Femme Lead S01 E08 Management Consulting: The Consulting Mindset. Learnings & Advice with Ceyda Atay Haga, Principal at Kearney.
In this episode, we converse with Kearney Principal, Ceyda Atay Haga about her path into management consulting, pieces of advice for young graduates who want to kickstart their career in consulting or experienced hires who want to transition to management consulting. Moreover, we talk about challenges and advice for those who want to learn from Ceyda’s extensive experience across 4 countries: how to tackle an interview, the importance of confidence, and how you can showcase your skills, as well as insights into the consulting lifestyle.
For nearly a decade, she worked across Kearney’s Melbourne, Istanbul and Oslo offices and has been a trusted advisor to multiple CXOs for their mission-critical strategic interventions including large-scale transformations, growth agenda, digital & IT, pricing, innovation, and mergers. She takes active roles in Kearney’s local recruitment and diversity & inclusion efforts. She has also been a frequent spokesperson on Technology and Women in Leadership topics.
Follow Ceyda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ceydaatay/
Read Ceyda’s recent articles:
Episode Timeline:
02:27 What does it mean to be a Principal in a management consulting company?
03:30 Can you share more about your upbringing? Who is Ceyda?
06:00 The career path in Kearney from Turkey to Australia, to Norway.
07:48 Is management consulting an exciting path for graduates to follow? What advice would you share with those who consider consulting as the next step after graduating?
10:46 Are there any tips for students to know when applying to a management consulting firm?
13:15 What are some lessons you wish you knew when starting your career in consulting?
17:15 What do you advise listeners who want to transition to consulting, the experienced hires?
19:40 How much does confidence matter when going to an interview?
21:45 Do you think there is a difference between women and men when showcasing confidence?
24:10 What were some of the challenges of a career path in consulting?
28:05 What is your advice for people who go through challenges in the workplace?
34:20 Perspective to consider when you receive feedback or go through challenges.
39:20 What was the biggest surprise of your career?
41:55 What is the most rewarding activity of working as a consultant?
45:25 What is your last piece of advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?