What A Consultant At Boston Consulting Group Wishes They Knew Before Consulting
Tripp, a Boston Consulting Group consultant, emphasizes the crucial role of building a strong personal brand early in a consulting career, stating that "early on you'll develop a reputation for the type of work that you get done." This positive reputation, earned through consistently high-quality work, fosters trust with managers, leading to increased autonomy and a better work-life balance—allowing for flexibility like "signing off early on Tuesday to go have date night."
Career Development, Project Management, Communication, Trust Building, Work-Life Balance
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tripp Twyman
Consultant
Boston Consulting Group
University of Arizona
University of Southern California | Masters of Accounting
Business & Related, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Accounting
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Consulting
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Building a strong professional reputation early in your career is crucial for gaining trust from managers and colleagues. This trust translates to more autonomy and flexibility in your work, allowing for better work-life balance.
2. Starting strong helps to avoid micromanagement and allows for more flexibility in managing your time and workload.
3. Demonstrating consistent high-quality work builds trust and allows you to have more control over your schedule and work assignments. This trust is earned, not given, and benefits your career trajectory and personal life.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
One of the lessons I've learned in consulting is the importance of your personal brand. This means that early on, you'll develop a reputation for the type of work you get done. It's really useful to do good work from the beginning, whether it's on a single project or over your career.
The better you are initially, the more people will associate you with good work. This builds trust in your abilities because you've demonstrated you can do a great job. This trust allows for more balance in your work.
For example, if a manager isn't sure you'll deliver good work on time, they'll ask for things earlier and be more involved to ensure quality. But if you've proven your ability, they'll be more hands-off.
You can then say, "I'll have it done by Wednesday at five," and they'll trust you. They know you've done good work before and meet deadlines. This means they won't bother you with constant check-ins.
This allows you to decide when you want to do the work. If you want to sign off early on Tuesday for a date night, a show, or dinner with a friend, you should be able to. Your manager trusts that you'll do the work well.
To achieve this, you have to start strong. Otherwise, you're constantly trying to build trust instead of using what you've already established. That's probably the biggest piece of advice.
Advizer Personal Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tripptwyman/, [career coaching site coming soon]