Career Field Prior to HBS:
Li & Fung, Supply Chain Management,
LEK Consulting, Digitas Online
Advertising Strategy
Position in BCG:
Summer Consultant
Why did you choose an internship with BCG?ÿ
Based on my work experiences prior to HBS and RC classes, I found strategy to be a fascinating area. While looking for a summer employer, BCG stood out to me as the best place to get exposure to a broad range of strategic challenges. My ideal job involves constantly challenging myself and learning something new every day, and I felt that BCG would give me that opportunity. I knew that BCG would not only give me exposure to various industries across the globe but also allow me to work in projects in the non-profit sector. BCG’s clean sheet thinking and highly customized client approach were particularly attractive, as I knew that I would always be in the forefront of pioneering ideas and making a tangible impact. Of course, meeting the people during company events helped me realize BCG would be a fun place to work.
What made you decide on interning on the West Coast?ÿ
I was living in Los Angeles before business school, and I was open to moving back to the West Coast after graduation. After experiencing Boston’s winters, I realized that I do not deal well with the cold, and moving back to California seemed even more appealing. Ultimately, the client and project mix in the Los Angeles office is what drew me to apply there. BCG’s San Francisco and Los Angeles offices operate as one staffing pool, so the consultants in the west coast office have access to a wide variety of industries and types of engagements. I was drawn to the portfolio of clients in diverse sectors such as media and entertainment, technology, healthcare, CPG and finance.
Summarize your internship experience – the good, the bad and the overall. ÿ
I was pleased with the amount of responsibility I was given on my project from the very first day. I really felt like I was making an impact on the project. In client meetings, partners asked me to present my own analysis, which was nerve-wracking at first but ultimately an exhilarating experience. Sometimes my summer felt like drinking from a fire hose, as there was so much to learn during the course of the project. Thanks to my project team, I felt like every day I was improving in the way I think and approach business problems. I was traveling 3 days out of the working week to work side-by-side with the client team. Overall, I was impressed how the partners and the firm make work/life balance a priority despite the travel that is often necessary. ÿÿ
