“I found my mentoring session with André very helpful, particularly because I came into it with very little understanding of commercial banking. My background is in life sciences and healthcare, and most of my career exploration so far has focused on consulting. Although I had become interested in commercial banking, I had not previously explored the area in any depth. I therefore needed a clear starting point and an honest conversation about what I should understand before deciding whether to pursue it.
André helped me establish that starting point. The session gave me a clearer way to think about commercial banking, how it differs from consulting, and what I still need to learn. Before the conversation, I was looking at opportunities and wondering whether I should begin applying alongside consulting applications. Afterwards, I understood that I needed to take a step back and make a more informed decision about whether the work genuinely interests me.
One of the most valuable aspects of the session was how it helped me recognise the gaps in my current understanding. I knew that I was new to banking, but I did not necessarily know which questions I needed to answer for myself. André’s guidance helped me think more clearly about where I am now, what I am missing, and what I should begin doing next. Having that direction was useful because it made the process feel more manageable. Rather than treating banking as a broad and unfamiliar industry, I now have a clearer starting point for learning about it.
A particularly helpful message was that I should first develop a better understanding of commercial banking and assess whether I actually like the work. I took away a sensible sequence: understand the area, decide whether it appeals to me, and then, if it does, commit to learning and preparing for applications. If I discover that the work does not suit my interests, I should be willing to recognise that and focus my efforts elsewhere. That advice sounds straightforward, but it was an important perspective for me at this stage.
The conversation made me realise that I should not rush into applying for commercial banking roles simply because I have found programmes that look interesting. Before the session, I was at risk of moving too quickly from curiosity to applications without having a strong enough understanding of the career itself. André helped me see the value of being more deliberate. I would rather make a considered application based on a genuine interest in the work than spend time applying to positions I cannot yet explain my motivation for pursuing.
Another important takeaway was recognising how substantial the differences between banking and consulting can be. Because consulting has been my main focus, it had become my reference point when thinking about other careers. The session helped me realise that I cannot assume banking will involve similar work, suit the same preferences, or require exactly the same preparation. I need to understand banking on its own terms rather than view it mainly as another option alongside consulting.
I also appreciated that the session was useful even though I did not finish it with a final career decision. At this exploratory stage, greater clarity about what I do not yet know is meaningful progress. I now feel better equipped to evaluate my interest, identify what I need to learn, and decide whether commercial banking deserves a more focused place in my career plans.
Overall, André was very helpful, and the session met an important need for me as someone starting with limited knowledge of the field. Its greatest value was giving me direction and encouraging a more thoughtful approach to my next steps. I left with a clearer understanding of my knowledge gaps, a more realistic perspective on the difference between banking and consulting, and a better sense of how to move forward before committing to applications.”
I'd advise you to ask them more info regarding this part of the job. I think that smaller consulting firms often lack the relevant insider connections or the budget to interview industry experts thus the need to cold call. Not sure how a competitor would receive such a call though. Justifying a cold call for selling a product to a distributor is generally well accepted but cannot say the same for someone receiving a call and asked to provide business intel info to a competitor for free.
Thank you for the thoughtful response. I have my final round tomorrow and hope to do some digging as to how they have gone about cold calling in the past and how exactly they get a competitor in the industry to shed insight. It does seem a bit strange.
Is this firm at least offering a complementary glass/plastic cup of premium boxed wine to these companies before they try to fuck them?
No worries. It's likely you get the job. Please keep us updated I am also about to itw for boutique consulting firms and cold calling is something I've definitely seen often in job descriptions
Had the final round. Seems like a legit shop and the calling won't be bulk of the work. I didn't really nail a brain teaser that I wasn't expecting, but still hoping for the best.
Not sure if y'all wanted an update, as of a week ago they still haven't gotten confirmation that the deal I would be on has closed but said they were optimistic. I'd like to think that they would have rejected be by now if I definitely didn't get the gig. I've been in conversation with them starting in December, and picked back up interviews with them in April, so waiting has been part of the game all along. Will ultimately let you all know how it goes.
Thanks for the update. Hope you get the job! I don't know their project workload but given the context you provided it seems stupid for them to reject you at this point
I worked at a boutique consulting firm several years ago. We cold-called a ton, and I think similar-size firms do the same. It wasn't in the budget to connect with expert networks, so often times it was calling lower-level employees, academics, consultants, or small business owners to try and get a few minutes of their time to explore some things going on in an industry.
It wasn't fun, I'll tell you that much. But it was a useful experience. Analysts at my firm were expected to source their own contacts for cold calling, as well as distilling the information learned into meaningful insights and designing decks around what we learned. It wasn't very formulaic, which was both good (allowed for creativity in problem-solving) and bad (it was a shit-pile of work).
I also learned how to talk to people from all walks of life, and how to gently steer them through a conversation so that they talk about things that I need to know instead of the things they feel like talking about. All in all it was a valuable experience, but I don't miss days of dialing dozens of numbers and dealing with a single-digit hit rate.
That sound fairly light actually -- that sounds a lot like an entry level sales gig.
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