We recently caught up with George about how they secured a role with Accenture, what the culture is like and their top tips for Bright Network members looking to follow in their footsteps.
What stood out to you about Accenture before securing your role?
Accenture has very much positioned itself as a company that is geared towards high future growth, and this was particularly important to me. The heavy focus on technology-centric solutions across all strategy and consulting areas appealed to my interests and signalled leadership intention to position Accenture as a market leader in an increasingly tech-driven world.
What is the culture like at Accenture?
Networking is a buzzword I heard a lot before I joined (and during the application process). And whilst I knew how important networking was, I didn’t believe that the opportunities would have been available. I was completely wrong! Accenture’s culture is very much based around crafting your own career and networking is a huge part of that. From the outset, throughout our training and onboarding sessions, senior leadership gave us grads ample opportunity to ask questions and begin building a network. Since then, I have had multiple coffee meetings with senior managers and colleagues across all areas of the business and I have never had a request turned down!
How did you show you have a passion for Accenture at the interview?
Having a company in mind which you have always been passionate about and aspired to work for makes demonstrating passion in interviews easy. But, for most of us, this is not necessarily the case and whilst I’d heard of Accenture previously it didn’t really come up on my radar until I was researching and applying for jobs. The key is to find out where your strengths and interests fit into the business. It may be that you are particularly passionate about finance or technology, or sustainability and the joy of consulting is that if you have a passion for something then you can pass that on to your clients. So, the best way to demonstrate passion is to be honest and show where you will fit in the business. That being said, it’s always important to understand the core values and fundamentals of any business you apply to and how they align with your own values. So read through the AGM executive summary and research Accenture’s mission as well as reading through a few client case studies.
How did Bright Network help you secure this role?
Bright Network was such a great resource to find job opportunities that matched my skills and interests which I would not have known about. Whilst you may already know a few companies you want to apply to, there are so many more out there which you may never have considered. Bright Network’s application deadline calendar was a lifesaver and I used it as my go-to source for deadline dates. Had it have not been for that; I wouldn’t have sent off my application to Accenture in time!
What’s been the toughest interview question you’ve faced and how did you tackle it?
One socially conscious firm I interviewed with asked me how I would market investments in a tobacco company to their clients. The simple answer is that I wouldn’t. Initially, I thought through how I would put a positive spin on tobacco firms and why they were a good investment, but I backtracked and told the interviewer that I couldn’t make that recommendation in good conscience which was clearly the answer they were looking for. I think the key is to answer questions honestly, interviewers can tell straight away if you’re being disingenuous, and that’s way worse than simply saying you don’t know the answer.
How have you adapted to working virtually?
I started off my career with Accenture virtually, before working a hybrid model as restrictions eased. Initially, I experienced some anxiety about having to work from home as I had read news reports about how it could be detrimental to career progression and networking opportunities. However, I’ve found that I have been able to network much more easily from home as it is a more comfortable space from which to make those initial introductions to managers and senior leaders. You also benefit from the extra time which colleagues have by not having to commute or move physically from meeting to meeting so all in all it’s been a plus.
What’s been your working ‘highlight’ so far?
My highlight has most definitely been the amount of responsibility that has been given to me in such a short period of time. I found when I started on my first project, that I had a lot of additional capacity; initially, this was useful as I could clear up all the admin that comes with being a new joiner and pursue the fantastic learning modules available to all Accenture people. However, I soon ran out of things to do so asked my line manager for an increased workload. As a result, I was given ownership of an entire project workstream and daily facetime with the client’s C-suite, something that has been an extremely valuable experience so early on in my career.
What top three tips would you give to Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?
- Authenticity and honesty are key. In most professions (but particularly management consulting), great people skills are the winner and interviewers and colleagues alike can tell if you’re being disingenuous.
- Cast the net wide but stick to your interests. ‘Shotgunning’ applications is probably something we have all done at points but applying for any job that’s posted online because you’re panicking is not a great idea. It’s best to hone in on a field and send out applications to companies within that. You’ll be able to apply your skills to the role more easily and feel more confident when you get called to interview.
- Expect rejection but don’t fear it. Sounds a little OTT but every single grad I know has been rejected from multiple employers (even ones they were desperate to work for), yet when they found a successful position, they have loved it! We all have ‘off’ days and, unfortunately, they may happen to fall on the day of an interview or assessment centre you’ve been preparing for. So don’t take it personally, because it has happened to every single one of us. It just means that on that specific day at that specific time, we weren’t at our best, but the right role will always come along!
Let us know where you've secured your work experience, internship or graduate role. We want to celebrate your success with a gift from us and exclusive invitations to evening networking drinks throughout the year.
