How We Work
The consultants at ReD Associates work on the most difficult problems for the biggest corporations in the world. They solve strategic problems—things like new energy models, digital disruption, and failed marketing models. Our consultants are the people our clients seek out when they need a shift in perspective or radically new way of thinking.
Our consultants work across a breadth of industries, bringing their intellectual prowess and curiosity to the problem at hand. You will be exposed to a variety of industries at ReD Associates—especially early in your career—and you will not be expected to specialize in any one. Our core work involves in-depth social research, business analysis and digital solutions, which inform the strategic recommendations we present to our clients.
A fun and intellectually stimulating environment
At ReD you will be exposed to new cultures, people, and practices as part of your fieldwork. And you will meet an interesting and eclectic group of colleagues, with whom you will work closely on projects, share lunch every day, and socialize during our “Friday Bar” – if not a late afternoon swim in Copenhagen’s harbor or drinks at a local dive bar in New York.
To keep our intellect fresh, ReD offers tailored courses covering various aspects of our work – from frequent courses in philosophy by renowned philosophy professors to a specialized Mini-MBA course taught by Duke CE.
Given ReD is an international company, we work to bridge the physical divides between the offices, by gathering the entire company at our bi-annual retreat. Similarly, managers are on a yearly retreat, and new employees are on a retreat with key senior staff and partners to ensure a good start at the company. As many ReD employees aren’t native to the country they are working in, we often become each other’s anchor away from home.
Working in teams
At ReD, you work on one project at a time, so you can go in-depth with the problem at hand. You’re not responsible for selling new projects or have obligations beyond the project you are staffed on. Here, it’s only the partner group that have sales and PR targets.
Client engagements can last anywhere from three to six months, during which time each consultant works as part of a team. ReD’s offices are mainly open plan, and the project teams will simply sit together in these open spaces, when they are in the office. This team structure is key to how we work and learn at ReD Associates. Given the diversity of backgrounds of the team members, each person will inevitably bring a unique perspective to the project and challenge their colleagues. Having an open and trusting dialogue within our teams is a very important part of our culture. We expect consultants to be honest about what they know and don’t know and to challenge one another’s assumptions.
The life of a consultant & travel
Working as a consultant at ReD Associates involves periodic travel for client engagements and fieldwork in different parts of the world. Regular travel can be expected, including longer-duration inter-company work between our Copenhagen, London and New York offices and for fieldwork (typically three to four weeks at a time).
Fieldwork is a time where our consultants immerse themselves in a phenomenon and another world—one that is sometimes familiar to them, or at other times, one that is not. Over the years our teams have:
Gone to Tokyo to meet with high net-worth individuals, in order to get a deeper understanding of Japanese culture and the luxury market.
Spent weeks with credit card fraudsters in Boston and New York, trying to understand their operating methods and motivations.
Conducted overnight visits at cattle ranches and attended Cowboy Churches in rural Texas to understand truck culture.
Met with architects in Seattle to understand their approach to design, and subsequently spent time in homes with homeowners to understand their lived experience and how lifestyle changes have led to adjustments to new spaces.
It is important to note that more conventional consultant travel, where teams sit at the client office for four days a week, is not how we work. The majority of our work happens in our home offices with occasional travel to the client site.
STILL GOT QUESTIONS?
If you have any further questions about the application process, please check our Hiring FAQs.
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
Applicants with an outstanding performance in the first interview round will be invited to a second round of interviewing to meet with one to two ReD Partners.