Zoe, McKinsey & Company
Business analyst Zoe works for McKinsey & Company. She studied linguistics and Arabic at the University of Edinburgh.
Why management consulting?
After university I looked for a role which would provide great opportunities to learn a range of professional skills. Consulting offered this, as well as the chance to work alongside exceptional individuals and gain exposure to a broad variety of industries.
Did you do any work experience?
I did a short internship with a boutique telecommunications and media consulting firm. I had spent most of my summers doing non-profit work in South East Asia focused on young people and education.
What does McKinsey do?
Our clients call on us as close advisers to help solve some of their toughest and most critical challenges across sectors and functions. This could be helping a company grow in new markets, designing a five-year turnaround strategy or thinking about the development of innovative products.
What are your responsibilities?
As a business analyst, I work on project engagements as a full-time member of the team, usually owning and driving a specific area of work all the way from research and hypothesis to forming recommendations.
Conducting interviews with industry experts, completing quantitative analysis with our analytics teams or problem-solving with clients are all common activities.
Any surprises?
I have been surprised by the level of autonomy and responsibility an analyst receives very early on in their role. Teams are extremely non-hierarchical and there is a real sense of collaboration.
Consulting can give you unparalleled access as a young graduate to some of the most senior leaders in the world
Tell us about your work/life balance.
Balancing work and social life can be difficult but varies widely from project to project. Everyone I have worked with makes an effort to adapt to each other’s schedules. Weekends are sacred, and I find I am able to keep up with outside interests such as volunteering and dance. If you can manage your own time and appreciate that routines will vary, the work/life balance is good.
What are the most exciting aspects of your job?
Consulting can give you unparalleled access as a young graduate to some of the most senior leaders in the world – from the private, public and social sectors. My colleagues are also incredibly inspirational people, which makes for a unique learning environment.
Any downsides?
Being in a client-facing industry can make it difficult to predict your daily working schedule. This makes it interesting work, but it’s hard to plan ahead.
Tell us about a particularly memorable project.
We worked with an international oil company to help form its competitive strategy at a time when the industry was facing a huge crisis. Seeing the team’s work as a headline in an international newspaper, at the forefront of industry minds, was a demonstration of the impact we can have with our clients.
What did your initial training involve?
Analysts receive formal training programmes on basic skills such as problem-solving, communication and finance, but most support is provided on the job by mentors – experienced team members. This is the best way to learn as you can see in practice how things work.
What skills in particular do you think you’ve developed?
Being able to bring structure to solve a large problem, in many contexts, is a key part of being a consultant. The ability to work with people from all backgrounds and in all levels of an organisation is also an essential skill.