When it comes to choosing an employer, there is no question that prestige is important. However, our survey data indicates time and again that many other factors come into play when weighing a choice--and even more that affect employee satisfaction in the months and years after the decision has been made.

Did you know that for more than half of consulting firm candidates, firm culture was one of the most important factors in selecting an employer? Other top factors include practice strength and type of work, in addition to prestige and compensation.

But choosing an employer is only part of the equation--staying there over a period of time is something else entirely. And while elements like firm culture, compensation and prestige remain important as part of that picture, other factors such as overall job satisfaction and the ability to make career progress also emerge as critical differentiators of top employers.

In order to properly reflect a company's status as an employer within the consulting industry, the Vault Top Consulting Europe list is based on the following weighted formula:

30 percent prestige

15 percent satisfaction

15 percent firm culture

10 percent compensation

10 percent ability to challenge

10 percent work-life balance

5 percent formal training

5 percent overall business outlook

As ever, our survey is only open to consultants who are currently employed at reputable firms in the industry. When rating quality of life issues, consultants are only permitted to rate their own firm. For prestige and practice area rankings, however, consultants are only allowed to rate competitors, and NOT their own firms.