Accenture operates a local analyst staffing model, with business need driving when you will travel.
"Staffing" is a term we use here at Accenture to describe the process for assigning consulting analysts on projects. As a consulting analyst, you will be staffed on projects that usually require you to work at a client location. During your first couple years with Accenture, we will attempt to staff you on in-town assignments at client sites near your home-base location, but this is not a guarantee.

Some consulting analysts will need to travel 100% of the time, whereas others may not travel at all during their first few years with Accenture. While preferences are taken into consideration, staffing is based on business need and your experience will be dependent upon what we need to do to serve our clients.

When un-staffed, all new analysts are expected to come into their local office. In addition to meeting other new analysts, you will be available to help with local business development work, take advantage of mentoring and networking opportunities, and do self-study training.

Let's take a look at a recent group of new consulting analysts from the Chicago office, so you can see the variety of experiences:

• Mike's first assignment was supporting local business development activities, so he spent his first few months in the downtown Chicago office. His next client was a major financial services company, also in the downtown area.
• Katie's alignment with the Government group assigned her right away to a client site in Washington, DC. She travels to the client site in DC Monday through Thursday, and spends her Fridays back at her home office in Chicago. While she will still be doing client work, working from her home office on Fridays allows her to spend full weekends at home. She also can network with her peer group, HR and leadership.
• Cheryl was un-staffed for a few weeks after completing her training. Like all other un-staffed analysts are expected to, she came into the office daily so she'd immediately be available to help with local business development work, take advantage of mentoring and networking opportunities, and do self-study training. She's now staffed at a pharmaceutical company in a far north suburb of Chicago.

Bottom line: travel is required for all consulting analysts; to what extent is based on business need.