Working with HPO

HPO offers Management Consulting at highest standard. Demanding projects and clients as well as a top-class, likeable team await you. Below you will find answers to questions our recruiting team is frequently asked about.

Career FAQ's

What are the requirements for an HPO consultant?

If you want to apply, you should have the following qualifications:

  • Extraordinary university degree
  • Pronounced analytic and conceptual skills
  • Proactive and enthusiastic personality with a wide range of interests
  • High degree of motivation and sense of responsibility
  • Excellent communication skills and very good knowledge of English and German, further language skills are an advantage
  • Practical experience desired
  • Good sense of humour

What is the process of application with HPO like?

Our process of application is clearly structured. On the basis of your written application we judge your qualification for a job with HPO and in case of a positive result we invite you to a recruiting day. After this recruiting day you will receive a decision very quickly. For further information on our process of application, click

here

What are the first working weeks like?

On the first day of work you will get an experienced consultant as a mentor. He organises your first week and as a contact person he is at your disposal for any questions in the beginning. In the first week you will get introductions of our methodology, IT infrastructure etc. by your colleagues. Furthermore, you will have the opportunity of meeting our managing partners in person within the first few weeks. You are likely to be staffed on one of the customer projects during the first few weeks. If not, you have the opportunity of familiarising yourself with our methodology either by studying it on your own or by discussing it with colleagues. Moreover, you will support processes of acquisitions of our partners by researching and developing the necessary documentation.

What is special about the remuneration of HPO?

For your very high commitment and your performances you are paid a typical salary in this industry. Your remuneration consists of a base salary and a bonus depending on your performance and success. The development of your remuneration depends, of course, on your career development.

What is the daily project work with HPO like?

Working as a consultant with HPO means that no day is like the other one. Depending on your particular customer project and the team constellation you have to do very different tasks and sometimes work at different places.
A day in the life of an HPO consultant might be like this one:

07.30
 Departure of the train to Berne. For Martin (senior consultant) it’s the beginning of his work day. He works on customer mails and talks to Bruno (managing partner) on the phone to discuss the final adaptations on the document for the coming workshop.
08.45
 Shortly before the workshop he meets the responsible for HR on the corridor of the customer building. Over a quick espresso they discuss the possible consequences of the staff communication due for the following week.
09.00
 Beginning of the workshop. After the introduction and reception by Bruno, Martin explains the current situation to workshop participants and holds the following debate together with Bruno.
10.30
 After the workshop Martin goes to the HPO team office together with Bruno and they discuss the contents of the results paper and they talk about the scheduling of the next meeting with their client.
12.15
 Lunch together with his HPO colleagues working on other projects in Berne.
13.00
 Martin updates the staff transfer list which he has received meanwhile and calls the responsible area mangers so as to avoid mistakes on the list.
15.30
 Martin meets a person responsible for the IT to have a coffee and to discuss the consequences of the staff transfer on certain customer systems.
16.00
 In order to prepare the meeting due for the following day Martin calls several members of staff of the client so as to get the correct and current information for the documentation.
16.45
 Martin takes a taxi to go to another customer building to meet the person responsible for communication. They talk about the development and contents of the staff information for the following week. The reservations which he discussed earlier that day with the person responsible for HR are mentioned cautiously in the course of the discussion.
19.00
 On the way back to Zurich he answers mails and finalises the documentation for the following day.
20.00
 At the train station in Zurich he meets some other HPO colleagues to have a spontaneous after work drink. They talk about current projects but also about plans for the holidays.

What is special about the working hours with HPO?

As a consultant with HPO you work according to requirements during the week. This means that we require a large time commitment during important phases of the project, on the other hand we offer a certain degree of free space during less stressful periods. We are of the opinion that we meet the requirements of consultants in this way. Working at weekends is one of the exceptions and can be compensated accordingly.

Where is my main workplace?

Our office is located in Freienbach SZ at the Zürichsee and is about 30 km away from Zürich. The office is near the station in Freienbach and is thus reachable within about 40 minutes on the S8 leaving from Zurich every 30 minutes.
As a consultant you often work directly at the customer’s office. This can be in Switzerland or in the surrounding countries. For our work it is important to be in close contact with the responsible mangers of our clients.
We don’t have a weekly office day, but again and again you will have the opportunity of spending a day in the office and to swap ideas with your colleagues.

What opportunities to make one's career does HPO offer?

As a consultant with HPO you work on challenging customer projects from the beginning and thus quickly take responsibilities for the finding of solutions. Our intensive further training, our approved methodology and the daily coaching by your colleagues will take you quickly on the next step of your career. From the consultant, to the senior consultant, later to the project manager and finally to the partner. For further information you may require, click

here

What is the benefit of internal extra tasks?

By taking responsibilities for internal extra tasks you have the chance to have a direct impact on the development and success of HPO. On the other hand you have the chance to build up specific knowledge in your special field.
The distribution of such extra tasks is carried out in your second year and it is clear that your personal competences and interests are taken into consideration.

Does HPO offer traineeships?

HPO offers traineeships several times a year. According to experience a minimum of three months is necessary to get a reasonable insight into the world of consulting. As a trainee you are mainly employed in customer projects, if possible. Hereby you can support consultants with your commitment. Secondly you are responsible for internal projects and supporting activities. Trainees are given special care and attention by our HR manager Heidi Straub. She coordinates the different tasks which you are given and she will see to your personal development during the traineeship.