Most Important Skills For An Associate Consultant At Mercer
Mercer Associate Consultant Peter emphasizes a "desire to learn and…be uncomfortable" as the most crucial skill, acknowledging that the ability to navigate ambiguity is key to long-term success, far outweighing basic technical skills like Excel proficiency which are developed on the job. The constant variety of projects and clients, creating a dynamic and ever-changing environment, is highlighted as a significant benefit of the role, fostering adaptability and problem-solving skills.
Problem-Solving, Communication, Adaptability, Desire to Learn, Ambiguity Tolerance
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Peter Yuan
Associate Consultant
Mercer
University of British Columbia
UCLA Anderson School of Management (MBA)
Finance
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Consulting
International Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Transfer Student, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. A strong desire to learn and embrace challenges is crucial. The ability to handle ambiguity and discomfort is key to success, even as you gain experience.
2. Strong soft skills, particularly those related to interacting with people and clients, are essential for long-term success. Hard skills like Excel and PowerPoint can be developed on the job.
3. The role offers constant variety and change, requiring adaptability. This dynamic environment helps build experience and comfort in handling diverse problems and situations.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
The number one skill I find really important, both from my time on recruiting teams and when talking to students, is having a desire to learn and a desire to put yourself out there and be uncomfortable. You'll constantly be doing things that are tough, new, and that you don't fully understand from day one.
I don't think that really changes as you become more senior or experienced. You just get more comfortable with that level of ambiguity and discomfort. Obviously, in addition to that, you want some basic hard skills like knowing how to use Excel, PowerPoint, and how to talk with clients.
But I think those are foundational skills that you'll develop on the job over a couple of years. What truly makes someone successful in consulting in the long run, I believe, is learning more of those soft skills and the people element.
What do you enjoy most about being in your role? I think the number one thing I've really enjoyed is constantly being able to do something different. Whether it's being on a new team, dealing with a new problem, or new clients every few weeks to months, it all constantly changes.
For people who aren't used to a constant level of change, they might want something a bit more stable, and this might not be the right environment. But for me, it allows me to constantly be on my toes. It forces me to adapt and pushes me to be a more experienced professional.
It also allows me to become comfortable with facing problems in a business context. I'll probably have seen something similar before, or at least I'll know how to remain calm and think through the problem.