and integrity is incredibly strong at CRA. We pride ourselves on the analyses that we conduct, and staff at all levels are committed to producing high-quality work.”
“We are one firm worldwide with a fantastic commitment to quality and integrity, to treating all colleagues fairly and equitably, and to delivering our brand promise to all clients, regardless of the size of the engagement.”
Getting Hired Here
“30-minute first-round interview with 1-2 interviewers focused on behavioral questions. Second round has two 30-minute behavioral interviews, followed by a 45-minute case interview, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session with junior staff.”
“CRA provides training to all employees who are selected to run interviews. From my personal experience, interviews are conducted professionally and in a respectful manner. The firm strives to be prompt and efficient throughout the interview and hiring cycle.”
“For senior candidates (i.e., with advanced degrees): The interview and callback process is changing following the pandemic. We used to target Econ and related PhDs who would be screened in Oct-Nov, have initial interviews in Dec, in-person interviews at the ASSA meeting in Jan, and then flybacks in Feb. During the pandemic, the ASSA Jan meeting did not happen, so the schedule accelerated without the Jan anchor. Now that the ASSA meeting is back, I do not believe that we (or others) will revert to the old schedule. I now expect screenings in Sept-Oct, callbacks in Nov-Dec.For junior candidates (BA and BS): process largely unchanged. On-campus recruiting supplemented with online offerings in Sept-Oct with intent to complete junior hiring by mid-Dec.
Generally handled centrally.
Smart, thoughtful, capable, detail-oriented, and (if possible) innovative.”“High intellectual horsepower and creative problem solvers will do best with us. Firm works relatively quickly in terms of making offer decisions.”
“I found the interview and callback process to be fairly efficient and positive. The ideal candidate is someone with robust analytical skills and experience who demonstrates an ability to describe such analyses and work well on teams.”
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