Katie Love '12
— Senior Consultant
“Speak up for what you need. Flex this muscle more as you move up in your career...Never underestimate what you can make happen. ”
Personal/Professional Journey
How did you find your way to where you are today? Share a little about your professional journey.
While struggling with which professional path to take, my economics faculty mentor, Dr. Hennessey, suggested I look into professional consulting services. I contacted several Furman alumni at top consulting firms, and a Deloitte alumnus offered to submit my resume. After a phone interview and extensive case and behavioral on-site interview, I was offered the job of Federal Strategy and Operations Consultant.
I spent four years working for various government agencies (i.e. MHS, FDA, TSA) on process improvement, facilitation, and innovation. In my fourth year at Deloitte, I applied for the Graduate School Assistance Program (GSAP) and was granted full tuition reimbursement upon completion of my MBA at UVA's Darden Graduate School of Business. I am currently working through my MBA and focusing on how technology will change the future of business, public policy, and engineering.
Was there a catalyzing experience be that critical meeting, research or discovery, being recruited, failing, starting over, or major event, that shaped your career? What advice would you offer someone in the same situation?
It is important to speak up for what you need. Flex this muscle more as you move up in your career. For example, when working on an internal Deloitte effort, I knew my team had additional funds to use before the fiscal year end. I developed a pitch and asked to attend data visualization training at Harvard University. My request was granted without question. Never underestimate what you can make happen.
Within the field
When providing advice for professional development, what are some tools or resources one should consider?
- Forte Foundation: Online organization that helps women excel in their careers.
- Your company's formal training programs. If they don't have any, ask to be sent to one.
- Linda.com or LinkedIn training programs.
- Wall Street Journal.
How would you recommend someone interested in the same career/vocation pursue a similar path?
Networking is important for the professional services industry. I suggest reaching out to employees you have a connection to (Furman alumni, friends of parents, etc.) at your companies of interest. If possible, connect with a low-to-mid-tier employee and conduct an informational interview to learn more about the company and role you would fill. Then, connect with a mid-to-high-tier employee. Send your resume to this individual before the call and make sure you can speak knowledgeably both about that company and professional services. Use your first informational interview to bolster your knowledge of the industry. Ask if they would be willing to submit your resume into the system. The higher up they are, the more likely it will be reviewed. If they are not, ask what advice they have for becoming a more attractive candidate.
How have mentors impacted your professional development? How did you develop those relationships?
Sponsors, more than mentors, have impacted my professional development. I did excellent work for two managers and was exceptionally loyal to them. In return, they fought for my promotions, high ratings, and GSAP award. Do good work for everyone, but do excellent work for the people who stand to accelerate or stall your career. Schedule check-ins to discuss your goals, ask for feedback, and ask for help getting to the next level.
For someone just getting started
What do you wish you would have known getting started in your field?
Most careers involve some office politics, late nights, ambiguous situations, and fast-changing priorities. When I was feeling particularly overwhelmed by the swirl in consulting, a colleague told me to “bob above it” as if I was in water. This advice helped me depersonalize the chaos and focus on delivering results to my team and self during tumultuous times both at Deloitte and at school.
Are there any unspoken rules or recommendations that "they" don't tell you?
The top consulting firms recruit in the fall and winter before graduation. Waiting until spring will be too late – it is important to start networking and researching early your senior year.
Furman University
How has your liberal arts background shaped your career path or supported your success?
The professional services industry is about being good at a lot of different things. My liberal arts background helped train me for this environment. It also taught me how to think critically and problem-solve quickly.
Any final advice for students or recent grads?
It is important to focus as much as you can. Pick a volunteer opportunity, sport, or extracurricular activity, and devote significant time to them. I was too spread out at Furman and failed to make the full impact I wanted. I would particularly recommend volunteering. You do not have to pick the perfect cause, but contributing to the community in some way is attractive to employers and graduate schools.
You do not always have to lead. "Followership" is also an important skill.
Economics
Were there particular courses within the economics department that were especially useful in helping you identify your career or that ended up helping you to be successful in your career? All of the following courses gave me a view of the world I did not fully understand before:
- Senior Seminar
- Economics of the Environment
- Economics of Development
- Econometrics
Were there particular projects or activities from any of your economics courses that were especially useful?
The STATA project in Econometrics and senior seminar final paper were both extremely impactful. Running regressions and understanding correlations are becoming more important skills, as data is more readily available.
Were there particular "engaged learning" experiences (e.g. internships, study away, research opportunities) that were especially useful?
I reached out to Dr. Brian Wansink at Cornell University's Food and Brand Lab after reading his book and asked to work with him on research for the summer. I gave up a paid, established internship in Greenville to work with him in Ithaca, New York. While risky and unknown, it remains one of the most interesting pieces of my resume.
My Italy study abroad experience was lovely and educational. However, it was my choice to travel much of Europe after the trip that set me up to be on par with the travel experiences of my Deloitte colleagues.
Any other "highlights" from your experience in economics?
I loved the speakers who came to campus and the economics department was an incredible community. I attended nearly every event the department sponsored.
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