Graduate Consultant
Arcadis
Whenever I am asked what a typical day of a management consultant looks like, I find it challenging to neatly summarise because our work is shaped by such a broad range of experiences every day. However, reflecting on my two years in consulting at Arcadis, I have come to believe that our work is defined and shaped by three key elements: People, Learning, and Delivering Impact.
Consulting is all about people, and every project brings together a diverse group of stakeholders, from clients to colleagues. This is what I have found to be the most energising part of my work, whether it be building new relationships, sharing different perspectives and ideas, or collaborating to co-create new and innovative solutions.
In consulting no two days are ever the same. One day I might be facilitating a vision and strategic goals workshop, and the next, analysing survey data to design behavioural interventions. This variation, combined with the current economic and geopolitical environments, mean that I am always learning and having to adapt to new challenges and differing client needs. As a result, I have discovered that consulting is all about staying curious, agile, and open-minded to ensure we are not just responding to change but proactively shaping creative solutions that benefit our clients and wider society.
Being able to see the value and positive impact our work brings to clients and society, is what I find makes consulting truly rewarding. Ranging from reducing siloed working across the client organisation to drive collaboration and improve strategic decision-making, to designing and implementing a new wellbeing strategy to support improving colleague mental and physical health and subsequent business productivity.
To support following industry best practice across all aspects of my role, I am working towards the Associate-level Chartered Management Consultant (ChMC) accreditation. I have found this incredibly useful, as I am able to use the competency framework to track my progress as I move through the early stages of my consulting career, and can make sure I align with industry-benchmarked criteria.
In consulting, new opportunities and challenges present themselves every day and so it is important to keep an open mind and have a willingness to adapt. It is okay to not have all the immediate answers, but coming together, sharing ideas, and co-creating, is key to how you deliver value to your clients.
Consulting is a challenging but rewarding career, and if you enjoy collaborating with others, expanding your knowledge base, and making a real impact, then it may be the perfect fit for you!