Significant Career Lesson From an Engagement Manager At a Big 4 Consulting Firm
Kelsey, a Big 4 Consulting Engagement Manager, wishes someone had prepared them for the persistent feeling of "imposter syndrome," even after promotion, emphasizing that consulting involves constant learning and growth; the realization that "everybody is kind of learning together" ultimately eased this feeling.
Imposter Syndrome, Career Development, Confidence, Overcoming Challenges, Consulting
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Kelsey Gorman
Engagement Manager, Consulting
Big 4 Consulting Firm
University of Colorado, Boulder (2009)
UCLA Anderson, MBA (2014)
Biology & Related Sciences
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Consulting
Video Highlights
1. Imposter syndrome is common in consulting, even for those with strong backgrounds. It's important to remember that continuous learning is part of the job and that feeling uncertain is normal.
2. Consulting constantly evolves; new challenges arise, preventing the work from ever becoming routine. This continuous learning is a key aspect of the job and shouldn't be viewed as a negative.
3. Even senior professionals (like partners) are continuously learning. This shared experience of continuous growth helps reduce feelings of inadequacy and highlights the collaborative nature of consulting.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you ever started?
I think I had a lot of imposter syndrome even coming into business school. I came from a nonprofit background, which is non-traditional, and I hadn't worked in the corporate world.
I thought I'd try consulting for a year or two and see if I got the hang of it. I kept waiting for it to get easy, and it didn't.
Even as I got promoted, I thought, "I'll make it to manager, and then I'll clearly have the hang of it." I don't know if that's just learning to be confident, but I also think understanding that in consulting, you constantly grow and change.
There are always new problems clients are looking to solve, so it's not supposed to ever feel easy. Once I realized that, I thought, "Oh, everybody is kind of learning together." Even partners are constantly learning.
That made me feel better. I wish somebody had told me, "You might feel like you have no idea what you're doing, but you're still doing really well." It took me a while to get the hang of that.