Get Mentored : Answers to your Queries – Volume 2

Name: Silkesh K

Subject: Interested in Management Consulting, Finance
Message: Hello Maam,

I am Silkesh. Currently in my 2nd Year MBA from SIbm Bangalore. Also a CFA level 1 certified from CFA institute USA.
I am interested in Management Consulting Career.But Dont know how to proceed. Would like to be your mentee.

Thanks a lot
Silkesh

Sulbha: Dear Silkesh,
Since you are doing CFA and MBA from a reputed B School, you have bright chance of getting placed in a reputed consulting firm. A number of consulting firms hire fresh management graduates from good B Schools. Incase by the end of your semester, any big consulting firm doesn’t turn up in your college, you can drop your CV to their recruitment division or directly apply online through their website. Consulting firms have started hiring again so there is a fair chance that you will get a interview call.

Name: Alexis Kim

Subject: Mentor wanted
Message: There is a saying, “A teacher affects eternity. You never know where their influence stops”

Below is my lofty goals for the future.

The immediate goal is to obtain a summer internship at one of the global management consulting firms in order to gain better understandings and knowledge in the line of the industry while surrounding myself with intelligent, bright people.

For the next five years, I definitely see myself working passionately as a global strategy consultant in which my diverse talents will contribute not only to the firm I will be working at but also to the clients in various firms throughout the world. It would be definitely amazing if I can help any business relations between South Korea and the United States, or can add up some values to the management consulting service factor in Korea that has been lacked so far.

In the next years, having my own business is a goal; in fact, I believe that is one of great ways to recognize the real value of our worth, to challenge ourselves to derive extensive potentials of our capabilities, and to eventually help others in a better way.

Once the business is settled and recognized in the community, ultimately, I would like to become a business professor in which my extensive professional experience, knowledge, and passion to help others will make the greatest impact on others’ lives.

I have always had a strong passion for making positive impacts and build others’ life better by whether solving their problems or by motivating them in any possible ways.

Hope the answer was helpful for you to understand me better.

I would love to gain some of your perspectives and obtain a mentor. I believe that I can be a successful consultant in near future with your guidance and would like to return the favor.
Warm regards,
Alexis

Sublha: Dear Alexis,
I must say I am quite impressed with the clarity with which you have crafted your goals. This reflects your personality as much focused, passionate, far sighted and intelligent person.
You may write to us on any topic where you feel you would need our guidance. We will try our best to give answers that will help you know various perspectives that will enable you in better decision making.

Regards,
Sulbha

Name: Dr Kapil Raina

Subject: Career in Consulting
Message: I am an MBBS with an MBA with More than 7 years of work experience in Healthcare delivery and pharmaceutical marketing. I would like to know how i should proceed in this matter.
regards
kapil

Sulbha: Dear kapil,

You have not elaborated on the kind of role and responsibilities you have in your current company. If your current role gives you exposure of giving advice to your company or to its clients then it can be assumed that you have certain relevant consulting experience. If you want to proceed in consulting career, you should look out for opportunities that are available with big consulting firm mostly in pharma sector (since you have experience in this sector). You should (i) keep visiting websites of consulting firms and look out for openings, (ii) get in touch with recruitment agencies who work with consulting firms, (iii) use your network and find out about opportunities that may be present in various firms.
You have a have unique combination of qualifications and experience and there aren’t too many opening in consulting per se. But nonetheless you can keep looking out and keep applying; there can be possibility of requirement with niche experience.

Name: xx

Subject: Entry to Business Consulting

Message: Dear Sulbha,

Overall, i have four and a half years of work ex – first year in an entertainment company and then i joined a market research firm. i have got good exposure in behavioural studies which are considered the most extensive research studies.  Now, i wish to switch to consulting firms where i can get a chance to work on other aspects on the business.

Please advise. Also, please let me know if you need more details of my profile. i would be happy to share the details.

regards,
xx (name hidden on request)

Sulbha: Dear xx,

It will be important for me to know details about the work you have done and the area of interest that you look forward to work in. There are many areas of consulting and it is important to know your relevant experience and your interest before you plan any move into this domain.
Consulting is a very challenging and very demanding career it requires strong conceptualization and analytical skills. It also demands long working hours with pressing deadlines of clients. You should be mentally and physically prepared for this shift.
Regards,
Sulbha

Name: Venkatraman

Subject: Understanding my career path plan
Message: Dear Sulabha,

My name is R.Venkatraman; currently a Management Student at The Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok.

I have had a great deal of experience in Business Intelligence and Analytics Consulting. Also I have worked across several domains like Retail, Life Science and Financial Services

Last summer, I worked as Senior Consultant NettPositive Business Analytics and worked for my client Barclays Card – Emerging Markets at Mumbai. I am seeking to complement this experience with an internship in order to acquire the background necessary for a future career in Consulting and Internal Business.

I would like to know what kind of career path I should ideally concentrate, should I continue in this field or go for general management with strategy.

I look forward from you.

Rgds,
Venkatraman

Sublha: Dear Venkatraman,

Your choice of career depends on many things. Answers to few questions below might help you decide on your career choice
• Your passion – what you are passionate about – consulting or general management?
• Your personality (are you an introvert or an extrovert?) – You like meeting lot of people and are comfortable interacting with them or you like to work in your own space and prefer solitude while working?
• You look forward to dynamic environment with multiple challenges at the same time or do you like to work in a more structured manner in a predictable environment
• Do you like to gain grasp of complete business or like to concentrate on only few interesting and important aspects of it.
• You can look for multiple solutions and then brainstorm the best one
• You can work best in teams or you prefer to work on your own or with very few people
• Do you have ability to influence others
• You are not only good at giving advises but you are good at selling them
Though this list is not exhaustive, but will certainly help in your decision making.
Regards,
Sulbha

Name: Suhas

Subject: Mentorship for Consulting aspirant
Message: Dear Madam,

I am currently pursing my 2nd MBA Finance at Mumbai. I have completed my BE in Information Technology and have thereafter worked for 3 years. I have work experience in Financial Risk Management Consulting and as a Business analyst.

I would like to get into consulting space after MBA. However i am in a Tier 2 MBA school(Sydenham Institute of Management) in Mumbai and some of big 4 consulting firms do not hire from these firms. Kindly suggest how i should go about my plan to get into a consulting profile post MBA.

Regards,
Suhas

Sulbha: Dear Suhas,
You are right that Big 4 consulting firms do not go to tier 2 B schools, but you have relevant experience and degree, therefore with your previous work experience you have a fair chance of getting in one the consulting firms. To approach your goal you can start applying online, get in touch with recruitment team and send your resume there or get in touch with placement consultants that are working for big 4. You should also explore your contacts you would have had during your previous employment. These channels can help you get your dream job.

Name: Jose

Subject: A Guy Interested in a Consulting Career
Message: Hi!
My name is Jose Gomez and I am a current senior in the school of Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Economics at Purdue University.  I became interested in the consulting industry not long ago.  I’ve always tried to have a multidisciplinary curriculum and always be open to new opportunities.  I’ve had experiences both doing research at Purdue and working for industry.  I’ve also been involved with the local community and with professional organizations at school.

I’m kind of confused into what consultants look for since it seems to me that they hire the best from pretty much every background.
I hope that you can give me some advice into what a consultants career background looks like and how do I fit with my current profile experiences.
Any advice or wise words that you may think are relevant for me to use in my current life stage (or in the future) would also be appreciated.

Thank you very much for your time and willingness to help others and I wish you the best in your career.

Cheers, Jose.

Sulbha: Hi Jose,
You are right consulting firms hire best people from different backgrounds. It is so because they have to serve clients from various industries/ sectors and to be able to serve them with best advice it is important that they have experts from that particular sector.
Consultant basically looks for educational background (which must be from reputed institute) and relevant experience. Many of them hire fresh graduates who start their careers with the firm whom they can train as per their business requirements. But if they are hiring an experienced person it is important that the person has the relevant experience. Without relevant experience it is difficult to get the desired level in a consulting firm and one may need to start at junior levels.

If you wish to be a consultant in any specific domain then be sure that you have good knowledge about the subject, you understand the various environments affecting it and interests of stakeholders. You should be able to analyze the different threats and opportunities that lie in the sector and are able to give different options to the clients that will enable them take better decisions.
Also I request you to read other relevant post on this section where people have asked similar questions, hope you will get some more insight from them.

Name: Catherine Pavone Riolo

Subject: Mentor on Business Start-up
Message: Hi,

I am currently looking at setting-up my own consulting business, working from home as I have a young family. I would like a Mentor that has had experience in setting-up their own Consulting Business and can hopefully guide me through. I am based in Australia, but am happy to liaise with someone from overseas. If they have knowlege of the Australian market that would be a plus, but not a requirements.

Many thanks,
Catherine

Sulbha: Hi Catherine,
We can put this post on our site and will invite entrepreneurs who have made a mark for themselves. We can request them to share their experience and knowledge that would be relevant to you.

Regards,
Sulbha

Name: Parth Paresh Shah

Subject: Career Path !
Message: Dear Sir/ Mam,

I completed my Computer Science engineering and am pursuing my MBA (Finance) and due to pass out from my University in March, 2010. I wish to join the consulting industry or even go on my own in my few years as a consultant.

I understand that being a fresher, it is extremely difficult to get through it. Could you please guide me on the career path I should take, once I pass out.

Besides, how do I carve out a niche for myself?  How can I leverage my academic background of B.Tech and MBA for this purpose?

Thanks and Regards,
Parth P. Shah

Sulbha: Good consulting firms hire fresh management graduate from tier 1 B Schools. If you are among those colleges then there is greater possibility of consulting firm coming to your college for recruitment. Incase you are from a different college then you can directly either apply online/ use personal contact/ through recruitment consultant/ or professional networks etc.

Name: Tingting Cao

Subject: Trusted career consultant
Message: I am in the executive search business, based in Shanghai/China.
I am intersted in to know how to become a trusted advisor in this business.
The questions might seem broad, sorry for that.

Thanks in advance,
Tingting

Sulbha: Dear Tingting,
You have actually asked a very broad question may I please suggest to read couple of very interesting article on our site that will specifically answers your query. Couple of link for your reference are mentioned below :
http://consultingnetwork.co.in/five-effective-habits-of-a-successful-consultant/1134/
http://consultingnetwork.co.in/creative-problem-solving-in-perspective-professional-services/1728/
http://consultingnetwork.co.in/leadership-of-the-future-strategies-for-success/1729/

If you can be more specific it will be easier for us to respond.

Name: Achinto Sengupta

Subject: Need guidance to pursue my long term goal in making a career in business consulting
Message: Respected Mentor,

Hi

Hope you are doing well. I am Achinto Sengupta, I guess this is an excellent new forum on the consulting network portal, much needed by the people like me who are aspiring to make a career in the field of business consulting

To brief you about my background, I did by B.E. (Computer Science) from Vellore Institute of Technology then worked with Satyam Computer Services for my client General Electric as a Software Engineer in projects with domains in Consumer finance and Energy systems, helping them develop IT solutions for them (for 2.5 yrs). I then went  to UK to pursue my MBA from University of Newcastle upon Tyne, there I also worked briefly with SAGE plc a leading supplier of business management software as a Research Consultant(I year). I then came back to India and presently I am working as a Business Analyst with Sunlife Financial (a Canadian financial services firm).

All my previous work experience had me interacting with stakeholders across the globe (US, Canada, UK) understanding their business needs and providing IT solutions to them (be it an Insurance, banking project etc) . I also liaison with the IT team offshore and help them understand the business needs and helping them develop the IT solution for my stakeholders.

I am hoping to get mentoring from you in order for you to access my present situation and helping me to pursue a career in business consulting. I am confused as to how do I enter a consulting firm (like IBM, Accenture, Delloite, EY, Pwc, KPMG etc)? How can I market my previous experience and make the skills important in order to get them noticed to the consulting firms? Do I need to do any certifications? Or do I need to spend more time working in firms (services firms like Infosys,Wipro,TCS,HCL or captive firms like RBS,Sapient,CSC etc..) to get more domain knowledge of the BFSI sector.

I want to keep my focus only on the BFSI + IT sector. Is it too broad? Or should I narrow down to only one or two sectors (like Insurance, Capital market, Investment banking)? But then again I don’t have the experience and entering to a firm requiring those skills would be a little tough.

I guess I have asked you too many questions. Maybe it would have easier I  could have talked to you over phone since I have too many questions to ask you. I thank you for your time and patience and look forward to your guidance.

Warm Regards
Achinto

Sulbha: Dear Achinto,
You have relevant experience and education qualification to pursue your career in the field of consulting. You should prepare a good cv highlighting your experience and start networking with people. You can look out for IT Advisory options that many big 4s offer. You should read more about your sector advisory services that are required by these big firms, this will help you understand their requirements as well.
I am sure with your experience you can get opportunity in desired firms.

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