Every step along the path to your MBA should be intentional. From researching MBA programs to speaking with recruiters, the end goal is to establish a career in the field that excites you. Grace Stewart, a Georgia Institute of Technology Scheller College ’22 MBA student, kept her goal in sight when accepting her internship at Bain & Company this summer. Grace shares insights into her Consulting Management internship, including transferrable skills, previous experience, surprising challenges, and advice to hopeful MBA interns.
What did you do for your summer internship? What type of projects did you work on?
Grace: This summer, I was a Summer Associate at Bain in their Atlanta office. I worked on two projects: one was in the private equity group, and the other was for a retail client.
What initially attracted you to Consulting Management? How did that play out during your summer internship?
Grace: I did a lot of career research pre-MBA, both throughout the application process and the summer before school started. Having a career with a lot of intellectual variety was really important to me, as was finding a company where I felt like I could bring my entire self to work. The more I eliminated career possibilities, the more consulting seemed to stand out, especially Bain.
Over the summer, I was still incredibly – and pleasantly – surprised at how much I actually liked the work. The best advice I got during the recruiting process was to always be “relentlessly curious.” A natural curiosity can make any project or industry seem interesting, even ones that I didn’t expect to enjoy. It also can’t be understated how incredibly talented, driven, and encouraging all of the people I worked with are – which makes a difference!
What did you do before attending business school? Why did you choose to pursue your MBA?
Grace: Prior to business school, I spent the majority of my career in the entertainment industry. I was in Los Angeles for several years, working in unscripted television production and development. I really loved what I was doing but wanted to transition into something a little more corporate.
I couldn’t figure out how to translate my bachelor’s degrees in English and Theatre into a better career. Neither of my parents has a four-year degree, and I don’t have any family members who work in business roles. I had never even heard of an MBA until I was 25. Once I finally met another person who had one, I knew that it was right for me.
What aspects from your previous work experience or skills previously acquired were relevant in your Consulting Management internship? What were some new skills you had to build or use along the way?
Grace: When I learned about consulting, I was immediately attracted to the aspects of it that were most similar to my previous experiences in entertainment, especially the fast-paced, ambiguous, project-based work. Coming from a theatre background, I was also very attracted to roles with heavy collaboration and teamwork. The first time I heard the phrase, “Consulting is a team sport,” I felt like I could approach the job with the right mentality needed for a successful summer.
That said, I obviously have a nontraditional background, and I came to the table with minimal experience in some key areas of the job – particularly Excel. I was able to build on some of those skills over the summer; I know I’ll need to continue to develop in those areas moving forward. I knew that it would likely be more difficult for me than some of the other Summer Associate interns, but I felt so supported by everyone on my team who would take the time to walk me through different challenges as they arose.
What was a challenge that you had to overcome or work through?
Grace: The biggest challenge was overcoming the constant imposter syndrome of working with some of the most intelligent and capable people I have ever met and mustering the humility to ask them for help… all of the time. I’m not sure if I ever fully got over it, but I’m a work in progress!
What was an important lesson that you learned from your summer Consulting Management internship?
Grace: During our first week, one of the Bain partners spoke to all the MBA interns about work sustainability. She said something along the lines of, “You might think that this is the time to give up on everything else and just buckle down for ten weeks of the internship. But really, now is the time to become more religious about sticking to the things outside of work that fuels you. This isn’t just ten weeks; it’s practice for how you’ll be able to make the job sustainable full-time.” Her advice didn’t just help me prioritize my health and well-being over this summer but also reframed how I have approached what balance will look like in my second year of the MBA.
Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently to prepare to be even more successful in your internship?
Grace: I wouldn’t do anything differently. Yes, I could have spent my time off between school and the internship stressing about getting better at Excel or other skills, but there’s a lot to be said for coming into Day 1 fully refreshed and ready.
What advice do you have for MBA students considering internships in Consulting Management?
Grace: Consulting isn’t for everyone. Even within consulting, not every firm is for everyone. The best advice I have is to sit down with yourself and write out the top three most important things to you – maybe having dinner every night with your family, building close friendships with your coworkers, or specializing early in a specific industry.
Landing a consulting internship takes a lot of preparation, and I think some MBA students mistake recruiting for firms that aren’t going to be the right long-term fit. If you’re going to put this much work into recruitment, make sure you know what you’re working toward so that you find the best firm for you.
Grace’s Previous MBASchooled Article: My Experience with the Management Consulting Interview Process