Have you ever wondered why someone would be attracted to consulting as a profession?
Prior to Accenture offering me a position, one of my interviewers asked me “what attracted you to consulting?”
This is a common question in consulting interviews, and it is one that usually throws people off. I often hear people say they spent countless hours practicing how to answer this question, and many went as far as asking friends and family members to test them on it.
I strongly believe in authenticity, preparing ahead, and applying personal experience and skills in every interview question. If you have to resort to parroting rehearsed lines, then this can throw you off your game and your answers can start sounding computerised and mechanical.
In answering the “why consulting?” question, make it personal, realistic, and believable.
Personally, I knew I wanted to get into an industry that understood the “why” and “how” of problem solving. Consultants will not only consider the specific problem that a client has but also look at the entire company, how it operates, and what is happening in the industry and broader business environment. This type of holistic and in-depth analysis can lead to a deeper understanding of why the client’s problem has arisen.
For example, with the rise of digital transformation, some companies have been struggling to adapt.
- Why: These companies have failed to understand how digital transformation would change the business landscape. Their biggest challenges have been company culture, rising competition, late adoption, and underdeveloped talent.
- How: To confront this challenge, consultants may recommend that the company consider its needs and those of its employees and customers. They will then go about finding the technology tools that will assist the company in satisfying these needs, prototype and test a few of these tools, identify which ones would be best for the company, and then implement them within the company’s operations.
Consulting was also one of the few industries that would allow me to do diverse work. Clients may come to a consulting firm because they are facing a specific challenge, but consultants have an opportunity to recommend new strategies for growth and business expansion for the same client. Working with a range of industries, clients, and projects has expanded my knowledge, it has increased my experience, and changed my viewpoint on how companies are built and run.
At face value, you may think that a company is doing well, but very few companies speak of the challenges they may be facing. It isn’t until a merger or acquisition, the company rebrands, or when it files for bankruptcy that individuals start wondering what happened. Consulting exposes you to the good, bad, and ugly side of a company. You learn what a significant role both the CEO and the receptionist play in ensuring the company delivers quality products to its clients. You also learn how different companies react to unforeseen changes, the biggest being the Covid-19 pandemic. While some considered shutting down, others found ways to adapt to drastic changes and continue their operations. This diversity of work fosters a culture of continued learning and development.
Consulting will teach you a lot. Throughout your career there will be many learning and development opportunities that will be presented to you; internally through training and internal courses and externally through qualification such as an MBA.
Final thoughts
I had a genuine interest in consulting for many years before joining the industry. I had been involved in the consulting club during my varsity days, but I also started speaking to consultants through LinkedIn, career days, and job shadowing. My interest was further sparked by how much freedom consultants have to do their work. Consultants, even in entry-level positions, are given responsibilities in client-facing roles very early on in their careers.
There is a culture of entrepreneurship and of being a self-starter that fuels a consultant’s career progression. If you thrive in a challenging and fast-paced environment you will enjoy being entrusted with a piece of work on each client project. You will also enjoy being able to work closely with your managers and clients and presenting to them your recommendations and findings.
Thanduxolo Love Mtsweni is a Management Consultant Analyst at Accenture in South Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Administration in International Relations and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management (PDM- Business Administration). She is passionate about empowering the youth, and advocating for better youth employment opportunities.
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