[ad_1]
If you’re an undergraduate engineering pupil seeking to break into consulting, Denyce’s story is for you.
With a ardour for sustainability and a background in nuclear engineering, Denyce – an undergraduate pupil on the College of Toronto with no enterprise expertise – determined to pursue consulting as a method to make an even bigger impression proper out of the gate.
On this dialog, she shares the fervour that drove her to consulting, discusses the struggles and successes she skilled with recruiting, and highlights the significance of networking and group throughout the course of.
Relavent Hyperlinks:
Transcription: From Nuclear Engineering to a Consulting Supply – Denyce’s Story
Noah Schmeisser 00:04
Welcome to Technique Simplified. My identify is Noah and at the moment on the podcast, I’m excited to deliver you this dialog with Denyce, a Toronto engineering pupil who landed an MBB provide. Pay attention as we mentioned Denise’s journey to consulting, and the way she broke in and not using a enterprise background. We’re so excited to have Denyce, a member of the administration consulting group who simply landed an MBB provide on Technique Simplified with us at the moment. Denise welcome, are you able to begin us off with a short intro and a excessive stage background about who you might be and the way you bought right here.
Denyce Riley 00:41
I’m going into mechanical engineering on the College of Toronto. I’m initially from Trinidad, Tobago, which is within the Caribbean. What motivated me to go to Canada was that I’m very sustainability pushed. I’m very obsessed with making a constructive impression on the world, and that’s what actually received me into renewable vitality and social sustainability. Then I spotted I may make a good larger impression in administration consulting, and that’s what prompted that shift in careers.
Noah Schmeisser 01:27
It’s positively a path that lots of people select to pursue from all kinds of angles. I’d love to simply have a bit of bit extra about about your particular journey. So that you got here in to the College of Toronto targeted on on engineering, how precisely did that pivot go.
Denyce Riley 01:45
So I’m presently in what you’d name your skilled internship, when you’re working. So I’ve been working at a nuclear energy plant as a result of I used to be actually obsessed with renewable vitality and clear vitality and being a driver in that business. However I didn’t actually really feel that I used to be making the impression that I needed, I knew that on a broad scale I used to be having an impression as I used to be serving to the plant run effectively, however I couldn’t precisely see the impression that I used to be having. And I began enthusiastic about consulting.
A recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn and advised me extra about totally different MBB corporations. I began actually trying into what they’re doing, how they’re incorporating sustainability into their drawback fixing course of. That basically received me intrigued, as a result of as an engineer, what we love most is drawback fixing. I landed in an space the place I used to be undertaking the entire objectives that I set out for myself. I used to be additionally in a position to incorporate that side of social sustainability and truly serving to communities and serving to these varieties of points while additionally doing the environmental sustainability that I used to be obsessed with. In order that’s what actually simply pushed me in direction of consulting and actually making that shift in my profession.
Noah Schmeisser 03:06
Wow, that’s superior. And it’s nice to see that form of ardour popping out, particularly on this course of, simply taking a step again out of your motivation and focusing in your recruiting course of. Are you able to stroll us by a excessive stage overview of your networking, software, interview course of on the highest stage, and actually inform us a bit of bit about how that went for you what that regarded like, the place you began.
Denyce Riley 03:33
My biggest device, I’d say is LinkedIn. I actually took benefit of that. So if anybody who attended the College of Toronto went to McKinsey or was an intern at McKinsey, I message them. Anybody who went to Bain and anybody who went to BCG, I message them. I used to be very targeted on studying firsthand from individuals who labored in these corporations and making an attempt to get a mentor of some kind.
So at my college, there’s this connects I suppose, like U of T LinkedIn, the place you possibly can solely join with previous pupils. So I actually make the most of that as nicely reaching out to totally different alumni who had been in consulting, didn’t essentially need to be MBB consulting, it may have been hatch, which is an web firm at Deloitte. Simply getting that mentorship and that steerage. And as soon as I had that, then I actually began utilizing LinkedIn to focus on the MBB corporations.
Connecting with recruiters after which utilizing these connections with the recruiters to see what occasions are occurring in Toronto across the time that I needed to become involved within the recruitment course of. So in doing so, I used to be in a position to attend full networking classes earlier than I really utilized to the MBB corporations. And in doing so, I received to be taught firsthand what it was like in that exact workplace, getting an thought of the tradition, getting an thought of the individuals I’m actually ensuring that that is one thing that I needed to do, and I may see myself doing. After which from there, it was sending out my resume. I simply handed my resume to totally different individuals, my buddies, my household, then additionally sending it to my totally different mentors getting critiques from them, and actually simply ensuring that it was hitting each single purpose for every agency. From there I used to be simply getting the invites to interview after which making an attempt to crush the case research, to the perfect of my skills. However I’d say don’t sleep on the behavioral is as a result of that was equally as necessary.
Noah Schmeisser 05:38
No, very true. It feels like networking was a extremely necessary a part of your course of as it’s for everyone. And simply all you of us on the market going by consulting recruiting, don’t neglect networking. I’d love to listen to your tackle lots of people networking with a bit of little bit of worry, doubtlessly a bit of little bit of uneasiness. They suppose that doubtlessly it’s pretend, or they only don’t love the concept. What would you say to these individuals?
Resume + Cowl Letter Edits
- 2 Rounds of Edits every on 1 Resume and 1 Cowl Letter
- Digital go: 24 templates, 5 e-books
Black Belt
- 8 hours 1:1 Zoom classes with MBB coach of your alternative
- All entry go: 550+ circumstances, 10K+ math/construction drills, 9 video programs, 12 chatbot circumstances
- 2 Rounds of Edits every on 1 Resume and 1 Cowl Letter
Denyce Riley 06:08
I positively perceive. So I’m very introverted in nature. So it takes so much for me to place myself on the market and message individuals. Nevertheless it’s actually simply willpower, which pushes me as a result of I do know that if I need to obtain my objectives, that is what I received to do. So I’d say reaching out, it’s not one thing that it’s best to essentially be afraid of. The worst factor that may occur is that they don’t reply and then you definately simply transfer on along with your life. In the event that they do reply then it makes a major impression in your life. So I’d say simply ship the message, simply say hello, introduce your self, say why you’re messaging them within the first place. Don’t attempt to get one thing from them. I feel most individuals are very open to serving to when you’re not making an attempt to simply use them like, “are you able to get me a job?” “Are you able to have a look at my resume?”. Simply extra getting data and knowledge from them, I feel is one of the best ways to strategy networking. I feel it’s best to positively not be afraid the worst factor that may occur is not any response. After which it lasts for 2 seconds and you progress on along with your life. So
Noah Schmeisser 07:19
No, it makes a whole lot of sense. I suppose a observe up query right here. Once you had been networking, how far earlier than the your software dates, that form of resume drop, did you begin networking?
Denyce Riley 07:32
Okay, so what occurred was that I used to be reached out to on LinkedIn by a recruiter in September of final yr. In order that’s after I received actually into the world of MBB. And so they motivated me to use to the totally different corporations. That’s when my networking began, September of final yr. In order that’s after I began reaching out to totally different individuals who labored on the corporations to get a mentor. That’s after I began taking a look at totally different USC alumni and present college students who labored at these corporations. However I didn’t really attend networking occasions out of agency till about January or February of this yr. After which I’ll do an occasion, possibly like a month or two months after the primary one, in a consecutive order. A few of them are on-line. A few of them are in particular person, and didn’t essentially need to be me within the workplace.
Noah Schmeisser 08:35
You’d say that your form of networking course of started a minimum of six to seven months earlier than you apply. Is that pretty correct? Sure. I simply need to spotlight the significance of beginning early with networking. I feel lots of people, particularly should you’re a bit of uneasy about it, go away it extra towards the final minute, however beginning earlier can actually be a be a key to success in that half. Denyce, I’ve one other query for you. Do you’ve gotten one professional tip you can share on each bit of your recruiting puzzle? So doubtlessly one on networking? We already touched on that a bit of bit however one on networking, one in your precise application- so resume, cowl letter- after which one on the interview course of?
Denyce Riley 09:24
I’d say don’t discredit the impacts or the useful assets that you’ve got in household and buddies. I feel most individuals suppose that in an effort to have a stellar resume to get you into these corporations, you want some kind {of professional} otherwise you want somebody inside the agency to really inform you that your resume is nice. However your loved ones and your pals know so much as nicely. They’ve been employed in some unspecified time in the future of their life. They’ve needed to create a resume, they’ve needed to undergo these processes. So make the most of that, there’s energy in that. I actually leaned on my mother and father within the resume course of made them go over it 1000 instances, guarantee that each phrase was spelled appropriately. So I’d say don’t discredit that, positively use that as a useful resource.
I’d say for the precise interview course of, I feel the one factor that they search for is confidence, should you can simply present that you simply suppose you recognize what you’re doing, then they’ll consider that you simply’re know what you’re doing. I feel that’s one of many largest issues that they search for within the interview, simply being assured in your self being assured in your responses. And in addition being open to critiques or being guided in a unique path. Lots of people like to carry quick of their preliminary assumptions and simply preserve transferring ahead, however simply be open and assured within the precise interview course of.
Noah Schmeisser 10:58
Nice recommendation, and thanks for that. Pivoting a bit of bit, however remaining on the subject of functions, once you had been making use of and interviewing what would you say your greatest useful resource was within the course of? Or should you had been talking to your self two years in the past, what would you say: use this, actually concentrate on this, that will help you succeed?
Denyce Riley 11:18
Properly, the Technique Simplified podcast was like my primary podcast for case research alone. I used that to essentially get an understanding of casing typically. I come from an engineering background. So I didn’t know what phrases like market entry, market share, I had no thought what these phrases had been. So it was actually diving into that and ensuring that they had a full understanding.
I feel the place I went unsuitable to start with was that I assumed that I wanted to sound like a guide in my interviews, and I’d focus so much on that simply making an attempt to have that jargon. However I don’t suppose that’s actually that necessary. It’s largely your brainstorming, your thought formation, how can you communicate these phrases into easy phrases that the common man can perceive. So I feel Technique Simplified was actually good. For me, a minimum of in that regard. It actually simply solidified the concept that it’s about your precise brainstorming processes, the way you deal with data, the way you analyze data, and simply additionally getting an understanding of the enterprise world typically, as a result of I used to be very misplaced on that. So I’d say that was my primary useful resource when it got here to casing.
For behaviorals, you don’t really want a useful resource, I’d say it was largely reflection and introspection. So I feel additionally utilizing your loved ones could be an enormous useful resource in that regard as nicely.
Noah Schmeisser 12:50
Properly, thanks. And so that you listeners on the market word that we didn’t pay her to say any of that, that’s all genuine. However we respect the endorsement.
Noah Schmeisser 14:15
So once you had been going by this course of, which half did you discover essentially the most tough? Which half received you down essentially the most? What was the toughest half for you?
Denyce Riley 14:26
I’d say structuring an precise case was very laborious for me. The explanation why was as a result of I simply didn’t perceive what was required of me when it comes to structuring, the concept was simply so summary. Everybody would all the time say structuring is your individual strategy to it. You’ll be able to’t learn to construction however I used to be like, what does that even imply? In order that took me some time to grasp, however I began to see a sample in it. I work in patterns. I began to see when you’ve got a market entry case that is your fixed when you’ve got a subtype of profitability case that is your sample.
It’s actually simply making an attempt to grasp the concept of structuring. What it basically boils all the way down to is that you’ve got a cluster of concepts in your thoughts for the way it’s best to strategy a case, and the way must you group it in order that they’ve commonalities, or that it is sensible. And that’s what I understood construction to be. As soon as I understood that, that made it so much simpler for me. Even when it was essentially the most summary case immediate, just like the New York Zoo desires to purchase a gorilla, how ought to they strategy that? Upon getting that concept that structuring is just not this massive, intimidating factor, it’s merely simply grouping your concepts, it makes it so much simpler to strategy and so much simpler to grasp.
Noah Schmeisser 15:48
Nice rationalization there. I feel lots of people doubtlessly attempt to unintentionally even gatekeep and make this course of extra sophisticated than it maybe must be. That was a extremely nice rationalization when it comes to what that is in layman’s phrases. In order that made a whole lot of sense. Thanks for that. You mentioned structuring and figuring that out was essentially the most tough half for you of the method. What did you most get pleasure from what got here most naturally? What saved you going by this course of?
Denyce Riley 16:20
I’d say, my favourite a part of this complete journey was simply the chums I made at my networking occasions. And they’re an enormous help for me, as a result of at one time limit, I wasn’t even going to use. If I’m being sincere, that deadline was developing and I nonetheless hadn’t signed my software. I used to be like, I don’t suppose it is sensible anymore, I don’t really feel prepared, I haven’t executed that many circumstances. However they actually pushed me, “you’ve attended so many networking occasions, you’ve gotten to know the agency’s, you need to apply”, they usually basically bullied me into it. They had been there for me your complete journey, we might keep up till like 11pm 12 midnight, simply casing and supporting one another, serving to one another with the behaviorals. So I’d suppose that the friendships that I fashioned simply on this software course of was the perfect half.
Noah Schmeisser 17:10
It truly is a really communal course of. Once you had been prepping for circumstances, did you do dwell circumstances with case companions? Or how did you strategy that half?
Denyce Riley 17:18
Each single case that I did, I did dwell, I didn’t do any circumstances alone.
Noah Schmeisser 17:23
And what number of circumstances would you say that you simply did kind of roughly all through the method?
Denyce Riley 17:28
I don’t know. I’d say possibly 30. Perhaps, however I actually didn’t preserve rely. My technique was extra so high quality, over amount, as a result of there’s this concept that the extra circumstances you do, the higher you might be, which I feel is fake. You would do 50 circumstances actually badly. So I feel simply ensuring that I used to be bettering in every case that I tried, that was my purpose, as soon as I used to be in a position to apply the critiques that I caught beforehand to the brand new case, and I used to be strong on that.
Noah Schmeisser 18:06
Properly, it sounds such as you took a really thorough and high quality strategy to the to the method, inside this course of and inside your recruiting journey. I do know you talked about the structuring was kind of tough, the chums saved you going, however what would you say your single biggest problem was?
Denyce Riley 18:32
It might actually be a insecurity in myself. I didn’t really feel as if I used to be going to get very far, I had little or no confidence. I’m from engineering, I don’t know something enterprise associated, they’re gonna see proper by me. The one factor I’m good at is the mathematics. I had a whole lot of help. I had individuals on the corporations who’re rooting me on, I had the folks that I networked with rooting me on, it was simply all a whole lot of overwhelming help and telling me Denyce you are able to do this, you simply need to think about your self. That basically received me by it. However I feel it was simply that insecurity in my I suppose casing skills extra so than anything.
Noah Schmeisser 19:18
It is sensible and particularly coming from a non enterprise background, that terminology could be daunting, however congratulations on being completed with the method. As you sit right here now, trying ahead to beginning in consulting. What are you most trying ahead to?
Denyce Riley 19:38
I’m actually excited in regards to the individuals, I’ve made some actually good buddies on the agency, particularly my buddy all through my recruitment journey, the precise interviewing journey, we grew to become actually shut. I relied on her so much.
I’m actually enthusiastic about these relationships that I cultivated all through my journey, with the ability to name these individuals colleagues now and get to work with them. That sounds actually thrilling. After which I’m additionally excited to do the work. Actually to see the several types of tasks I will likely be concerned with, and simply having that sustainable impression that I’ve been dreaming about since I used to be like 5.
Noah Schmeisser 20:23
Properly, that sounds superior. And we’re actually excited for you. Pivoting now right here on the finish of the interview, we’d wish to wrap issues up with a pair private and enjoyable questions which have completely nothing to do with consulting. So that you’re from the Caribbean, initially, you go to the College of Toronto, what’s your favourite place that you simply’ve been?
Denyce Riley 20:52
I really like Trinidad and Tobago it’s a ravishing island, my favourite spot. And Tobago could be the nylon pool. It’s the best factor. It’s a pool, it’s pure, however it’s a pool in the course of the ocean. So should you went into the center of the ocean, you would begin in three toes of water. It’s superb. After which when it comes to Trinidad, there’s so many. I really like the Gasperi caves, that are these caves made out of limestone. So when limestone melts, it’s actually cool. Nevertheless it’s additionally on separate islands off the coast of Trinidad, and you may see Venezuela from it. In order that’s that’s actually fascinating as nicely.
Noah Schmeisser 21:33
Properly, that sounds completely stunning. I’m jealous that you simply get to dwell there. I’m searching my window and never saying something practically as thrilling. Pivoting again to your time at Toronto. You’re wrapping up your collegiate profession right here. What would you say the highlights of your faculty, your time at Toronto have been doubtlessly outdoors outdoors of the classroom outdoors of engineering and consulting prep.
Denyce Riley 22:02
My favourite, I’d say, actually, it’s a Raptors sport. So I wasn’t very sporty or very concerned in any respect. However my buddies dragged me to a Raptors sport and it was essentially the most enjoyable I ever had. It was simply the vibe, the ambiance, cheering in your staff. It’s actually enjoyable. 10 out of 10 suggest.
Noah Schmeisser 22:26
Sure, completely. I’m an enormous sports activities fan myself, so I can very a lot agree with that. Properly, thanks a lot. Thanks for being on right here at the moment. We actually loved this dialog. Congratulations.
Denyce Riley 22:42
Thanks. Thanks.
Noah Schmeisser 22:44
Thanks for listening to this episode of Technique Simplified. Should you had been impressed by Denyce’s story and need to break into administration consulting your self, work with our crack staff, ex-MBB interviewers and case coaches to get your self there. All our coaches are extremely vetted ex MBB consultants who solely work with us and should you loved this episode, go away us a evaluate or e-mail us at podcast at managementconsult.com with any questions or suggestions.
[ad_2]
