Biggest Challenges Faced by a Consultant at a Top Consulting Firm
NyAsia's biggest challenge as a consultant at Ernst & Young is "continuously balancing competing priorities," juggling client expectations with team needs and limited resources while reporting to multiple leaders across different projects. This demanding environment, while personally rewarding, requires exceptional time management and the ability to navigate complex reporting structures.
Project Management, Prioritization, Time Management, Leadership, Client Communication
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
NyAsia Jordan
Consultant
Top Managemet Consulting Company
Lehman College
Baruch College - MS, UCLA Anderson School of Management - MBA
Finance
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Business Strategy
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Immigrant, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student
Video Highlights
1. Balancing competing priorities (client needs vs. team needs vs. available resources)
2. Managing multiple stakeholders and reporting structures (more than one boss)
3. Time management and prioritizing tasks effectively
Transcript
Q6: Biggest challenge in your role.
What are some of the biggest challenges that come with being a consultant?
Time management is a big one, especially managing competing deliverables and priorities. You want to provide amazing client service and give your client everything they expect.
But you also need to consider your team's needs and whether a client's request is realistic given your available resources, like time and materials. You're continuously balancing competing priorities.
You also have more than one boss. It's not like a typical hierarchical position where you answer to one leader. You might have different leaders on various workstreams, like an engagement lead or a client executive.
You also have the client themselves, and you must consider the needs of everyone depending on you. While I personally enjoy this challenge because it brings out the best in me, it can be very difficult to balance at times.