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Aisha, Consultant at Media Consulting Company: Advize Career Interview

Aisha's career journey, starting with nonprofit internships and evolving through roles at the Atlantic Council and Capco, showcases a dynamic path into consulting.

The work involves rigorous due diligence for private equity firms, encompassing quantitative and qualitative analysis, financial modeling, and extensive client management.

A day in the life is a blend of independent work and collaborative efforts, centered around creating impactful client deliverables. Success in this field hinges on a "hunger to learn," strong emotional intelligence, and quantitative skills.

While challenging due to the demanding nature and lack of readily available mentorship, the flexibility to explore diverse sectors like technology and finance is a significant draw.

The interview highlights the importance of navigating unspoken industry rules, the value of continuous learning, and the significance of finding a workplace that fosters belonging and mentorship.

Undergraduate students should consider entry-level roles as associate consultants or analysts, focusing on transferable skills and understanding the recruiting timeline.

Aisha's experience underscores the value of consistent self-motivation, developed even through seemingly unrelated college activities, as key to thriving in a fast-paced, ever-evolving industry.

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Aisha Han

Consultant

Media Consulting Company

Carnegie Mellon University

MBA

Economics, International Relations & Affairs

Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

Consulting

Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Immigrant

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Career Path of a Consultant at Media Consulting Company

Aisha's career path was "non-typical," starting with internships at nonprofits and the US State Department, reflecting an initial interest in foreign policy. After working at the Atlantic Council, a shift in interest led Aisha to a consulting role at Capco, eventually specializing in data and analytics in the telecom, media, and technology sectors.

Main Responsibilities of an Analytics Consultant at Almond Solon

Aisha's role as a consultant involves significant due diligence work for private equity firms, encompassing "quantitative and qualitative analysis" including "interviewing subject industry experts" and financial modeling to inform investment recommendations. The role also includes "client management, stakeholder management," and internal projects like leading employee resource groups, showcasing a blend of client-facing responsibilities and internal contributions to the firm.

A Day in the Life of a Consultant at Media Consulting Company

Aisha's workday as a consultant involves a mix of independent work and collaboration, beginning with checking overnight updates and resuming unfinished tasks like "modeling or scheduling" before team check-ins and ad-hoc meetings. A significant portion of the day centers on creating slide decks for client deliverables, involving iterative revisions based on partner and client feedback, with a typical workday concluding around 6:30-7:00 PM.

Most Important Skills For A Consultant At A Media Consulting Company

Aisha, a consultant, emphasizes three crucial skills: a "hunger to learn" and adaptability to unfamiliar projects, strong emotional intelligence to navigate diverse personalities and leadership styles within both the consulting firm and client companies, and quantitative skills for data analysis and informed recommendations. This highlights the need for both technical proficiency and interpersonal abilities in a fast-paced consulting environment where "you're thrown into projects" requiring quick learning and collaboration.

Favorite Parts of Being a Consultant at Media Consulting Company

Prior to the pandemic, Aisha most enjoyed collaborating with "really ambitious, really smart, talented people," but the shift to virtual work highlighted the value of continuous learning. Aisha's career journey across diverse sectors like Financial Services, Telecom, and Private Equity provided opportunities for significant professional growth, with Aisha stating they "learned a lot about [themself] and what works best."

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Consultant At Media Consulting Company

Aisha's biggest challenge as a consultant was the constant need to "feel [their] way through a dark room" to find the best approach, lacking the mentorship common in other fields. This "exploring" phase, coupled with the demanding "exploiting" of learned knowledge to create deliverables, often led to long workdays and a poor work-life balance, particularly exacerbated by the pandemic's impact on support systems.

Favorite Parts of Working in the Consulting Industry as a Consultant

Aisha, a consultant, found the industry's greatest benefit to be its flexibility, describing projects as "an appetizer of sorts," allowing for exploration of diverse sectors like technology and financial services. This "ability to choose" and "learn rapidly from different industries and different roles" proved particularly advantageous in early career development.

What Type Of Person Thrives In The Consulting Industry, According To A Consultant At Media Consulting Company

Aisha describes those thriving in consulting as "insecure overachievers," driven by a combination of client-pleasing work and a demanding, often unsatisfying, yet lucrative culture. The intense pressure to meet high standards as both an individual contributor and manager, alongside the ever-present doubt regarding performance, contributes to this dynamic.

What a Consultant at Media Consulting Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Consulting Industry

Aisha, a consultant, wished for pre-entry awareness of "politics and... unspoken rules" in consulting, similar to the "tiktok series" detailing investment banking faux pas; navigating these unwritten rules significantly impacts networking, visibility, and career advancement.

Entry-level Positions for Aspiring Media Consultants

Entry-level consulting roles are typically titled "associate consultant" or "analyst," requiring transferable skills like "communication skills, presentation skills, [and] client-facing work experience." Competitive applicants understand the recruiting timeline, which begins in August and involves networking with recruiters and alumni before winter application deadlines.

Significant Career Lesson From A Consultant At Media Consulting Company

Aisha, a consultant, emphasizes the continuous learning aspect of a career, stating "you're never gonna know everything," and highlighting the importance of viewing every experience, even negative ones, as a learning opportunity to understand both professional skills and personal preferences. This approach allows for continuous growth and self-discovery throughout one's career journey.

College Experiences That Helped a Consultant at Media Consulting Company Succeed

Aisha's four years working on a college newspaper, despite not leading to a journalism career, instilled crucial discipline and problem-solving skills— "showing up every single week... problem solving week by week"— skills vital for later career success, even when "no one's watching." The key takeaway is developing personal motivation and consistent discipline to achieve goals, regardless of extracurricular choices.

How Identity Has Influenced a Consultant at Media Consulting Company's Career

Aisha, a consultant, highlights the importance of a two-way street in company selection, noting a previous role's lack of senior Asian women as a "red flag," alongside low employee resource group engagement. The ideal workplace, Aisha emphasizes, fosters belonging, actively promotes inclusion ("walk[ing] the talk"), and provides supportive mentorship, making this a crucial aspect of career navigation.

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