Alex Kingsbury

NAME Alex Kingsbury
EMPLOYER PA Consulting Group
UNIVERSITY BSc management science, Loughborough University (2007)

When I started my degree I knew I needed experience, so I set up an IT consultancy business whilst studying and did placements and part-time work for the courier DHL. To find my job I used my careers service and searched online. I attended a presentation by my current employer and researched the company using graduate careers guides and the Second Life community. I had the opportunity to meet recruiters in the virtual world so I networked to find the answers to my questions. I then sent in my CV and a covering letter, had two interviews and attended an assessment centre as part of the formal recruitment process.

Hard at work

My typical day depends on the project, but in a nutshell I work with the client in a mixed project team to bring about change within their business by improving services, reducing costs and increasing value. I don’t simply strategise; I also implement plans and see the projects through to completion. We start with a helicopter view that looks at the project in its entirety and work closely with the client to identify key priorities. Then I could be running workshops, process mapping or helping out with data analysis.

Seeking and giving advice

I have a buddy, a mentor and a line manager to guide me but finding the right projects to work on is ultimately down to me. Whatever I’m working on, I get a breadth of experience and it’s a great feeling to receive positive feedback from a client. Things tend to go quite smoothly, but there was a recent crisis when a 5.45 pm meeting resulted in us having to completely change our plans for a project. The highlight of my career was when a client’s chief financial officer was having an issue with a business model he was using. I was one of the only people who could help, which was a real boost as I was amongst the newest recruits!