What A Manager At A Consulting Firm Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Consulting Industry
Lauren wishes someone had advised patience when first starting in consulting, as there's value in fully experiencing a role before rushing for promotions, and it's also important to recognize "when something no longer serves you" and to know "you can put things down" to pursue new opportunities. Essentially, it is important to strike a balance between pursuing exciting opportunities and gaining valuable experience, while also knowing when to pivot and explore new avenues.
Career Development, Industry Realities, Workplace Challenges, Actionable Tips, Mid-Career
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Lauren Elizabeth
Manager
Large Consulting Firm
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University - Master of Science in Business Analytics and Johns Hopkins University - Master of Public Health
Economics
Consulting & Related Professional Services, Healthcare, Medical & Wellness
Consulting
Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Value of Taking Your Time: There is pressure to seek promotions quickly, but there's value in gaining experience in your current role before moving up.
2. Saying 'Yes' to Opportunities: Pursue opportunities you're excited about wholeheartedly.
3. Knowing When to Stop: Be aware of when a role no longer serves you or provides growth, and it's okay to move on.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
Absolutely. I think the first thing is to take your time. There's always pressure to go up for promotion early or to do more and more.
There's certainly value in saying yes to the things you're most excited about, but the next role will always be there. There's typically a reason you're supposed to be in a given job for two, three, or five years.
I don't think I appreciated that enough when I first started in consulting. I always wanted to move up early, but realized midway through that there's a lot of value in gaining as much experience as you can where you're currently planted.
So, it's always about saying yes to things you're excited about and pursuing them wholeheartedly. While also maintaining awareness of when something no longer serves you, when you've learned all you can, and when you've grown as much as you wanted.
It's okay to put those things down. I don't think I appreciated, particularly at first, that you can put things down. You don't have to keep doing the same thing over and over again.
This is certainly something I wish I had been warned about prior to joining consulting.