This document summarizes a presentation given by Larry Gioia, a director at PwC, about a career in management and technology consulting. The presentation provides an overview of the consulting field, including the different types of consulting firms and how they are organized. It also discusses what consultants do on a day-to-day basis, the skills and qualifications firms look for in candidates, and typical career paths within consulting. Gioia shares his own experience working in consulting, including what a typical work week involves and the long hours required. He emphasizes the importance of networking, developing expertise, and maintaining work-life balance throughout one's consulting career.

1. Consulting in the Real World:
A Rewarding Career in Management
& Technology Consulting
Carnegie Mellon University
Business and Technology Club
September 6th, 2013
4:30pm – 5:30pm
Larry Gioia
Director, Health Industries Advisory
IT Strategy & Enterprise Architecture
larry.gioia@us.pwc.com

2. | 2
Hi, I’m Larry (HNZ ‘05)
• Director, IT Strategy & Enterprise
Architecture
• 7 years ‘doing the consulting thing’
• Health Industries – Pharma & Life
Science
• Focus on IT Strategy, emerging
technologies, multi-channel
strategies, social / mobile / analytics
/ cloud technologies, and innovation
management
• Perpetual dabbler and serial
entrepreneur (in training)

3. | 3
Why are we here?
• WE ARE NOT HERE to recruit for PwC
• WE ARE NOT HERE because CMU is paying us lots of money
• We are here as a proud CMU/Heinz/Tepper Alums
• We are here because we really enjoy what we do for work
• We are here to provide you with an overview of the consulting marketplace
• We are here to give you our perspectives on a career in consulting
• We are here to provide you with real-world examples of what we do as a
consultants
• We are here to answer your questions
WHY ARE YOU HERE?

4. Consulting At a Glance1
A consultant (from Latin: consultare "to discuss") is a professional who
provides professional or expert advice[1] in a particular area such
as Information Technology (IT), management, accountancy, law
(tax law, in particular), human resources, marketing (and public
relations), finance, engineering, or any of many other specialized fields.
- Wikipedia
A consultant is an individual who has established an expertise in a
particular domain, can connect with clients, understands the nature
of their problem by asking intelligent questions, and can assist them
in developing a cost-effective and sustainable solution
- Larry Gioia

5. | 5
What is this consulting thing all about?

6. | 6
I’ve heard there are different ‘types’ of consulting? Who are the players?
Execution
Strategy
Business Technology

7. | 7
How are consulting firms typically organized?
• Very common to go to market across a set of horizontals and verticals
• Most firms build their reputation for a on a given horizontal or vertical
For Example …

8. | 8
What kind of work do you?
Business
Strategy
Technology
Architecture
Strategic
Planning

9. What Make’s a Great Consultant?2

10. | 10
What do consulting firm’s look for in new hires?
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Creativity
• Flexibility
• Willingness to Learn

11. | 11
What are “T” skills?
A Breadth of Real-World Experiences / Skills
ADeepDomainExpertise
(CompetencyorIndustry)
Enterprise Architecture, IT Strategy, Emerging Technologies
Healthcare(Pharma)
MobileTechnologies
InnovationManagement

12. | 12
What’s a typical career path in consulting?
Partner
Lifer
Director/
Principal
4-6 years
Manager
3-4 years
Senior
Consultant
2-3 years
Consultant
1-2 years
Analyst
1-2 Years
Campus
Recruits,
0yrs
MBA, MS, 2-4yrs
Experienced Hires,
5-15 yrs
Executive,
20+ yrs
Generalist Specialist

13. | 13
Where do consultants typically go (if/when they leave consulting?)
Partner
Director/
PrincipalManager
Senior
ConsultantConsultantAnalyst
Generalist Specialist
~ 2-4 years
Corporate America /
Independent Consultant-
Business Unit Manager,
Program Manager, etc.
Corporate America /
Independent Consultant -
Director, AVPs, CIO, CTO,
CSMO, Partner at another
firm

14. Making it Real …3
“There is no 9-to-5 in consulting”

15. | 15
How did your time at CMU position you for a career in consulting?
• Time management
• Diversity (technically, personally, and culturally)
• Working in teams
• Late nights
• Balance of business and technology classes (Tepper, Heinz, CS)
• An amazing global network of professors whom we now call
friends
• Some of the most smartest people I have ever met!
• Friends all around the world!

16. | 16
What does a typical work week look like?

17. | 17
Any other advice?
• Find out what you are passionate about, and do it for a living
• Consulting is an awesome place to start a career, especially if you
don’t know exactly what you want to do
• Network, network, network
• Build your brand early and often – “What is [insert your name
here] known for?”
• Imperative that you maintain a healthy work-life balance in
whatever you do for a career after college
• Have (a little) fun in the process

18. Thank You and Good Luck!