Alumni Spotlight - January 2022

How long were you a member of miLEAD? What positions did you hold?

I was a member of miLEAD for about 3 years, starting as a consultant, then a project manager. I joined the Board where I was the Director of Finance, then the Vice President, and finally the President.

What was the most interesting project you were involved with while part of miLEAD?

The most interesting projects I worked on were always with Pratt and Miller. Not only are their technologies very interesting, but their projects typically required more brainstorming and creativity than other projects. My favorite project involved coming up with ideas for potential new markets for one of their existing technologies. We had to brainstorm numerous applications for the technology which was originally created for a very niche market.

How did miLEAD help you obtain your current position?

miLEAD absolutely helped me gain my current position. Bain typically doesn't hire as many STEM PhDs as other firms, so having consulting experience definitely set me apart from other advanced degree applicants. During my interviews, I drew on experiences from miLEAD to discuss how I have managed interpersonal conflicts and handled delivering bad news to clients. They also specifically asked about the consulting side and how miLEAD approaches solving a client's problem.

What is your day-to-day life like in your current position?

The day-to-day of my job is very team-centric and very iterative. As a consultant, your role is to thought partner the "answer" of the case, first generating an "answer-first"(i.e., an initial hypothesis) and iteratively refining it based off of client data, client feedback, and feedback from your leadership team. Much of the day is spent in client meetings and/or brainstorming or co-creating with your team.

What did you learn through miLEAD that you apply to your current position?

The interpersonal and management skills learned in miLEAD are absolutely applicable to my daily life and are applicable to any career I could have chosen. They are definitely the most significant things I developed while in miLEAD. Much of the professional and personal growth you experience in general is the result of simply having at-bats, and having the ability to develop those skills in a relatively low-risk environment was crucial to building my confidence.

What advice would you give to current or prospective miLEAD consultants?

If you're interested in a consulting career, I would work on case prep as soon as possible. The case interview will seem pretty foreign and potentially intimidating to anyone from a STEM background, and a lot of the learning curve is simply the result of being intimidated by the style. Getting used to the format of problem solving simply requires practice, and the more you can immerse yourself in them, the easier they will be. The other crucial piece of this is having examples of what "good" looks like and having case prep partners who will give frank feedback. Regardless of whether you're interested in a consulting career, seek leadership opportunities inside and outside of miLEAD. Those skills are crucial, and it is impossible to develop those skills without having the time to practice them, learn from your mistakes, and try new approaches. The importance of good interpersonal skills (which accompany strong leadership) cannot be understated.