I work for a large consulting firm managing projects to implement new tools, processes and policies into our internal Business Process Outsourcing teams. Currently, I'm managing 6 projects (reporting status, managing issues, risks and critical path) consisting of approximately 20 people, as well as supporting several ongoing processes and tools. Part of my job also consists of managing the impact to the organization, which means developing communications and implementing training and other performance support resources.

EDUCATION | Bachelors of Science in Sociology, Masters in Social Work.

HOW TO GET STARTED | For anyone considering going into consulting, you have to be willing to put in extra time - it's not an 8-5 job. It's common to travel and work longer hours. When I interview candidates, I look for people who work well in teams, are proactive and will put in the extra effort to make the client successful. If you're coming out of college, your major and grades are important - but it's more important for you to demonstrate that you're well-rounded. Having a part-time job and being involved in extra-curricular activities show that you can handle multiple things at once.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Being proactive and resourceful are key - it's not the type of job where someone says, "Here's what I need you to do today." You need to figure it out yourself. You have to be team-oriented, detail-oriented and willing to learn - because there's always a challenge in front of you. And you need to be a strong communicator who's able to clearly and concisely get your point across in person, over the phone, in emails and in written deliverables.

how I got started | After college, I was looking for a job in social work and getting frustrated with what was available and concerned about paying off my grad school loans. My sister worked for a consulting company and thought I'd be a good fit for the organizational change management group. I figured I'd do it for a year or so to pay off my loans - that was 11 years ago.

why this job?| There's a similarity between social work and change management consulting: both involve helping people adapt to change. But something that was always missing for me in social work was that tangible sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. I have that in the work I do now. Whether it's a presentation, a status report or some other deliverable, I'm able to see what I got done on any given day and feel like I was productive.

why I love this job!| I love working with great people and there's always some new and challenging project to work on. I like looking at how a change is going to impact the organization and figuring out the best way to communicate to and train people on the new system or process - so people are prepared for the change and the project is successful. It's worth all the effort when we get feedback from executives that a new tool we have implemented delivers value and makes their job easier.

my typical day| The team I'm on is virtual, so we all work from various locations around the globe. I typically work out of my home, but sometimes will go into the local office. I'm usually on conference calls for 6-8 hours every day. A lot of the meetings are working sessions where a small group of us work together to develop a communication or a guidebook, for example. Other calls are used to gather status updates from team members or present status to our Director. We also have quarterly forums to update our users on what's new with a particular tool and what training is available. When I'm not on the phone, I'm creating status reports and my own deliverables.

what they are | Some of the reasons I love my job are also the challenges. There's always more to do than time to do it - so you have to be very organized and prioritize your work...even though everything seems like a top priority. And you especially need to know when to make your personal life a priority and shut down for the night. Working for a consulting company, you're often tasked with doing something you've never done before, so you have to be resourceful and comfortable with figuring things out as you go.

all about growth | There's a huge growth opportunity in consulting. There's an "up or out" mentality - so you're expected to move up very quickly into higher levels and take on more responsibility. But one of the benefits of working for a large consulting company is that there are also plenty of opportunities to move laterally into other departments, where there are opportunities to specialize in an area and not have to advance as quickly.

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