Life at AArete

At AArete, we’re always looking for highly motivated individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm for working in a challenging, dynamic, team-oriented, performance-driven environment. Our most successful candidates are intelligent, talented people who possess excellent communications skills, analytical abilities and creativity for solving problems and improving business practices.
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Our History

AArete was founded in 2008 with a mission of helping businesses across a number of industries increase profitability through data-driven decision making and people-centered conversations. Since then, we’ve grown 30-60% year-over-year, creating rapid and continuous expansion with our team of dynamic, high-performing “AAretians” at the heart of it all. 

Today, our team has grown to more than 240 people who are dedicated to customer success, collaborative in their approach and determined to expand their knowledge. Together, we’re continually building a place where employees thrive in their careers and clients benefit.

The AArete Difference

AArete consultants are strategic visionaries who are passionate about delivering impactful results using powerful data and analytics. We enjoy a professional environment where employees can gain exposure to the most career-changing projects, while recognizing the importance of social interaction, rest, and experiencing life to the fullest.

An Award Winning Culture

At AArete, our people are the heart of our mission to humanize data for purposeful change. We’re proud to foster an environment where team members feel supported, empowered, and inspired to make a meaningful impact. While our work has earned recognition from Forbes and others, we’re especially grateful for the employee feedback that has led to acknowledgments from organizations like USA TODAY, the Chicago Tribune, Great Place to Work, and Crain’s. We’re also honored to be recognized by the ESOP Association for our commitment to employee ownership and long-term value.

USA TODAY
Top Workplaces

2025

Chicago Tribute Excellence in Culture & Employee Well-Being

2024

Great Place to Work Certified

2022

Illinois ESOP Employee Owned Company of the Year

2022

The 2022 Fastest Growing Firms

2022

Career Growth

At AArete, your career growth is determined by your performance — not by your tenure or title. Our people come to AArete with outstanding skills, experience and passion for excellence, but also with an open mind and willingness to learn. We offer training that’s geared toward total career growth by studying new industries and becoming well versed in the methodologies and tools we use to increase client profitability. Approximately 85% of our training is developed in-house, with content curated by our team of consultants to ensure it relates directly to growth for our employees and clients.

Formal Training

In addition to initial training in AArete methodologies, programs and products, we provide ongoing training at meetings and seminars held throughout the year, including:

  • Comprehensive intern and analyst training
  • In-person consultant, manager and director training and development
  • Industry and technical training “lunch and learn” sessions, where consultants share their on-the-job knowledge to help fellow AAretians grow
  • Bi-annual company meetings (all-inclusive for all AAretians regardless of level, tenure, or geography), which integrate development and training with fun team-building events, as well as community outreach activities in alignment with our guiding principles

Informal Training

Every consultant receives on-the-job training each day through his or her interactions with peers who have various backgrounds and experiences across all levels of the organization. Plus, all employees participate in “AArete Meet & Greet,” which pairs each new hire with a more tenured consultant from another project team who can answer questions big and small about our firm, processes and culture. Further, all new hires are trained on different types of projects in a variety of industries, while utilizing the latest digital visualization and analytics tools.

Transparent Interview Process

When you interview with AArete, you won’t be left in the dark. We have an individualized interview processes for each candidate, including experienced consultants and summer interns.

Experienced Consultant Candidates

First, qualifying experienced candidates are typically invited for a phone interview with an AArete human resources representative. Should their experience and work style align with the role and company culture, they will typically advance to the next round, which includes a Microsoft Excel assessment, case interview and behavioral assessments to acclimate them to the type of work we do. Next, the candidate is asked to meet on-site and interview one-on-one with AArete employees of varying tenures and backgrounds to understand role expectations, learn more about our culture and ask any questions they may have.

Depending on previous experience, AArete consultants advance their careers along the following trajectory: 

Consulting Career Track

Analyst

Can you dazzle us with your data? Our Analysts must possess highly refined analytical and communication skills. You’ll operate effectively—and successfully—in both independent and group settings. It’s also important that you have an understanding of the general business context of current clients, as you work towards developing creative solutions for them.

Consultant

Are you a multitasking mastermind? Our Consultants are expected to provide meaningful support on multiple projects while immersed in—and applying—AArete’s methodology. You need to be able to deliver value to our clients and demonstrate proficiency in the requisite analytical tools and techniques, such as Excel and SQL.

Senior
Consultant

Can you navigate in front of the client and behind the scenes? Our Senior Consultants are responsible for driving our consulting projects to success—while collaborating with AArete’s leadership and consultants. You’ll need to identify and perform sophisticated analyses accurately, with only broad oversight. You’ll also be expected to be on top of market developments in your area of expertise.

Manager

Do you have uncanny instincts? As a leader, you’ll need to ensure your team is running smoothly and developing consulting careers. As a Manager, you will be accountable for having-and sharing- in-depth practical knowledge, skills to successfully execute project goals, and deliver analytical results.

Director

Are you a natural born leader? AArete Directors demonstrate in-depth practice knowledge and skills and will be accountable for the successful execution of project goals and analytical deliverables. They are recognized as the functional expert with their team or group. Additionally, Directors support firm-wide business development activities including lead generation, client relationship management, risk mitigation, and ongoing training and development of team members.

Managing
Director

Can you create and deploy strategy? AArete Managing Directors are responsible for facilitating AArete’ s strategy and vision by proactively managing personnel, business projects, and deliverables with minimal disruptions to clients and other work streams. Successful Managing Director’s will secure, design, and manage large, complex, team-based consulting projects. AArete Managing Directors are responsible for building a continuous book of business to drive revenue growth.

Can you dazzle us with your data? Our Analysts must possess highly refined analytical and communication skills. You’ll operate effectively—and successfully—in both independent and group settings. It’s also important that you have an understanding of the general business context of current clients, as you work towards developing creative solutions for them.

Are you a multitasking mastermind? Our Consultants are expected to provide meaningful support on multiple projects while immersed in—and applying—AArete’s methodology. You need to be able to deliver value to our clients and demonstrate proficiency in the requisite analytical tools and techniques, such as Excel and SQL.

Can you navigate in front of the client and behind the scenes? Our Senior Consultants are responsible for driving our consulting projects to success—while collaborating with AArete’s leadership and consultants. You’ll need to identify and perform sophisticated analyses accurately, with only broad oversight. You’ll also be expected to be on top of market developments in your area of expertise.

Do you have uncanny instincts? As a leader, you’ll need to ensure your team is running smoothly and developing consulting careers. As a Manager, you will be accountable for having-and sharing- in-depth practical knowledge, skills to successfully execute project goals, and deliver analytical results.

Are you a natural born leader? AArete Directors demonstrate in-depth practice knowledge and skills and will be accountable for the successful execution of project goals and analytical deliverables. They are recognized as the functional expert with their team or group. Additionally, Directors support firm-wide business development activities including lead generation, client relationship management, risk mitigation, and ongoing training and development of team members.

Can you create and deploy strategy? AArete Managing Directors are responsible for facilitating AArete’ s strategy and vision by proactively managing personnel, business projects, and deliverables with minimal disruptions to clients and other work streams. Successful Managing Director’s will secure, design, and manage large, complex, team-based consulting projects. AArete Managing Directors are responsible for building a continuous book of business to drive revenue growth.

Summer Internship Program

Our competitive summer internship is designed for undergraduates entering their senior year in college. Interns perform analyst responsibilities for the summer to gain a clearer understanding of what we do and how we work. This likely includes travel, business case creation and other work with meaningful impact. 

We seek students who have strong academic standing, are involved in extracurricular activities and embody our core values. We recruit at top colleges and universities nationwide and typically meet our potential interns on-campus or at career fairs. Consultants assess the candidates’ qualifications and determine if there is a potential match. After this initial interaction, qualified candidates are contacted to schedule formal interviews. If invited to our office for final-round interviews, each candidate will have one-on-one interviews with additional consultants.

professional team

Open Positions

View our open positions and begin the job application process today!

View Open Positions