Curious about a career in consultancy but not sure where to start? In this interview series, we’ve spoken to entry-level consultants who share firsthand accounts of their experiences at top firms like Roland Berger, Accenture, and &samhoud.
In this feature, we hear from Claire Post, a Consultant at Roland Berger, who provides insights into her role, the unique aspects of working at Roland Berger, and her experiences in the consulting industry.
What is your full name and what is your position at Roland Berger?
My name is Claire Post and I have been working as a consultant at the Roland Berger Amsterdam office for a year now.
What did you do before starting at Roland Berger?
I finished the Systems Engineering Bachelor and Transportation, Infrastructure and Logistics Master at Delft University of Technology. Before starting full time at Roland Berger in Amsterdam, I worked as an intern at the Roland Berger Munich office for five months.
The internship was the perfect opportunity to learn more about the various analyses consultants conduct, different types of projects consultants work on and the culture at Roland Berger. After these five months, I wrote my master thesis about supply chain strategies at a large corporation.
How do you experience your role as a Consultant?
Working at Roland Berger as a consultant is not only a great way to develop strategic problem-solving skills, but also puts you in an inspiring environment with many talented and energetic colleagues. My working days usually include several client meetings, interviews, and time to conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis. I enjoy the variation, interaction with stakeholders and experts and the steep learning curve I experience here.
In the last months, I have been working on a market entry strategy for a pharmaceutical company, and on an acquisition of a construction company by a private equity firm. By working on a project basis like this, consultants become experts on very specific topics in a short period and meet different clients and learn about their operating models.
What is your experience in working for Roland Berger and what stands out to you?
Roland Berger is unique in the sense that it is the only global large-scale consultant firm with European heritage, and you feel this in the organisation every day. Our culture and operations are in line with our values: empathy, entrepreneurship, and excellence.
We deliver projects across a broad range of industries (e.g. financial services, renewable energy, medical technology or agri- and food businesses) while leveraging various capabilities (a.o. operations, investor support, growth). All in all, Roland Berger is a place where everyone from different cultural and academic backgrounds is welcomed and where long-term relationships with global clients are built.
What is something you wish you knew before you started working in your role as Consultant?
Every time I listen to a podcast or read a news article; I can relate the contents to the projects Roland Berger consultants work on. Whether it is the construction of a hydrogen network in southern Europe or growth of vegan nutrition products, it all boils down to trends and developments we support our clients with as well.
That is what I really enjoy about my job. It’s an amazing opportunity to work on future strategies for global businesses to be able to make an impact and ensure that operations are environmentally friendly and socio-economic sustainable.
Can’t wait to get started as a Consultant or do you want to stay up-to-date on other job openings at Roland Berger? Connect with Roland Berger on Magnet.me via this link.