Where did you grow up?
I was born in Harbin, China and have lived in Auckland, New Zealand for the majority of my life. I studied at the University of Auckland and while I didn’t do an exchange, I spent three summers during Uni to travel all around America, Europe and Asia! I’ve had internships in Institutional Banking, Recruitment and Consulting.
How did you get to your current job position?
I started in mid-February so am still new to my role. I previously interned with Kearney in the summer of 18/19 and loved the work and the people, so I came back!
How did you choose your specialisation?
Yes, absolutely. Because I had such a broad background, deciding what to do wasn’t easy. I ended up choosing consulting for the challenge and variety as well as the incredible growth opportunities that come with it. Junior consultants are usually given a high level of accountability and responsibility which is different to most other industries.
What was your interview process like?
There were two rounds of interviews, the first round with Associates/Managers and then progressing on to Partner/Principal interviews. There was a mix of behavioural interviews and case interviews. The behavioural questions were very different depending on the person but they were all questions that helped the team to get to know me better and see if I would be a good fit for the Kearney culture.
What does your employer do?
Management consultancy with offices across the globe working in all industries
What are your areas of responsibility?
This will vary from project to project, but as a BA we usually support the rest of the team in developing a solution(s) for our client. This often involves owning certain parts of a workstream or analysis and communicating findings and insights to my team and the client.
Can you describe a typical workday?
This sounds cliché, but no two days are the same. It generally depends on the type and stage of the project. The project I am currently working on is at the kick-off phase so there is a lot prep work and problem-solving. The last thing I was working on was developing the issue tree and hypotheses for our workstream, which will provide the foundation for us to conduct future analysis.
What are the career prospects with your job?
The career prospects that come with consulting is fantastic. Our colleagues who move on from Kearney always end up doing something incredible. Some have gone on and pursued start-up ideas, whereas others ended up in strategy roles for some of the largest corporations in Australia.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Absolutely, here at Kearney, there is a huge emphasis on diversity of thought and one of the ways we achieve that is having consultants from a range of backgrounds. So as long as you are up for a challenge and eager to learn quickly, it doesn’t matter what you studied at the university.
What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now?
I’d be trying to get a strategy role for a non-for-profit organisation or doing my master’s degree in Economics!
What do you love the most about your job?
The people are definitely what makes my job. Everyone at the firm is incredibly smart but down-to-earth. If you ever get stuck there is always someone willing to lend a hand.
What’s the biggest limitation of your job?
As someone who is relatively junior in the firm, the amount of responsibility I get given is quite high compared to most industries– however, I don’t see this as a limitation, but rather a great learning opportunity. There will inevitably be some late nights, but this is highly project dependant.
A word to the wise...
Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student?