Recap: Women In Tech Consulting Panel
Last month, we had the privilege of hosting a Women In Tech Consulting Panel. Taking part in the panel were representatives from BCG, EY, Deloitte, Accenture, and IBM, each of which shared personal stories and valuable experiences in field of consulting. In today’s article, we briefly recap some points explored during the event.
1. What is the difference between tech consulting and other tech positions?
The general consensus was that tech companies usually offer one or few products, while consulting companies involve a diverse range of industries; work rotations are thus more diverse. For instance, during her time with Accenture, Sarra has worked on a solution for an aerospace company and a global cosmetic company, two starkly different fields.
Another point which many agreed on was that tech consulting does not involve as much hands-on coding as other tech positions. A career in consulting is therefore far different to one in Software Development, which is more so concerned with pure programming. If you are a Computer Science student who dreads the thought of coding up to 8 hours a day, then tech consulting may be for you.
2. What’s a day on the job like?
Daily tasks involved in tech consulting are varied, as they are dependent on the current client and project. Projects range from months to years and can sometimes involve hundreds of people. For example, Ingrid from IBM mentioned that she has been working on the same project with over 1000 people for the past 7 months. Though projects and daily tasks differ, the one consistent responsibility is to develop a strong relationship and communication with the client.
Daily tasks also change depending on how long you have been with the company. María from BCG commented that 70% of a new hire’s day will be filled with coding while the remaining time is for meetings and/or reviews. Senior roles, on the other hand, focus on tasks that involve more supervision and less low-level implementation.
3. How would you deal with comments or stereotypes about being a woman?
Given the gender disparity in computer science, we asked if any representatives have felt discriminated against. While most shared positive stories regarding offices in Montreal, some expressed countries outside of North America were not as welcoming.
Ultimately, they agreed that, while gender discrimination exists, the hardest part is usually the fact that you are the most inexperienced on the team, as a new hire. The process of breaking through that barrier and proving yourself can be challenging but demonstrating a willingness to learn is a key ingredient to success. Maria wrapped up this discussion up by stating that we should not give anyone the opportunity to treat us differently.
4. What skills are unique to tech consulting?
The skill of being a fast learner, or at least having a willingness to learn, was brought up by almost every woman on the panel as a unique attribute to tech consulting. Sarra from Accenture mentioned that this is because technology is constantly evolving, thus solutions today employ vastly different tools compared to those that will be used in 5 years’ time. Tech consultants must adapt to this progression by exercising a desire to learn. The ability to pick up new skills is also crucial to excelling since tech consultants work on different projects over a range of industries throughout their careers, entailing a diverse skillset.
To perform well in your interviews for tech consulting positions, make sure to highlight your capability as a fast learner and other adaptive qualities.
For more details on the panel, see the Facebook event. Thank you to everyone who attended!
