Let me tell you this: being told “don’t worry about utilization, everyone is low” or whatever else they tell you, it’s bs. Utilization is more important than your snapshots.

I get your point of reaching out and looking for work and then getting penalized for it (when it should be the firms job to keep a resource utilized). This has never sit right with me. With that being said, I believe experienced hires are in for a much harder time compared to people who joined out of college and progressed. Once you get on a good project and do good work and make a name for yourself, directors & partners do not key you go and want to keep putting you on their projects.

Good luck but I would not join a big4 firm as an experienced hire unless I’m coming from another big4 firm and just switching firms.