I am a project manager for a consulting firm. What this means: My company provides people with skills (technology, business process/how to do things faster, easier, cheaper, strategy) to other (health care, financial services) companies (clients) who need help. Usually this is done on a project basis, with specific goals and objectives. I direct a team of people and work with the clients to make sure the project meets the goals and doesn't cost too much or take too long.
A description of a typical day:
This can be very different depending on the project. Right now, I am managing a software application that is being used on over a dozen different projects, so my day includes talking to people on the phone about what they would like done for their projects, discussing possibilities for new projects, helping fix problems they are running into, actually fixing problems in the software, going to meetings...
What you need in the way of training/education/experience to do this job
Well, consulting certainly draws a diverse crowd. I have a bachelors degree in biology and a masters of business and IT. The biology is what landed me in health care consulting, the MBA landed me in IT consulting. But I also work with people who have degrees in English, history, foreign languages, business, math...
A lot of consulting firms used to take people straight out of college. I came through the corporate route--was recruited out of grad school to a Fortune 50 company and worked there for a while, then went into consulting.
Why you like it and (if you dare)
I really like that my job changes all the time. I am always working with different people, different projects, new problems and ideas. It varies constantly, so I don't get bored. Also, consulting tends to be somewhat less rigid and bureaucratic (your mileage may vary) than corporate. I love the people I work with. I like that my hours are flexible--I can come in early or late, leave early or late, as long as the job gets done.
Why you dislike it
I used to have to travel. A lot. It was fun at first, but it got tiring when I had to go to boring places for months on end. The firm I work for now is much more regional, so I don't have to live out of a hotel.
I also don't feel like it is my calling. If I didn't like the people so much, I wouldn't be as excited to go to work. I'm not that motivated by technology without some sort of other personal appeal. I'd rather read. But I do like the people and the company, and the money is good--it enables me to write and take English classes and go to conferences and pursue all sorts of fun hobbies.
What sorts of things can go wrong at your job?
The biggest problem is when there are miscommunications--the clients think they are getting one thing, and you think that you are giving them something different. It is a job that is very dependent on good communication and relationship management.
What kind of person thrives in your job
I think that in order to thrive in a job (or firm) like mine, you have to be pretty flexible. Circumstances change all the time, and you have to cope with it. Also, you need good verbal and written communication skills, and strong analytical thinking skills. It is a job that requires a lot of problem-solving.
Anything else you can think of that would give her an idea of what it might be like to choose your career?
I have gotten the opportunity to work for a lot of big companies in a lot of interesting industries, but without being stuck there forever. I have had the chance to live for periods of time in San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Dallas, Boston, London, and *grin* Minneapolis. (I live in NYC). It can be exciting and demanding and interesting and exhilarating. It can also be exhausting and at times things are slow, but you always know something new will happen.
I'd be happy to answer any questions if you have them! (Though I realize my career is probably one that it is hard to wrap your mind around...)
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Date: 2003-04-23 07:41 pm (UTC)What your job title is, and what that means:
I am a project manager for a consulting firm. What this means: My company provides people with skills (technology, business process/how to do things faster, easier, cheaper, strategy) to other (health care, financial services) companies (clients) who need help. Usually this is done on a project basis, with specific goals and objectives. I direct a team of people and work with the clients to make sure the project meets the goals and doesn't cost too much or take too long.
A description of a typical day:
This can be very different depending on the project. Right now, I am managing a software application that is being used on over a dozen different projects, so my day includes talking to people on the phone about what they would like done for their projects, discussing possibilities for new projects, helping fix problems they are running into, actually fixing problems in the software, going to meetings...
What you need in the way of training/education/experience to do this job
Well, consulting certainly draws a diverse crowd. I have a bachelors degree in biology and a masters of business and IT. The biology is what landed me in health care consulting, the MBA landed me in IT consulting. But I also work with people who have degrees in English, history, foreign languages, business, math...
A lot of consulting firms used to take people straight out of college. I came through the corporate route--was recruited out of grad school to a Fortune 50 company and worked there for a while, then went into consulting.
Why you like it and (if you dare)
I really like that my job changes all the time. I am always working with different people, different projects, new problems and ideas. It varies constantly, so I don't get bored. Also, consulting tends to be somewhat less rigid and bureaucratic (your mileage may vary) than corporate. I love the people I work with. I like that my hours are flexible--I can come in early or late, leave early or late, as long as the job gets done.
Why you dislike it
I used to have to travel. A lot. It was fun at first, but it got tiring when I had to go to boring places for months on end. The firm I work for now is much more regional, so I don't have to live out of a hotel.
I also don't feel like it is my calling. If I didn't like the people so much, I wouldn't be as excited to go to work. I'm not that motivated by technology without some sort of other personal appeal. I'd rather read. But I do like the people and the company, and the money is good--it enables me to write and take English classes and go to conferences and pursue all sorts of fun hobbies.
What sorts of things can go wrong at your job?
The biggest problem is when there are miscommunications--the clients think they are getting one thing, and you think that you are giving them something different. It is a job that is very dependent on good communication and relationship management.
What kind of person thrives in your job
I think that in order to thrive in a job (or firm) like mine, you have to be pretty flexible. Circumstances change all the time, and you have to cope with it. Also, you need good verbal and written communication skills, and strong analytical thinking skills. It is a job that requires a lot of problem-solving.
Anything else you can think of that would give her an idea of what it might be like to choose your career?
I have gotten the opportunity to work for a lot of big companies in a lot of interesting industries, but without being stuck there forever. I have had the chance to live for periods of time in San Francisco, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Dallas, Boston, London, and *grin* Minneapolis. (I live in NYC). It can be exciting and demanding and interesting and exhilarating. It can also be exhausting and at times things are slow, but you always know something new will happen.
I'd be happy to answer any questions if you have them! (Though I realize my career is probably one that it is hard to wrap your mind around...)
Sarah :o)