Currently sitting on the bench for the first time after back-to-back projects. I know the ‘work on yourself’ advice gets thrown around, but what actually moves the needle? I want to hear from consultants who’ve turned this limbo into promotions or exit ops. How did you balance skill-building with maintaining visibility? Bonus points for creative ways to network internally without seeming desperate. What’s your playbook?
bench time = firm’s way of making you feel guilty for their poor sales pipeline. real talk: update your linkedin, take whatever certs they’ll pay for, and schedule ‘coffee chats’ with partners’ EAs. pro tip: automate your ‘active project contributions’ emails to blast weekly. play the game or get played.
i asked to help w our new hire onboarding deck! got to design a slide about excel shortcuts lol. partners noticed when i included it in my friday update. small wins matter??
Treat this as a rare opportunity for deliberate growth. I used three weeks of bench time to:a) Complete advanced financial modeling training b) Partner with HR to create a client communication guide now used firm-wide c) Schedule 15-minute 1:1s with 2 partners/weekResult: Promoted ahead of peers at next cycle. Focus on creating tangible value others will reference.
This is your golden hour! Shadow different teams, learn that niche tool everyone ignores, leave every convo with ‘how can I support?’ You’ve got this!
Internal data shows consultants who use bench time for cross-practice initiatives have 23% faster promotion rates. Identify pain points in adjacent groups (e.g., PMO templates for Tech practice), solve them using your core skills, and document ROI. Quantifiable contributions bypass the ‘busy work’ perception.