For those of you who signed a consulting offer, congrats!
The hard part is over. Now there are just two more important decisions that you need to make. What start date should be requested and what should be done with the soon to be very scarce free time prior to starting?
Post-graduation start-dates generally range from starting almost immediately (June) to what has colloquially been referred to as the “travel around the world” start date (early in the next calendar year). Of course, the consideration of how much time you want to take off can be tied to what you might want to do during your time off. Important life matters aside (things such as getting married or selling a house, which would clearly take priority), below are 5 nuggets of wisdom sent my way that have influenced the planning of my summer, and that I now pass along to you.
1. Please Relax
Please take a long vacation. This is likely the last time in a while where you will be free of professional responsibilities, so this is the perfect opportunity to take a vacation where you won’t be tethered to a laptop. It is a smart idea to be recharged and refreshed before starting the consulting journey. As tacky as it sounds, some consultants have told me that they have used the summer vacation to cultivate that serene happy place in their mind that they can think back to during some rough consulting days ahead.
2. Combine Global Travel with Learning Opportunities
Taking the opportunity to pursue some global travel – see new sights, taste new foods, and acquire new experiences – is definitely time well spent during the summer break. However, it has been recommended to me to pick locations and experiences that also provide professionally enhancing insights. This could be something as simple as exploring a public transportation system, taking a tour of a brewery, or visiting a local University. The key to learning while on vacation is to take an active interest in how the world works in different places. By keeping your inquisitive mind sharp, you can pick up fresh perspectives that provide a lifetime of future insights.
3. Have Fun Doing Personally Meaningful Side Projects
You no doubt have personally meaningful pursuits that your normally busy schedule just hasn’t allowed you to fully explore. For some it might be learning German. For others, it might be working on the family genealogy. Really it could be anything. Personally, for me, I get a lot of enjoyment out of doing community focused projects, and I seek to take advantage of some of my free time to do that. The summer is simply the ultimate opportunity to tick off some of the meaningful experiences on your bucket list, so go for it!
4. Brush Up on Some Knowledge
There are likely a few areas you could benefit from brushing up on. For some it might be functional, like Excel or PowerPoint skills. At a bare minimum, you should read up on some of the latest industry developments relevant to your consulting firm. A great way to get a hint about what is important is to read the publications put out by your future consulting firm. By publications, I mean the magazines, LinkedIn posts, and online articles that many firms formally produce. The key here is to brush up, but don’t overdo it. Generally speaking, consulting firms have new employee intake systems to set up everyone for success. Prepping too much may offer some marginal returns but at the cost of taking away your opportunity to truly relax.
5. Posture for Your Future Success
About two weeks to a month before starting (but no more), it is a good idea to check in with your network at your future consulting firm. This serves two functions. First, it is a good way for you to find out about projects that are potentially available for staffing. I think that is a good way to get mentally ready for your pending job start. Second, it is a good way to get yourself on the radar among people in the firm so that they can consider you for staffing. Most firms have methods for staffing new employees as quickly as possible, but it helps to arrive as a known quantity.
Ultimately, the time you have this summer is something you will never get back. Use it wisely. Never take your eye off the ball (the job down the line) but be serious about taking some time off!
Hall Wang is a dual degree MBA and Master of Public Policy candidate at Georgetown University. He has worked at America’s most innovative companies including Blue Origin and Facebook, as well as having done two combat deployments as a US Army Officer.
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