How Identity Influenced a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting's Career
James, a senior consultant at Deloitte, leveraged their experience as a student athlete to highlight transferable skills like "communication, leadership, and teamwork" during their job search. This strategic framing of "key learnings" from a seemingly non-traditional background proved invaluable in showcasing their value proposition to potential employers, demonstrating the importance of self-reflection and skill translation in career navigation.
Leadership, Teamwork, Communication, Time Management, Transferable Skills
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
James McGhee
Senior Consultant
Deloitte Consulting
Duke University
UCLA Anderson School of Management - Master of Business Administration
Legal & Policy
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Consulting
Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Transferable Skills: James emphasizes the importance of identifying and articulating transferable skills gained through experiences like being a student athlete (e.g., communication, leadership, teamwork). These skills are valuable in the workplace and can be highlighted in job applications.
2. Framing Your Value Proposition: James advises students to consider how their experiences shape their value proposition as a candidate. This involves reflecting on skills and experiences and presenting them effectively to potential employers.
3. Time Management and Discipline: The interview highlights the discipline and time management skills developed through student athletics. These are transferable skills highly valued by employers and are relevant to anyone seeking a demanding career path, regardless of whether or not they have athletic experience.
Transcript
As an advisor and a student athlete, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
I was fortunate to be a student-athlete in college and played varsity baseball. As I considered what I wanted to do full-time, I reflected on my experiences.
I observed peers who weren't athletes and had more free time. They could get involved in various campus clubs and take on leadership roles. As a student-athlete, you simply don't have the time to be as involved across campus in different clubs, internships, and similar activities.
However, I had a conversation with someone who advised me. They pointed out that as a student-athlete, I had learned valuable skills like communication, leadership, teamwork, and motivation.
Taking these key learnings, which are transferable but perhaps less obvious, and framing them as my value proposition as a candidate for a full-time role was invaluable. It allowed me to leverage transferable skills.
I encourage any student-athlete listening to sit down and think about the skills you are developing. Consider how to frame those skills for a full-time role. The workforce is different, but core skills like discipline, time management, and teamwork are highly transferable from being a student-athlete. That would be my one piece of advice.