Junior Management Consultant Review

As I sit within Consulting my day-to-day role varies massively (one of the reasons why Consulting appeals to me so much). On my last project it involved me communicating with subject matter experts (SMEs) in order to curate a suite of elearns which took a considerable amount of time. On other days I could be attending recruitment events, college or completing different pieces of work for others who need assistance in the office.

I developed a huge array of skills in my 6 months at the firm, some of which are as follows. At the firm there is a huge emphasis on networking and building up that professional social circle in order to give yourself the best advantage possible further down the line. So as you attend these networking events you build up your networking and social skills to a professional level. I also gained technical skills in things like Microsoft Office which is vital in this modern day and age where computers and software are involved in a wide range of jobs in all different sectors.

I would say I enjoy my programme to a reasonable extent. The main advantages are flexible working (being able to work from home), gaining a competitive salary and meeting people from all walks of life on different levels in the firm hierarchy. The main disadvantages would be the first year being internal roles (not really Consulting per se), balancing project work and work with college and sometimes there can be high volumes of work which makes things stressful (this is expected)

I would say the programme itself is very well structured and organised considering the fact that the college-and project-work have to be somewhat malleable around one another. This means that there has to be a high level of communication to make sure things don't clash with one another which I would say is in place.

You couldn't literally have more support than you have on this programme. Upon joining you are given a 'buddy' who is a higher apprentice in their second year who is there to help you with any queries you have at any point! Then your second port of call is your 'career coach' who is someone at least 2 levels above you, there to help with your above and beyond, any questions you have and just making sure your career is fruitful.

I would say we receive good support from our training provider as we get initial lessons and then revision lessons in preparation before our exam. As Kaplan is based in London the only way to receive support from them when not on site is through email which I think is perfectly fine.

The qualification training we receive from our provider is great as it is in relation to how businesses work and business finance. This helps us improve our business acumen and in the future will help us look professional and give great advice to our clients. I feel like if you have studied a business related A-level you will be one step ahead of the game and this will help you tremendously.

In consulting there is a huge social culture, every Friday the office usually goes for drinks at one of the local watering holes so it's a nice finish to the end of every week. Furthermore there is five-a-side football and netball to get stuck in to! So overall there are many extra-curricular activities to choose from.

Yes

It's a great place to start your career as in the professional world of work everyone has heard of PwC as it is such a big firm so whether you like it and stick around for years or choose to leave and go elsewhere you will be set for the future.

Confidence is key in all aspects of life and even more so when it comes to applying to PwC (any job for that matter). If you don't have confidence in yourself and your abilities how will you portray that you know what you're talking about and capable of to other people? At the end of the day if you get on a client facing project and you're all nervous how is the client going to be confident in taking on board any of the advice/solutions you are recommending them? All personal attributes have relatable professional scenarios and I believe this is the most important one.