Third Bridge |

Tell us what initially drew you to the Connections Associate position and Third Bridge as an employer?

I applied to the Connections Associate position because I knew the soft skills that I had developed at university would be valuable in the workplace, but I wanted to develop skills that would advance my career in the long run. I liked how hands-on the role at Third Bridge would be, while also having fast progression and continuous training. I was also glad to be using my languages on a daily basis.

What was your highlight of month 1?

My first month was surprisingly sociable - I joined the company and trained with people that were both similar and different to me in background and experience, which meant we got along very easily and I felt welcome very quickly. I have even worked abroad with people I trained with!

Tell us about what career progression (so far) has looked like for you in your Third Bridge journey..

I became a Project Manager in February, which meant that my responsibilities and workload stepped up and became more closely linked with our clients needs. This is also really engaging and I can feel my personal development growing in line with the daily challenges.

What does a normal day usually look like for you?

Alongside managing my projects, delegating tasks and speaking directly with clients, I am also involved in the training and development of new Associates. This means creating session slides and delivering them to new joiners and gathering their feedback for the next one. This was something I volunteered to do and have really enjoyed so far.

What do you enjoy most about being a Third Bridger?

I like that you can get involved in other elements of the company, like our ESG committees (there are ones dedicated to sustainability, charity and diversity). These make a big difference in not just exploring your interests and developing further skills, but also helps to meet new people across the company.

What advice would you give to Graduates looking to join Third Bridge?

I found it hard at first to find jobs that were open to graduates that didn’t expect you to have decades of experience and multiple degrees - at this role, you are valued on the experience you already have and the potential you bring to grow. My advice would just be to know the value you add and what you want to gain from your first role, and then be open to the opportunities at Third Bridge to take this further.

Kirsty has been a Third Bridger since October 2023. She first joined us in the Associate role, working directly with our Consulting Clients and their projects. Take a look at what she’s accomplished so far and what's next for Kirsty!

Tell us about your first few months as an Associate. What did this involve day to day?

I was extremely busy during my first few months at Third Bridge, working on numerous projects ranging from South American fish farmers to Global medical sales experts. My team and manager made sure to give me as much variety as possible to settle me into the role, which in turn gave me a greater understanding of what was needed from me. I got regular check-ins with my Manager and my chosen Project Manager, who were both instrumental in my progression across my first few months.

Alongside this, I also went on our company Ski trip in January which allowed me to meet more people from across the company, including people from our New York office. I was also tasked with organising a Q1 social for our Consulting and Private Equity verticals where we went Bowling, and there was even some Karaoke done by the brave few!

Can you tell us about what progression has looked like for you since starting as an Associate here at Third Bridge?

For my first few months, I was an Associate working on my team’s projects and helping them deliver on tricky angles for our clients. I then became a Project Manager in March and, since then, have been running large-scale projects and have built strong client relationships with many of our long-term users. My team was super supportive and helpful in my transition from Associate to Project Manager, making sure I was keeping up with everything and offering help and guidance whenever it was needed. This enabled me to achieve the goals I set for myself, even becoming Star of the Month in April!

What are you hoping to achieve next?

My next big goal is to hit $200k of gross profit before my first anniversary in October! From then on, I am excited to utilise the training platforms we have within Third Bridge and become a Project Manager for a new Associate to help them acclimatise and settle in.

What would your advice be to others who are thinking about applying for a role here?

I think if you have a strong work ethic and a proactive attitude, then you will fit right in here at Third Bridge. If you are looking for somewhere which will support you and encourage you to surpass expectations, then Third Bridge is the perfect place for you

What made you consider Third Bridge when looking for graduate opportunities?

Third Bridge seemed to offer something different to a typical graduate job. I was attracted to the idea of being hands-on from day one, being involved in multiple exciting projects, and having the opportunity to progress quickly. It was also a great opportunity to develop my communication and analytical skills in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Can you tell us about your experience during the initial training period in your first month?

It was a brilliant mix of social engagement and educational development. It was a very steep learning curve, but the support from peers was incredible - the ethos is that others want you to succeed. After some classroom learning and informal team bonding, you get to dive right into live projects on desk. From there, training is continuous both on desk and with some classroom sessions. These are held by seniors across the company so you get a good insight into different ways of working.

How would you describe the day-to-day role to others?

Each day is something new, whether it’s managing my own client briefs, or working with the team to deliver results. This involves researching different sectors and networking with industry professionals globally. I also regularly meet with clients, which is one of my favourite parts of the job.

How have you progressed in your role, and what’s next for you?

You very quickly grow from Associate to being a main point of contact for Clients, taking on your own clients and projects and managing contributors. This increased responsibility came at a perfect point in my development and allowed me to take on new challenges. From here, I have already started helping train new joiners, which I really enjoy and will continue to do.

What would your advice be to others interested in applying for a role at Third Bridge?

If you want to work in a fast-paced, exciting, collaborative environment, Third Bridge is the place for you! Aside from learning so much and developing a vast number of skills, I have made so many friends, and it’s been the perfect start to my career!

Tell us about your first few months as an Associate. What did your day-to-day involve?

As an Associate, my initial day-to-day in the first few months involved learning our business, the needs of our clients and how to deliver the best possible service to them on their research projects. You have the opportunity to support Project Managers on their projects in sourcing and finding the most relevant experts from across different geographies, industries and functions for our clients to speak with, based on their current research needs. You learn how to become a true research partner, through attention to detail in sourcing expertise in a wide variety of markets and industries, as well as through speaking with experts and ensuring their ability to contribute to projects.

Can you tell us about your progression since starting as an Associate at Third Bridge?

When I joined the business, I 'learned the ropes' as an Associate before swiftly progressing to Project Manager within my first 5 months. It’s been an exciting new challenge so far, where I am trusted to deal with my own client base and book of business! Progression is swift at Third Bridge, owing to the quality of the training & support provided, as well as your own drive to succeed in the next phase of your progression.

What are you hoping to achieve next?

My next goal is to become a Manager of my own team at Third Bridge, with the chance to coach, mentor and lead my own team of Project Managers to success on their projects. I have always loved being a team player through being able to support my teammates wherever I can, and am excited about the potential of becoming a leader in the future, to drive meaningful impact within the business!