Appetizers

Starting with some basics.

Fun Starters

Getting to know the human side.

 Main Course

A quick deep dive into the day-to-day job.

Tell us about yourself and your job.

Hi! I'm a Korean-American in her mid-twenties and work as a consultant at Deloitte. Consultants usually come in to companies to solve specific problems, e.g. develop a specific strategy for X, help us digitize Y. I usually help clients with their problems by informing a specific strategy through a combination of data analytics and qualitative research, and my clients have ranged from non-profit organizations to health logistics leaders.

How did you end up in your field? What do you like about it?

During the fall of 2018, I was interning at a blockchain firm in South Korea and fell in love with the intersection between technology and business. I thought, "I want to be the person that's coming up with use cases for emerging technology, and learn how those use cases get sold and implemented."

This led me to recruit for tech consulting firms, and that's how I landed the role of being a BTA (a retired title now, hah) at Deloitte, though my roles these days have had less to do with tech and more to do with strategy and data analytics. I like that I learn a TON here and the creativity that goes into solving some of our client's problems!

What does a typical morning look like on the job?

The most important part of my morning routine is getting some me-time in. I usually start the day by going to the gym, meditating, and making a nice coffee. Then I go through my emails and create a shortlist of things that I need to do, and prioritize each of those tasks based on my meetings for the day.

Cool, then what does a typical afternoon look like?

Adding to my tasks if needed, prepping for any meetings that I might need to speak in, thinking about what needs to be finished today vs. what can be left for tomorrow morning.

What types of projects and meetings are you involved in?

It is project-based, and it really depends on the project! Depending on the specific ask on the contract, the project can look like a lot of different things. Right now my work is to develop a strategy for a very specific process. It's a smaller team, so we meet daily to check-in, have around 2-3 meetings with our clients each week, and some internal meetings with our subject matter experts baked in as well for advice/feedback.

You can break this project into a couple of parts - current state analysis of this specific process, interviewing, developing personas, and researching best practices, and then delivering the final strategy.

Who do you collaborate with in meetings and projects? Cross-functional teams? What's it like?

Depends on the project. If I'm on one that involves developing technology, and my role is on the functional side, I'll work with both client stakeholders and our developers to ensure that what the client wants is properly translated and developed on by our coders.

Sometimes you don't know too much about a subject, so you might consult a subject matter expert within the firm to give you best practices or advice on what direction to take your project in. It can be a process to learn how to "code-switch" or change the way you explain things depending on the person you're talking to, but overall it’s really cool to work with people that know so much that you don't!

 Dessert

Now for some juicy insights in the tea room.

What's the most challenging thing about your job?

Hahaha. I'm definitely a person that likes to know what I'm getting into before I commit to it. The first few weeks of a project can be pretty challenging for me. I think it takes time to understand your client and feel confident enough to talk about what you're working on without feeling like a total fraud.

I think it’s also challenging to manage expectations. This is a very high-contact career, and you really need to be a clear/assertive communicator to manage your client and team's expectations. That was tough for someone with an East Asian background who preferred to work heads-down and not say what was on her mind (me).

What are some characteristics that can help someone succeed in your role?

Willingness to change, improve, and learn.

Likeability. Self-starter. Creative thinker. Driver (e.g. taking things to the next step.).

Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those just starting off?

Oh, this one is huge: Come with a specific passion. When I was recruiting, my story revolved around my blockchain experience and it made me really stand out. Do your research, but not "Deloitte has x employees, blah blah blah.." Think about what the Company does that specifically interests you.

Read their impact reports. Talk to people and name-drop them/their facts in your conversations with team members during an interview. Depth of research and effort for each company I applied to definitely paid off.

What's something that surprised you about your job?

The fact that you basically have to network onto projects. You get a lot of freedom, but it can be difficult when you come in with no experience.

What do you see your next step being?

This is definitely something I've been giving a lot of thought about lately! I'm not sure, honestly. I've tried a few things out in consulting and I've liked the idea of product management, but I need to do more research. I want something that's "my own."

Any last thoughts, advice, or recommendations for someone who wants to do what you do?

Practice some case studies, do your research, come in with a goal, and network! Really learn about the job's ins and outs (to the extent you can) before you interview.

 Drinks

Chat more over coffee or tea?