What An Associate Consultant at Mercer Wishes They Had Known Before Entering Consulting
Peter, an Associate Consultant at Mercer, learned that the consulting industry values a structured approach to problem-solving more than possessing immediate answers; "it's okay to not know the answer, but it's important to know a process towards getting closer to the answer," a lesson that significantly reduced initial anxiety and improved comfort with the role over time.
Problem-Solving, Stress Management, Confidence, Entry-Level, Overcoming Challenges
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. It's okay to not know the answer, but having a process to find it is key.
2. Consulting firms provide structures and processes to guide you toward solutions.
3. Initial uncertainty and anxiety are common; experience builds comfort and confidence.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
I think what I wish someone had told me before is that it's okay to not know the answer. But it's important to know a process towards getting closer to the answer.
I remember the first time I was working on a consulting project. I had no idea what I was doing and I felt really uncomfortable and really nervous. I thought to myself, "I don't think I'm going to last three months. They're going to fire me."
What I didn't realize was that most of the time, you're not going to know the answers straight away. But there are steps and processes in place that all consulting firms will have for getting you closer to that answer. This is hopefully to ultimately get to an answer before you have to deliver to a client.
I wish someone had told me that it's okay to not know at the beginning, because it would have saved me a lot of headache and anxiety and stress. But it's a lesson that I've had the luxury of getting to be more comfortable with since then.