Overview
Introduction
Cognizant is a global consulting firm, providing business consulting, information technology, and outsourcing services. The firm focuses on digital business, digital operations, and digital systems & technology. Key industries include banking, financial services and insurance, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing & logistics, retail & consumer goods, information, and media & entertainment.
Company Stats
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Employment Contact
Vault Verdict
Ask an insider about life at Cognizant, and the chances are that, before too long, they'll broach the subject of the firm's culture. Or, to be more precise, how the culture is changing—something that became inevitable from the point where, a few years back, the firm made the decision to transition from being a large-scale outsourcing shop to a full-service provider of end-to-end consulting services.
Has the culture changed completely? No: The comments we collected from insiders in our survey the last time the firm participatd (in 2015)—a selection of which are shown below—indicate that there is still some way to go to bridge the divide between where the company was and where it is trying to get to. But, crucially, the firm i...
About the Company
Cognizant is a leading provider of information technology, consulting, and business process outsourcing services, dedicated to helping the world's leading companies build stronger businesses. Cognizant is a member of the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500, the Forbes Global 2000, and the Fortune 500 and is ranked among the top performing and fastest growing companies in the world.
Cognizant delivers innovative solutions through consulting and IT services with an industry vertical focus. The firm's spectrum of consulting services (Business Strategy, Process and Operations Consulting, Technology Consulting and Business Analysis) is focused on driving transformation, innovation, and optimization for clients. Cognizant drives and executes large business and IT transformation programs, and management consulting engagements. The com...
Employee Reviews
- "The individual needs to manage the work-life balance equation. One needs to prioritize and learn it is okay to decline the Friday night or weekend conference call. There are times when they are necessary but it should be the exception and not the norm."
- "Cognizant does a wonderful job of providing flexibility to manage work-life balance. The use of technology and corporate policies allows you to be flexible in the location of your work and hours spent during the day. The culture here is very entrepreneurial even though there are over 200,000 employees. It allows for success at individual business units by managing their responsibilities and targets."
- "Work-life balance and quality of life vary greatly from project to project. If your project has an offshore team you will likely be working 18+ hours a day. Generally with a nightly call that can go from 10-1am and a morning call from 7am-8am and then the actual on-site work during the day. If you are unlucky enough to be put on a delivery project you will likely be asked to work seven days a week, and all nighters are common place. On the flip side if you get on a project with little offshore interaction and a management team that has the ability to set reasonable expectations for the client the work hours are generally pretty favorable 45-55/week including travel time."
- "As an employee, Cognizant offers a lot of flexibility and takes into consideration employee preference. There is no poor aspect that strikes out, sometimes we may have to go beyond our normal working hours to support various internal initiative, business development opportunities etc but that comes with the job."
- "Very high expectations that impact year end performance to contribute several hundreds of hours outside of client work to perform company activities such as writing white papers that are not used outside of vertical domain if anywhere within company, creating "neutralized case studies" on client projects that are not used anywhere."
- "Best: Less travels equals better work-life balance. Vacations are welcomed and the culture is great. The accessibility to senior leadership is very high. Worst: Since most practices are siloed, there aren't enough opportunities to interact with other practices/groups within the firm. Interactions within the practice also can be limited. There are issues with internal systems which cause unnecessary time spent on resolving them."
Getting Hired Here
- "Our interview and callback process matches what many other firms follow, particularly through email and phone calls […] The candidates we seek have domain experience in a given field industry, demonstrate a passion for what they can bring to Cognizant and our clients, clearly position themselves as a leader through their actions and work, and desire to work in a very entrepreneurial environment where success is predicated on your ability to think on your feet and take action, not just follow a standard corporate program."
- "We have at least three interviews with senior consultants after the HR screening is done, always ending in a face to face with the practice leader. We seek people with a blend of hands on digital experience and consulting expertise, so they can craft very detailed and pragmatic digital strategy that out-performs those of any other firm. Applicants need a rare mix of client or agency-side digital with consulting and some technical knowledge, as well as the ability to grow a practice and develop thought leadership. Close to 90% of applicants are rejected, as criteria is very difficult and full mastery of digital is mandatory."
- "Candidates are screened by HR, then scheduled for in-person peer interviews. Feedback from the in-person interviews is collected and reviewed. Candidates who meet criteria are given a final interview with management who makes a hire/ no-hire decision. The ideal candidate is able to think on their feet, has strong technical skills, a solid educational foundation, and the ability to learn quickly."
- "Know what you are talking about. Be open and honest, don't be afraid to say if you don't know something, offer your insight and knowledge. Avoid clichés and conventional wisdom - you might find yourself having to explain something that is not defensible. False modesty is no virtue, but puffery might get you into trouble at this level."
- "Sometimes, it takes several weeks after the interview to get callback and formal hiring documentation. The ideal candidate must have exceptional business communication skills, specific industry knowledge, can influence without authority, confident and smart in decisions."
Perks & Benefits