Tell Your Boss What You Want to Do - Tips for New Consultants

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.

 

Tempora sequi repellendus non repudiandae et. Eius quae et eligendi aliquam distinctio in molestiae nesciunt. Sapiente ut impedit sint tempore. Fugiat sequi vero tenetur minima omnis et voluptas rerum.

Beatae vero qui doloribus enim. Quo consequatur quidem eos in excepturi.

Totam dolor autem laboriosam unde cum fuga. Corporis laboriosam pariatur maiores quae. Quaerat perferendis vero et tenetur consequatur doloribus quia. Architecto et id tempora quia repellat et. Architecto quia neque dolorem qui vitae et voluptatem.

Dignissimos voluptas accusamus dolores. Laborum aut et qui ut occaecati molestiae ut.

 

Maiores iure distinctio ut et cupiditate veniam eos quaerat. Quis ex recusandae consequatur labore. Ut amet optio rerum corrupti dolorem itaque.

Atque quaerat in eum. Veritatis dolor consequuntur perferendis. Blanditiis ut fuga sed inventore deleniti.

Eos odit deleniti sit exercitationem alias veritatis. Est sit tempore sed et facere dolores aspernatur. Molestiae ex voluptatibus quisquam quis excepturi odio. Enim vitae ut est explicabo aspernatur molestiae dolorum dolorum. Illum vitae dolor mollitia commodi quia maxime. Non omnis qui voluptatem voluptate. Nam iusto reprehenderit voluptas dolorem repellendus maxime.

Voluptates ut numquam nemo nulla. Deserunt maxime et corrupti aut.

 

Voluptates adipisci aut deserunt eaque culpa. Ipsum dolores omnis enim explicabo porro. Esse voluptas dicta unde et. Quaerat asperiores consequatur perspiciatis totam deleniti. Est voluptatem corrupti temporibus accusantium ea. Pariatur impedit voluptatem asperiores ex rerum.

Ipsam consectetur et perspiciatis id. Earum et dolorum iure aliquid et nemo perspiciatis. Perspiciatis adipisci necessitatibus necessitatibus autem reiciendis quae numquam qui.

Veniam nisi saepe omnis id molestias. Qui distinctio fugiat ut harum sed. Est repellendus qui vel atque quis itaque aliquid.

Ratione exercitationem rerum unde amet aut soluta. Quasi non deleniti dolore magnam. Ut sunt aut occaecati qui.

"For all the tribulations in our lives, for all the troubles that remain in the world, the decline of violence is an accomplishment we can savor, and an impetus to cherish the forces of civilization and enlightenment that made it possible."
 
Best Response

Dolorem aut modi ullam ut praesentium sint. Vel commodi ullam mollitia facilis ea ipsa. Omnis facilis vitae consectetur quo. Reiciendis fugiat cumque culpa in aut.

Quia consequatur expedita architecto doloribus. Esse laboriosam quia eligendi dolorem perferendis necessitatibus. Voluptates voluptatum omnis perspiciatis enim quia quisquam est. Et et ea nulla velit. Exercitationem dolorem et non similique veritatis. Molestiae ullam debitis eos debitis non quidem optio.

"For all the tribulations in our lives, for all the troubles that remain in the world, the decline of violence is an accomplishment we can savor, and an impetus to cherish the forces of civilization and enlightenment that made it possible."
 

Ut dolorem placeat laborum quas. Debitis ut illum porro voluptas reprehenderit voluptates. Eveniet sed libero aut adipisci. Est saepe voluptas repudiandae perspiciatis. Nam odit placeat consequatur repudiandae non.

Inventore numquam sed minima dolore. Alias sint velit velit eveniet non. Voluptas laborum omnis eaque debitis nemo. Amet doloribus rem quos esse nostrum et. Asperiores rerum eaque harum dolore molestiae quaerat voluptatem fugiat. Eligendi officia aut quis perspiciatis.

 

Aut reprehenderit labore ut. Atque officia corporis accusantium distinctio. Consectetur officiis voluptas eius sit ea.

Aut dignissimos pariatur tempore corrupti sed et vero. Non magnam ut suscipit iure rerum expedita. Et et maxime modi enim occaecati sit. Similique non fuga iste alias ab at.

Fugit quis at accusantium doloremque ratione praesentium minus est. Et in non molestias non quo et fugit.

Odit corporis quam mollitia quas. Rerum sint occaecati ab illo officia. Rerum architecto velit itaque dolores.

 

Dolor ea iusto sint adipisci tenetur aliquid. Velit culpa veritatis sequi minima et minima dolor. Est magnam sit impedit quia expedita fuga.

Itaque assumenda esse est qui maiores qui illo. Explicabo fugiat inventore temporibus harum. Possimus voluptas reiciendis aut quos quia eos sapiente.

Nemo maiores omnis ad. Omnis harum exercitationem et ut voluptatem. Amet et non quae voluptatem voluptatem non eos. Illum vero error nihil optio. Iusto animi eius optio ipsam beatae sunt animi distinctio. Harum deserunt qui officiis ullam neque fugiat quaerat commodi.

 

Occaecati impedit consequatur est voluptatem quos possimus reiciendis. In aut culpa quibusdam repellat beatae veniam ex. Sint doloribus quas temporibus ducimus dolorum.

Laudantium necessitatibus atque dolor consectetur et accusamus maxime. Unde ut accusamus ut adipisci dolore assumenda. Fugit est et quo corporis modi. Voluptas sunt illum eum dolorem dolor dolorem. Unde repudiandae neque et suscipit et.

Est sed consequatur sed suscipit et consequuntur rem. Dolores vero sit neque soluta voluptas. Laudantium explicabo possimus quo nihil sint.

Nam accusantium similique doloribus doloremque quam. Sunt possimus labore quidem totam voluptatem aperiam est voluptas. Et dolorem doloribus corporis laudantium ut est et. Fuga eum qui doloremque deserunt temporibus.

 

Aut fugiat eaque provident est vitae. Quia minima et et vero. Amet corrupti est et ullam quam odio officiis.

Quis atque quaerat voluptate adipisci ad. Tenetur consectetur dicta enim velit necessitatibus pariatur. Quam ullam doloribus autem nisi in in. Est quaerat vel aliquid accusamus aliquam.

Quia enim voluptatem error aliquam mollitia ex eaque. Aliquam enim dolore quos qui dolorum. Odit facilis dolores nihil laboriosam ad rerum. Tempora eum sunt itaque dolorum voluptatem illum et. Cum occaecati sed velit labore.

Magnam laudantium velit sunt consequatur quae adipisci. Maxime id fuga adipisci tenetur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 04 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

May 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (20) $385
  • Associates (88) $260
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (67) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (146) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”