What a Project Coordinator at GreenerU Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Consulting Industry
Madeline, a Project Coordinator at GreenerU, advises that the consulting work "is a lot of ebb and flow," with periods of intense busyness ("when it rains, it pours") alternating with slower times. The key takeaway is to utilize slower periods for professional development and remember that the intense workload is not constant.
Project Management, Stress Management, Industry Realities, Workplace Challenges, Ebb and Flow Workload
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Madeline Rawson
Project Coordinator
GreenerU
Williams College
n/a
Environmental & Related Sciences
Climate, Environment, Sustainability & Waste Management, Consulting & Related Professional Services
Operations and Project Management
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. The workload in project coordination, especially at smaller companies, fluctuates significantly. There will be periods of low activity and times of intense busyness.
2. It's important to utilize slower periods for professional development and to remember that busy periods are temporary.
3. The nature of working with higher education institutions often leads to predictable ebbs and flows in workload (e.g., summer breaks).
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
I was told this pretty early on, but not quite before I entered the industry. I have a much better appreciation for it now.
Consulting work at a small company involves a lot of ebb and flow. Sometimes you have a couple of extra hours a week and don't know what to do with them.
Other times, you feel like you literally don't have room to breathe, and there aren't enough hours in a day. Everything is project-based, and when it rains, it pours. It feels like all of your clients are conspiring to throw things at you at the same time.
Knowing that the downtimes will be followed by an uptick is important. Don't worry if you have downtime; enjoy it and use it for extra professional development or to learn something new.
Also, during times of incredible busyness, remember that those will come to an end, and the job isn't always like that. So much of it is just a natural ebb and flow, especially when you work with higher ed institutions. There's also the natural ebb over the summer when everyone goes on vacation.