Career Path of an Associate Consultant at Slalom LLC
Rummel's career path began at Northeastern University, where their co-op program facilitated internships at MGM Resorts International in brand strategy and Abbott Laboratories in finance, exposing them to "marketing, finance, and strategy." This experience, coupled with an MBA at Loyola Chicago focusing on international business, ultimately led to a career in consulting, a field Rummel found appealing because it "encompasses all of that."
Career Exploration, Internships, Consulting, MBA, Career Path
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Rummel Zafar
Associate Consultant
Slalom LLC
Northeastern University - 2020
Loyola University Chicago - MBA (2021)
Business Management & Admin
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Consulting
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Rummel's career path highlights the value of university co-op programs in gaining practical experience. His internships at MGM Resorts International and Abbott Laboratories exposed him to marketing and finance, influencing his career direction.
2. The breadth of Rummel's experience across marketing, finance, and strategy demonstrates that a diverse skillset is advantageous in consulting, and that a consulting career can synthesize knowledge across these fields.
3. Rummel's decision to pursue an MBA after working in strategy and his subsequent entry into consulting shows that postgraduate education can be a strategic career move, opening doors to lucrative and intellectually stimulating roles. His MBA environment further solidified his interest in consulting through networking and information-gathering.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college?
Did you have any internships or jobs before your current role?
I started at Northeastern University in Boston. That was a big driver in my career because I specifically chose that university for its co-op program. This program allows you to defer from classes for six months to complete a hands-on internship, either in Boston or abroad.
When applying to school, I found that internships are super important, and I didn't want to deal with the stress of looking for one myself. I liked being in a place that already set you up for that.
I studied marketing and finance and worked in both fields. I interned in brand strategy with MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas. The following year, I interned in finance at Abbott Laboratories in Silicon Valley.
These experiences made me realize I liked both fields, and choosing a career was difficult. When I ended up in consulting, I liked it a lot because it encompasses marketing, finance, and strategy. I worked in strategy for a bit before getting my MBA at Loyola Chicago, where I studied international business.
All of these areas are in the realm of business. Consulting tied in nicely because I could apply everything I learned without isolating any specific field. My master's was the biggest factor in getting me into my current role. At the time, I didn't really know what consulting was. However, it's a big industry in Chicago, and many people around me were pursuing it. Some people in my MBA program were already consultants. The more I learned about it, the more I realized it was an awesome field to be in.