Isadora joined Plural Strategy in September 2021 as an Analyst through our Graduate programme. Here she reflects on her first 6 months as a Strategy Consultant at Plural:
How did you become interested in strategy consulting?
“After my undergraduate degree in History, Politics and Economics at UCL, I was studying for my Masters in Development studies at Cambridge. It was difficult to know how to translate those degrees into an interesting job, so I was prompted by the careers team at my university to look into consulting.
Initially, I was quite daunted by the prospect of going from an essay-based degree to a more quantitative role, but it turns out lots of people in consulting come from social sciences or humanities backgrounds. The shift was easier than expected, and I wouldn’t see it as a barrier to anyone hoping to become a strategy consultant.”
What made you want to apply to work at Plural?
“I came across Plural at the virtual careers fair at Cambridge and the first impression I got from the team was really positive. Afterwards I did some more research into the type of consulting work that Plural does and found the sectors that they operate in to be really interesting.
The supportive culture also really came across from meeting everyone. I thought that Plural would be a great place for me to start my career.”
What didn’t you know about Plural before you joined?
This one is really easy, how fun it would be to work here!
How have you found the training and development since you joined Plural?
“In my first week we started with training sessions on core consulting skills and the sectors that Plural operates in. The sector-focused inductions were particularly great as they were all delivered by Partners and Associate Directors. The opportunity to talk to the Leadership team at Plural in my first week was really rewarding.
After the first week of training I went straight onto a fast-paced project. The learning curve was very steep as I was given responsibility from early on, but I felt very supported by the rest of the project team. They were always available to answer questions or help me with the analyses. It was really exciting to be contributing to a project so quickly.
Since then I have attended other training and development sessions alongside the rest of the company. The ‘Lunch & Learn’ sessions give you the opportunity to get insights from other project teams, keeping us all in the loop.
I think that the combination of responsibility, exposure and support that I have had so far has really helped me develop and given me confidence.”
What is great about working for a boutique consultancy?
“I think that both the boutique size of Plural as well as the flat, open and inclusive structure makes it a great place to work. The exposure that I get, both to senior team members and to clients, is really unique. I’ve done two projects already which have just been myself working with a Partner and the experience has been invaluable.”
Do you like working in central London?
Having an office base is a fantastic part of working at Plural – and the fact that it’s in such a lovely location is an added bonus! Being able to work in person with the other members of my project team, and the wider Plural team, has been such a benefit, especially for my personal development.
The cultural side of working in an office has also been great, especially in a friendly atmosphere like Plural. There’s always someone to have a coffee with or eat lunch with, and it’s great to grab some fresh air on the terrace when the weather is nice.”
What is the most memorable thing that has happened in your first six months?
“I think that would have to be the Away Stay back in September. It was a shame we couldn’t travel abroad this time, but it was still great fun to meet the US team and socialise with the whole company.”
What are you most looking forward to in the next six months?
“In the next six months I really want to strengthen my core consulting skills, so I’m looking forward to some exciting projects coming up.
It’s also Plural’s 8th birthday party soon which will be really fun, especially as the Plural band will be performing!”