Virtually every company has to grapple with the rapid pace of technological change and digital transformation. As the global economy develops, companies must be more responsive to the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly competitive global marketplace. This is where consulting firms like IDC come in.
IDC—or the International Data Corporation—provides market analysis and strategic advisory services primarily to companies in the consumer tech, information technology, and telecommunications industries. With over 2,500 employees and over 50 locations around the world, IDC is an extremely large firm with many different professional opportunities for aspiring consultants.
In this article, we’ll look at everything you need to know about IDC, so you can decide whether working there as a consultant might be right for you.
Firm Key Stats
Firm Website: www.idc.com
Firm Headquarters: Needham, MA
Firm Number of Employees: 2,500+
Firm Number of Locations: 50+
Firm Chief Executive: Tshokolo Petrus Nchocho
Firm Revenue: $270 billion
IDC History
The IDC history begins with its founding as the International Data Corporation in 1964, by recent MIT grad Patrick Joseph McGovern. The company began with a computer installation database, whose use was then rented by major technology companies like Xerox, RCA, and Univac.
In 1967, McGovern expanded the company’s newsletter to a larger publication called Computerworld. The company continued expanding its publications into other countries throughout the following decades, including the launch of MacWorld in 1984 to accompany the introduction of the Macintosh computer. By this time, IDC had formed a larger parent company called IDG—International Data Group. In 1991 IDG Books began publishing the famous For Dummies series.
Beginning in the 1970s and 80s, IDG also began expanding into events and research, with technology-based trade shows like Computer Caravan, and tech research initiatives like IDC Predictions.
After McGovern died in 2014, the company changed ownership several times, most recently being bought by Blackstone Inc. for $1.3 billion in 2021. The IDG, Inc. parent company now operates two divisions: IDC and Foundry. IDC provides market intelligence and advisory services in the infotech, telecom, and consumer tech industries. Foundry provides media and event services for B2B tech marketers around the world.
IDC Careers
A career at IDC allows individuals to sharpen their talents while collaborating with some of the most esteemed professionals in the industry. They place a high value on internship, mentorship, and professional development. From the outside, it seems like a great place to work if personal and professional development is also a high value of yours.
Now let’s look at everything you might want to know about IDC careers.
IDC Internship
There is an extensive IDC Internship program, which offers students the chance to work closely alongside industry thought leaders and gain hands-on experience working with real-life IDC projects. The IDC internship typically lasts 10 weeks and involves 30 hours of work per week.
Practice Areas
The main IDC practice areas include:
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- Strategy
- Market intelligence
- Operations
- Finance and accounting
- Governance, risk, and compliance
- Organizational change
- Advisory services
- Global business consulting
- Market share analysis
- Digital strategy and transformation
- Sustainability/ESG
- Digital Ethics
- Innovation
- Research
- Data Analysis
Industries
The primary IDC industries include:
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- Information Technology
- Consumer Tech
- Telecommunications and Media
IDC Locations
The following is a list of IDC locations:
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- IDC Needham, MA
- IDC Boulder, CO
- IDC Miami, FL
- IDC Red Banks, NJ
- IDC Tampa
- IDC Alexandria, VA
- IDC Toronto, Canada
- IDC Singapore
- IDC Sydney, Australia
- IDC Beijing, China
- IDC Hong Kong
- IDC Delhi, India
- IDC Jakarta, Indonesia
- IDC Tokyo, Japan
- IDC Seoul, Korea
- IDC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- IDC Auckland, New Zealand
- IDC Taguig City, Philippines
- IDC Taipei City, Taiwan
- IDC Bangkok, Thailand
- IDC Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- IDC Wien, Austria
- IDC Netherlands
- IDC Sofia, Bulgaria
- IDC Czech Republic
- IDC Copenhagen, Denmark
- IDC France
- IDC Frankfurt, Germany
- IDC Munich, Germany
- IDC Greece
- IDC Budapest, Hungary
- IDC Dublin, Ireland
- IDC Israel
- IDC Milan, Italy
- IDC Kazakhstan
- IDC Warszaw, Poland
- IDC Lisbon, Portugal
- IDC Bucharest, Romania
- IDC Serbia
- IDC London, UK
- IDC Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- IDC Cairo, Egypt
- IDC Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- IDC Nairobi, Kenya
- IDC Lagos, Nigeria
- IDC Johannesburg, South Africa
- IDC Istanbul, Turkey
- IDC Buenos Aires, Argentina
- IDC São Paulo, Brazil
- IDC Santiago, Chile
- IDC Bogota, Colombia
- IDC Mexico
- IDC Lima, Peru
- IDC Caracas, Venezuela
Career Path
The IDC career path in the consulting track includes the following positions, listed from least to greatest level of seniority:
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- Associate
- Consultant
- Senior Consultant
- Consulting Manager
- Consulting Director
- Consulting VP
Exit Opportunities
With such an impressive reputation, a huge global footprint, and excellent development opportunities, the IDC exit opportunities should be very promising. Departing employees should be well equipped to move to other consulting firms operating in the spaces of technology and market analysis. Alternatively, departing employees should also be well qualified to work for companies in the consumer tech, IT, and telecommunications industries.
Diversity Programs
IDC has good ratings on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from current and former employees on Glassdoor, with a score of 4.1/5 stars. Some reviews suggest that international employees and women still face disadvantages when it comes to advancement, though the inclusivity and racial diversity of the broader workforce is generally praised. There isn’t much information about any IDC diversity programs on the internet, though the company did host a Women Transforming Technology Summit in 2022.
IDC Culture
Now let’s talk about the IDC culture. The culture is praised for its development opportunities. Junior employees have a great deal of access to senior leadership and influential industry thought leaders. The workflow is described as fast-paced with an emphasis on innovation, though it’s still possible to maintain a functional work-life balance. The culture is said to feel close-knit, with employees encouraged to take on an owner mentality.
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IDC Interview<
The IDC interview is described as relatively fast and efficient. Many applicants receive a decision within two weeks of first contact, and some are hired after only a single interview. The IDC interview process focuses primarily on aptitude questions—sometimes including a written test—in which applicants are assessed based on their technical expertise relative to the role they’re applying for.
IDC Salary
The IDC salary within the consulting track is as follows:
- Associate: $65,000
- Consultant: $102,000
- Senior Consultant: $133,000
- Consulting Manager: $185,000
- Consulting Director: $305,000
- Consulting VP: $335,000
The Consultant salary is a bit less than the “Big 3” firms, where the average salary ranges from $110,000-112,000.
If you want to review a more thorough listing of the salary information for hundreds of firms, be sure to visit our 2023 Salary Report.
Conclusion
IDC has worked on the cutting-edge of IT and consumer tech for over six decades. In that time, they’ve partnered with some of the world’s most innovative companies to deliver insights that help those companies become and remain competitive. If you’re looking for a fast-paced consulting position that will enable you to work in some of the world’s most high-profile industries, consider applying to IDC today.
Additional Resources:
- Top Consulting Firms of 2023
- Top 10 Boutique Consulting Firms in US
- Consulting Resume: Complete Guide
- Case Interview: Complete Prep Guide