The first month out of ATP, I felt as if I just became an adult again, a new level achieved with new heights and new responsibilities. I was lucky enough to be placed on to a data migration project immediately following ATP, alongside a classmate of mine, Alex. However, because the SOW was not signed, there was a bit of waiting involved to get started. Lesson 1- Patience Is King. Understand no matter how long things may take, everything will come in due time. You can't rush things that are out of your control, such as being on the bench longer than you may have anticipated. You can use this time to get involved in community work, supporting projects or affiliate groups that may be of interest to you, and also set up coffee chats to build your network!
Lesson 2- Ask a lot of questions! As the saying goes. "What's the difference between an employee who's been with a company for 20 years compared to a consultant. Absolutely Nothing! They both don't know what's going on." In consulting, it's more of a learn as you go mentality. Sometimes you feel like you're not doing it right, but your team is there to support you every step of the way and remind you that you are doing just fine. Lesson 3- Exemplary leadership moves mountains. I noticed how sometimes depending on others can really slow the process of things. Despite all that, when you see leadership change, you start to notice how things begin to move like never before. New-found morale is abundant. Equally important, I leave you with this: Set goals. Fall in love with the process of that goal! Because once you achieve it, that will be your reward. This will help you grow faster as a consultant. Introduce yourself by putting time on people's calendars. Making a work journal is an excellent thing to look back on as you advance through your career.
I love Capco. I'm wearing Capco socks as I write this. Fall in love with your company because you are now business partners who will care for one another. There's this quote I like "You don't know what you don't know!" so be easy. I also believe One Note is one of the best tools to be created and very useful, not just on projects but in your day to day. As I mentioned earlier, making a work journal is very helpful. You can only track your progress by logging in and looking back. Make sure you set up 1 on 1's with colleagues and ask them a lot of questions, such as “How long have you been consulting for”, “How did you get so good at it”, and “What are 3 things that make you great at consulting”. Take up a leadership role and get involved with many different things, whether in project roles or community support to expand your knowledge and skillset. I wish all the best to new Year Up class!