Management Consulting Intern Review

As a management consulting intern I spent 1 week training/completing an induction, and then 2 and a half weeks on a project in the Government & Health sector, and another 2 and a half weeks on a project in the Private sector. Day to day tasks can vary depending on the type of project you are on, how busy it is, and the specific roles you are shadowing. On a day to day basis you will likely attend internal team meetings as well as client meetings. Tasks may include taking minutes, following up on actions that arise in meetings, formatting project documents, analysing data and working on spreadsheets.

I have definitely improved my business acumen as a result of this internship; you are exposed to a lot of business jargon, and get a chance to better understand the business needs and environment that your client operates in. A key skill that I have developed in this internship is my ability to pick up things quickly and adapt to what is needed of me. Consulting can be very fast paced, and so you definitely have to get up to speed quickly when moving onto a new project.

Responsibility varied depending on the project/manager. At certain points in my internship I was given a lot of responsibility, particularly in a very client facing role. Whilst this was quite daunting at the time, I felt very supported by my team and grateful to have been trusted with the work given to me. The more responsibility you are able to take on during the internship, the more I think you get out of the experience. In some cases I was not given much responsibility; this was largely down to the technical nature of the project, and a lack of work available for me on the project.

I received a lot of support during my internship. I was given a buddy - someone who was on their first year of the graduate scheme. I also had a career coach - a manager at the firm. I met up with my buddy and career coach on a weekly basis. They provided advice and support, and were always there for me if I ever needed any help. Both my buddy and career coach were very friendly and approachable - I never felt scared going to them for help.

PwC has a great culture - in fact that is probably PwC's greatest strength! Everyone is friendly and happy to have a coffee catch up with you. People are welcoming of interns, and happy to network with you and provide any support or advice needed. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities, networks, and volunteering opportunities that you can get involved in if you work at PwC - however it is harder to get involved in this during your internship due to the limited time period you are at the firm for.

I enjoyed my internship. I felt like it gave me a really good insight into what it is like to work at PwC as a management consultant. I got exposure to a range of projects, and had the opportunity to network with lots of people from across the firm. I felt that people at the firm put in a lot of effort to make sure all of the interns were enjoying their experience, and I think that this is a testament to PwC's friendly and warm culture.

Yes

Don't worry if you don't come from a business background - PwC are looking for transferrable skills and qualities, and a willingness to learn. Technical knowledge can be learnt on the job, but people skills and attitude to work are a lot harder to teach. Try and get your foot in the door early through insight days or schemes like 'Women In Business'. This will give you a better understanding of the company before applying for an internship or grad job.