For anyone just out of business or IT school, consulting seems to be the obvious path.
According to a British study, 20% of students and 40% of high-achieving students aspire to join the consultancy industry.
And it makes sense. There are a lot of prestigious consulting firms out there, demand in that area is high, and it usually pays well.
On top of that, consulting jobs allow you to get a lot of practical experience right away. And consulting firms often have rich ecosystems that can help you build your professional network.
At Easi, we also welcome many new freshly graduated consultants each month to accompany our clients in the implementation of solutions and bring them added value.
But being a consultant at Easi is quite different from in other firms. In this article we’ll tell We'll explain the specifics of being a consultant at Easi, and we'll also outline everything we do internally to ensure that our consultants can grow and flourish in their profession and expertise.
1) Focus on coaching
When it comes to learning the ropes of a job, good coaching is essential. A coach can provide guidance, support, and advice that can help you become successful in your role. They can also help you identify areas where you need to improve and offer suggestions on how to overcome challenges.
As (IT) consultant, you will need to have strong technical skills and be able to troubleshoot complex problems. A good coach can help you develop these skills and give you the confidence you need to succeed in your career.
What’s the Easi way?
Easi makes it a point to invest in its employees. It’s part of the company’s philosophy to treat every new hire as if they are going to stay forever.
As such, it’s important for us that employees get relevant training aside from their work with our clients.
This means that every junior consultant gets coaching and learning opportunities. We make it happen by:
- Assigning a dedicated coach for each hire
- Encouraging dialogue with senior colleagues
- Implementing direct and regular contact between employees and their managers. This usually happen every week.
"If we have a question, someone always takes the time to answer us in detail. This is how we can progress and bring quality to our work even if we have only been here a few months."
2) Create team spirit
A sense of belonging to a group can provide a great sense of motivation and drive, especially when starting out in a new field.
As a junior consultant, it can be easy to feel like you're on the outside looking in. Developing a strong team spirit can help you feel more connected to your colleagues and give you the boost you need to succeed and enjoy your work.
What’s the Easi way?
Building a great company culture has been part of Easi from Day 1. And this only makes sense if everyone is included.
For that reason, we make sure that consultants spend around 50% of their time at the office with their coworkers. We also set up opportunities for employees to spend time together (breakfast, drinks, game room...).
This gives our consultants a real sense of belonging even when they’re operating from a client’s premises.
“As a consultant, you often work full time on a client's site for several months. Which leads to a lack of link with your own company. That's not what I was looking for. At Easi, it's the perfect combination. We have customer interventions which optimizes the customer contact but we keep a very strong link with Easi and our colleagues. We come to the office at least once a week, we are always in contact with our team, we are involved in internal issues, etc. » - Marine Monoyer (Business Consultant)
3) Give choice to our consultants
Working on projects you're interested in is especially important when you're a junior consultant because it helps build skills and experience that will be valuable in your future career.
You'll be more engaged and motivated, which will lead to better work performance. You'll also learn more about the topic at hand, which can make you a more knowledgeable and marketable consultant.
In addition, working on projects you're interested in can help you develop relationships with key people in your industry and make you an even more valuable asset for your company.
What’s the Easi way?
Easi groups consultants in teams that collaborate on projects. This allows for projects to be appointed based on the interests and qualities of consultants.
And since they can cultivate these strengths and interests, they stay motivated and keep wanting to learn more.
4) Encourage responsibility early on
Assuming responsibilities early in your career is important for several reasons. First, it gives you a chance to show your bosses and clients what you're capable of. Second, it helps you develop a sense of ownership over your work and projects. Third, it demonstrates your commitment to your job and to the company. Finally, taking on additional responsibilities can help you advance in your career faster.
This is especially important as a junior consultant. Not only do you need to prove yourself to your superiors, but you also need to build up your own knowledge base and skill set. By taking on extra tasks and assignments, junior consultants can learn more about their field and hone their skills. They can also make themselves indispensable.
What’s the Easi way?
Responsibility is one of Easi’s key values. And we wouldn’t be true to ourselves if we didn’t apply it in the work of our consultants.
This means that consultants at Easi aren’t limited to the technical aspects of their projects (although that’s an important part of it). Consultants are also in direct contact with the client in evaluating their needs and satisfaction. As such, they have a say in the management of the project, and they can also participate in the commercial development of the project.
Each consultant is, along with other Easi employees and under the supervision of their manager, involved at every level of their projects.
"What I like about being a consultant at Easi, is the challenge. You learn the most by doing something new every day." – Florine Nicaise (Business Consultant)
5) Stimulate variety
It's important to take a job with a variety of tasks, especially as a junior consultant. This will help you learn new things and grow your skills. You'll also be able to develop a better understanding of how different parts of the business work.
This can be extremely valuable when it comes time to pursue a more senior role. Having a variety of experiences under your belt will also make you more versatile and able to take on new challenges. So don't be afraid to look for a job with a range of responsibilities – it could be the best decision you ever make!
What’s the Easi way?
We love to challenge our consultants and multiply their opportunities to learn. That’s why they usually work on a mix of sometimes up to 5 projects. We make sure they deal with various types of clients, industries, company sizes, etc.
Projects span from 3 to 9 months and consultants often work on several projects for the same client. This allows them to witness the impact of their work with their own eyes. It also allows them to keep building on their own work while working on other projects as well.
"My job as consultant allows me to discover different business sectors, but also to wear several hats. One day our tasks are technical, the next we are coaching our customers in the use of our software."
6) promote career growth
Finally, one of the most important factors to consider when taking on your next job is whether there are growth perspectives, including opportunities to become a manager. This is especially true for junior consultants who are looking to make their way up the corporate ladder. A job with these kinds of opportunities will allow you to develop your skills and grow in your career.
If the company has a strong track record of promoting from within and offers ample opportunity for growth, it's a great sign you should apply.
In today’s competitive job market, it is more important than ever to find a position that offers growth potential. By taking on a job with opportunities for advancement, you can set yourself up for success in your career.
What’s the Easi way?
Easi is all about career growth. We don’t hire managers; we hire junior profiles and promote from within. This is the reason why we invest so much in coaching and training our people.
Ambition is a quality that we value immensely, but we believe that people achieve their potential better when working together instead of against each other.
There are three main paths of evolution with Easi:
- Expert track: You become an expert in your field and climb the ranks as a reference.
- Coordination track: You manage projects of increasing complexity that involve Easi employees as well as clients, and, sometimes, external third parties.
- People track: You manage increasingly large groups of people and do everything in your power to set them up for success.
"At Easi, there are plenty of opportunities to grow. Personally, I don't know yet how my career will evolve, but it's nice to know that all the possibilities remain open."
- Héloise Leroy (Consultant).
Conclusion
At Easi, we pride ourselves in training our employees properly and giving them power over their career.
Coaching someone means giving them tools that will be useful to them for their whole careers.
Being on the road and working at the client’s offices doesn’t mean you’re not part of the Easi team.
Just because you’re a junior doesn’t mean you don’t get a say about what you’ll be working on. On the contrary, that’s how we make sure you stay driven. The same goes with working on a wide range of tasks.
Being a junior doesn’t mean we don’t trust you with responsibilities. We’re with you every step of the way.
Growth for a consultant shouldn’t be flat or holding out for as long as possible until you make manager. Not only can you become a manager at Easi, but you’ll also have fun getting there, you’ll have several ways of getting there, and you’ll learn plenty in the process.
Does this resonate with you? If so, we should probably have a conversation. Check out our consulting positions, apply, and we’ll get back to you!
