I Could Not Find My First Project for Two Months!
I Could Not Find My First Project for Two Months!
Staffing in the first few months is tricky. Unfortunately, luck plays a massive role in this process. The ability to capitalize on scarce opportunities will determine your career trajectory.
I was desperate. I felt terrible to be on the bench. I felt like a fueled rocket ready to launch, but I couldn't get permission from the control center.
I sent 100 outreach emails: 'Dear Partner, I am interested in your project. I don't have relevant experience, but I am an energetic and enthusiastic consultant. Bla bla bla...'.
I was hopeless. 🤦🏻♂️
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Then, one partner became interested in my pre-consulting experience.
But there was one condition. The client wanted to interview me first.
Ok! That seemed like a normal ask to me. We quickly jumped on a call and had a nice conversation.
Two hours later, I got the staffing confirmation.
I was so happy! That was my first international project!
It was a career-defining moment. It helped me kickstart my international consulting career. Since then, I have worked in more than ten countries on four continents.
But only now do I realize how unusual that staffing was.
In 9 years in consulting, I've never seen clients interview team members except that one time! Ever!
That project was so important that the partner had to satisfy the client's unusual request.
Initially, he planned to staff a superstar consultant. I think he just added my profile to create an illusion of choice.
But the client insisted on staffing me. Non-negotiable.
Honestly, I don't know what I did so special on that call. Maybe it was nothing to do with me. Who knows?
That was my lucky break! It was random and crazy but much needed.
Since then, countless times, I have been both lucky and unlucky. You can't really control that.
But what you can control is being ready to capitalize on your lucky breaks!
Unfortunately, recently, I talked to many CTLed colleagues (counseled to leave).
Many of them were not as lucky as I was. They had a limited number of opportunities to showcase themselves. And very short timelines.
Their biggest regret was not understanding where the expectations bar was set. They wished they had pushed harder and prepared better.
It was heartbreaking to listen to them. They all were capable and smart consultants to do this job. They worked hard to get into consulting, only to leave one year later. They felt that they missed a huge career opportunity.
With the recent Great Consulting Depression, competition levels increased dramatically. Consultants have less room for mistakes. They have to hit the ground running.
P.S.
I feel your pain.
As a consultant, I struggled to perform and faced an impossible situation with extremely high expectations and minimal support.
My life turned into relentless stress, pain, and anxiety. But I always suspected that there should be a better way.
All that pain was not necessary with the right support.
Nine years later, I designed the coaching program I desperately needed back then. Its sole focus is helping you excel and achieve high performance.
Only then can you build strong sponsorships, find great projects, and become confident.
If you are an MBB consultant and want to achieve high performance, please
Book a 1-1 Discovery Session.
Learn more about the Hero Journey coaching program.