What stood out to you about Accenture before securing your role?
Accenture frequently wins awards and features in lists for things like ‘best company to work for’, ‘most sustainable company’, ‘best employer’, ‘most diverse’ etc., which is hard to ignore. Who doesn’t want to work for the best employer? Another thing that appealed to me was the range of work that Accenture does – they don’t expect you to go into your interview knowing exactly what you want to do, but they encourage you to find your passion within the company.
How did you show you have a passion for Accenture at the interview?
This is difficult to answer as my interview was years ago, but I would say that I was quite transparent about how much I knew about the company and why I wanted the opportunity to work there. I didn’t exaggerate and tell them it had been my dream to work at Accenture since I was a child, I highlighted a few really interesting case studies I had read and some of those awards that Accenture had won, and explained why they were important / interesting to me.
What opportunities do Accenture offer?
In the UK alone, Accenture literally has hundreds of teams that work on a huge range of topics and industries. There really is something for everyone – whether you’re interested in a specific industry like consumer goods, resources, financial services, or a topic such as technology transformation, sustainability, growth strategy, branding, even special effects – Accenture probably has a team that does that. When you join as a graduate, you’re given the freedom and flexibility to explore different areas.
What has been your working ‘highlight’ thus far?
Generally, my highlight is working on one of the most important topics of our time – sustainability. Being able to support clients to think about and manage their impacts on the environment and society is hugely rewarding and interesting. If I had to choose a specific highlight, I once presented at a conference hosted by Tim Laurence (Princess Anne’s husband) – my claim to fame!
What was the jump like from analyst to consultant?
The jump from analyst to consultant was fairly smooth. As I progressed as an analyst and learned more about sustainability, I gradually took on more responsibility until I was essentially doing the job of a consultant, and so the promotion seemed like a natural transition.
When did you start thinking about specialising?
I started thinking about specialising in sustainability when I first joined as a graduate, as I had done an industrial placement at Accenture during university and spent most of my time working with the sustainability team.
What top three tips would you give Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Be known for something: You’ll find it easier to get the job and then get onto good projects if you have a ‘personal brand’, or if you’re known for being good at something. That might be something as simple as being known for making good slides, or it might be that you know a lot about sustainability regulations, business case modelling, or Amazon Web Services. Whatever you’re good at, build on that and make sure people know about it
- Be proactive: Even once you’re in, Accenture can be tricky to navigate, and it’s up to you to network and find opportunities that you’re interested in. You won’t get anywhere by waiting for projects to find you.
- Be open to trying new things: If you join Accenture with an idea of what you want to do, don’t shy away from trying something outside of your comfort zone – it might be the best decision you ever make!