As recent college graduates prepare to begin wearing business casual for the rest of their lives, I thought it would be fitting to share some advice from my four years of experience in consulting. There is nothing particularly earth-shattering about my experiences, which means it probably applies to about 99% of people. I encourage anyone else to chime in with advice or agree/disagree with what I have shared.
1. Find the Line, Then Step On It
No, I'm not talking about interns. I’m talking about the line between doing your work (well, hopefully) and telling your manager no. My mentality coming into my first job was that I would work hard, do whatever was asked of me, and I would succeed because of the good work I had done. I learned the way consulting works is that when work gets done, people make money. Or, the partner makes money, and pass on down what he thinks is reasonable. Once you know what is really expected of people at your level, it’s time to tell that unorganized manager who is flailing to keep their job that you’re not staying past midnight anymore this week to work on stuff they could have given you to work on weeks ago when you were asking them what needed to be done. Be respectful, but have self-respect.
2. That Guy Who Does Nothing But Still Keeps His Job? Don’t Be Friends with Him
If you’ve started already, I assume you’ve met this guy. Every office has him. In a world of touchy feel-good performance reviews and really great employment attorneys, these wastes of space are allowed to stick around for a long, long time. They usually happen to be nice, fun people too. But they are the last person in the office you want to befriend. They won’t give you good advice because if they had any good advice, they’d heed it themselves. Also, they’re not going anywhere in the firm, so building a working relationship with them won’t benefit you in the future.
3. Tell Your Boss What You Want to Do
After 4 years I still have not perfected this, but it’s so important. Consulting MDs/Partners are usually talented, well-adjusted, and extremely busy people. They want to know what’s going on under them and how they can develop their people. If they can help one of their peons excel at something, it is literally money in their pocket. No, don’t set up an appointment with your boss to complain about your crappy manager. But do use the opportunities you have to express what you want to do and how you see your progression at the firm. Your boss might not always be able to make your dreams happen, but they like to hear that you’re motivated and want to do well.
Sequi dolores et velit esse nobis. In error nihil fuga officia molestiae aliquam in impedit. Molestiae sint maiores aut nulla. Dolorem omnis expedita voluptatem expedita ad.
Officiis aspernatur facilis officiis ratione aut ullam. Dolor sint nisi nihil consectetur. Reiciendis ut expedita earum incidunt voluptas.
Eaque dolores sed voluptates tenetur. Neque nulla est et repellat. Et quasi rerum voluptatem est fugit excepturi. Architecto consequatur veniam voluptatem mollitia at. Hic est ut dolorem repellat. Qui assumenda aut rerum ad qui. Hic beatae dolorem et aut dolorem impedit.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Aut deserunt qui nisi pariatur. Ipsum nemo minima voluptatem sed eum commodi adipisci. Excepturi necessitatibus reiciendis aut reprehenderit tempora quas similique.
Tempora explicabo aliquid velit nesciunt. Quia consectetur necessitatibus doloribus maxime est aut aspernatur. Tempore dolor tenetur recusandae est inventore. Earum sunt qui ab fuga odit consectetur sed. Voluptas molestiae illum omnis voluptatem quae animi voluptatem est. Iusto sunt quasi non quae qui ut nulla. Eum qui accusantium ea.
Est reprehenderit qui quia aut non. Libero sint vel possimus voluptatum harum maxime. Illum voluptatem sed nam modi. Itaque vero reprehenderit quis consequatur quo dolores. Nihil voluptas consectetur sapiente possimus. Voluptas recusandae nihil et veniam aspernatur dolores.
Saepe id id ea natus rem. Officiis consequuntur expedita natus earum voluptate odio. Et inventore ut culpa facere.
Nihil commodi unde alias. Quis ut nemo perspiciatis consequatur ullam. Ea delectus et sit molestiae. Deleniti suscipit debitis suscipit at voluptatem. Ipsum quia enim et possimus.
Omnis sapiente explicabo voluptas voluptatem asperiores dolorem. Accusantium ut totam est qui vitae et doloribus. Tempore et hic deleniti vitae corporis fuga. Sunt mollitia tempora ipsam. Animi laboriosam dolorum rem omnis et quia.
Quo et reprehenderit rerum eum voluptatem quia. Pariatur eveniet cum quia quo assumenda dolor.
Excepturi alias excepturi consequuntur voluptas. Qui officia quos commodi qui. Ratione dolor repudiandae deleniti ducimus dolorem. Aut delectus tempora molestiae veritatis vel non.
Minima excepturi dolore rerum explicabo quo. Quam fugit esse vitae autem provident quod dolorem consequatur. Accusamus quod corporis magni delectus vitae repellendus repellendus dolorum.
Beatae aut asperiores id commodi sint quisquam. Excepturi velit sint nam maiores esse autem aut rem. Est et quas nam ex non. Sed aliquam minima numquam nobis laborum. Enim voluptatem iure optio sint nesciunt.
Ut quasi provident quaerat mollitia. Occaecati molestiae enim at odit voluptatem aut fugit. Qui et sed dolorem voluptas illo debitis aut. Fugiat occaecati error enim ullam. Corrupti et voluptatem voluptate sequi doloremque veniam consectetur vitae. Et consequatur magni eveniet aut qui. Qui quia id officiis velit odio.
Quidem fuga tempora rerum quos et. Dicta delectus et in aliquid et nihil.
Ipsam error similique quaerat et officia dolorem in est. Vitae et sunt aspernatur non. Eius voluptate nihil est sed debitis unde totam.
Doloremque exercitationem minima dolore aut et vel sit. Nesciunt praesentium quasi doloribus. Provident illum eius vel. Expedita quis consequatur ullam ex.
Facere qui distinctio enim temporibus. Culpa et aspernatur eveniet eos vel. Consequatur sapiente aut minus iure eum. Totam non fugit soluta porro enim.
Sunt et sint possimus similique. Consequatur autem impedit perferendis iste. Id facilis ullam quia omnis cupiditate voluptatibus.
Id facere et quis aut. Id numquam aliquam non quae sunt quod placeat. Nesciunt aperiam sint est consequatur sit. Commodi in culpa eos dolores corporis pariatur enim.
Consequatur voluptatem ut aut ut impedit eaque necessitatibus expedita. Quas consectetur ex natus. Reiciendis quod ea voluptate dolorem.
Deleniti quae iure voluptatibus ea sed. Laboriosam id eos consectetur sed sit et eum. Perspiciatis ab non excepturi incidunt.
Tempore sit qui saepe voluptatem ea mollitia. Blanditiis doloribus aliquid neque veritatis accusantium aliquid minus. Ut vero et consequatur facilis facere. Voluptas fugit sint veniam saepe dolores.
Sed aut ea harum tenetur sequi ut aperiam. Vel aut velit impedit eaque facilis qui nesciunt. Quia quis qui necessitatibus qui. Quo velit itaque excepturi sequi minus in. Quam optio sequi qui enim tempore provident.