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We had the privilege of hosting a consulting panel featuring two accomplished professionals: Clarrie Goh, a finance transformation consultant with Deloitte, and Wienna Koh, a strategy and operations consultant with PwC. Both shared their unique career journeys, key skills for success, and their perspectives on the evolving consulting landscape.
Clarrie: Journey into consulting
Clarrie’s career path began with a degree in Accountancy from NTU, which laid the foundation for her transition from financial accounting advisory to finance transformation consulting. She highlighted the dynamic nature of consulting, noting that her work revolves around problem-solving and finding big-picture solutions, which is one of the aspects that keeps her engaged. Unlike repetitive tasks in other industries, consulting offers constant variety as each project brings new challenges and opportunities.
Clarrie: Challenges faced while on projects
Clarrie shared a particularly challenging project in Indonesia, where she was the only Singaporean consultant working in a Bahasa-speaking environment. Despite the language barrier and the added pressure of being a junior consultant expected to take on significant responsibilities, she learned to step up, seek help when needed, and ultimately deliver results.
Wienna: A consultant’s job to provide an external perspective to clients
Our next speaker, Wienna, began her consulting career in PwC’s Strategy and Operations team. Her experience further reinforced the importance of consulting as a tool for problem-solving, especially in providing clients with an outside perspective. Similar to Clarrie, Wienna also enjoys the challenge of solving problems. She highlighted how consultants bring an external perspective to clients who may be deeply familiar with their industry. Even when working on similar projects, each one presents new learning opportunities. She went on to share that consulting projects vary greatly depending on the workstream. For instance, in a Change Management project, she was more hands-on, while in a Business Analytics project, she focused more on research and client interactions. A key challenge she mentioned was managing clients who lacked a clear direction—something that requires adaptability and a proactive approach in presenting multiple solutions for clients to choose from.
Essential skills to successfully break into Consulting
Across the panel, both speakers agreed on a few critical points on what makes a successful career in consulting.
Problem-Solving and Challenge-Driven Work
Consulting offers constant variety and new challenges, requiring big-picture thinking and the ability to provide fresh perspectives.
Adaptability and Flexibility
Consultants must adapt to diverse industries, client needs, and project phases, managing complex situations and offering multiple solutions.
Importance of Soft Skills
Strong communication, storytelling, and collaboration are essential for success, particularly in client interactions and case interviews.
Critical Thinking and Analytical Skills
Consultants need strong research, analytical, and critical thinking abilities to solve complex problems and offer valuable insights.
Client Interaction and Relationship Management
Building and maintaining strong client relationships is key, especially when managing clients with unclear directions or complex needs.
Q&A Segment with audience
After the panel segment, both Clarrie and Wienna responded to a variety of audience questions, providing insights into the consulting profession. Some of these insights included how work hours in consulting can vary depending on project deadlines. Both panelists noted that while a typical workday might run from 9 AM to 6 PM, there are times when long hours and weekends are necessary to meet tight deadlines. Consulting also opens doors to a wide range of career paths. Both panelists agreed that the exposure to different industries and clients provides consultants with unique opportunities to build transferable skills. Consulting experience also positions professionals well for roles in corporate strategy, tech companies, and even roles in finance. Lastly, one surprising aspect of consulting culture that both panelists highlighted was the importance of networking and relationship-building—often outside of work hours. Casual gatherings and networking sessions are key to fostering relationships within the firm and with clients.
Final Advice for Aspiring Consultants
Our panelists left the audience with some final advice for aspiring consultants such as staying curious and willing to adapt. This is because consulting is about learning continuously, stepping outside your comfort zone, and embracing diverse challenges. Be proactive in seeking help and learning from others and also, to focus on developing logical thinking, communication, and analytical skills. Both Clarrie and Wienna stressed that while consulting can be demanding, it offers unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth!
Overall, this panel provided invaluable insights into the world of management consulting, offering a realistic view of the challenges and rewards that come with this career path. We thank both Clarrie and Wienna for sharing their experiences and wisdom with us!
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