CONSULTANTS WHO LOVE CONSULTING – KAITLIN PIANOSI, CMC, MBA
Q1 In brief, describe how you entered the profession of management consulting, or when did you decide that management consulting was a profession that you wanted to enter?
Job opportunities to move forward in my career were scarce, so I decided I needed to advance myself in some other way. I liked the variety of project-based work, a career I knew had growth potential, and a job where getting results was of great value. I spoke with some CMCs and decided that was what I wanted to do. I got an MBA, joined CMC-Canada, was hired at a consulting firm, and now I've attained my CMC Certification.
Q2 What do you love most about consulting?
Project-based work means variety; and with every engagement comes a new challenge, a new problem(s) to solve. I find that both fun and interesting.
Q3 What do you like the least?
Sometimes you have to be on-demand when you don't want to be (e.g. evenings and weekends).
Q4 What has been your most satisfying engagement and why?
My very first project. It was a part-time 4-month engagement in a government department that was looking to improve how they organized themselves in fulfilling one of their mandates. It was satisfying because it was my first time with a client (so it was exciting), it used several different tools/techniques in management consulting (which was cool and interesting), and we gave the client something really useful, which they valued; and I had the opportunity to write most of the final report.
Q5 What personality trait has helped you the most in your career?
I care about people and am interested in them. So, it's easy (almost natural) for me to build relationships. I engage with people, I ask questions, I listen, and I remember the things that are important, which is appreciated by them.
Q6 Finally, if you were stranded on a desert island - What is one book and one luxury item you would take with you?
I would take "The Survival Handbook" by Colin Towell. I’ve never read it, but it feels like a good idea. And my luxury item would be a deck of cards, to help me stay sane; I could play solitaire for hours.
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Visit Kaitlin's LinkedIn Page to learn more.
