Consulting Analyst Blog

Choices and Opportunities

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:38:02 GMT

Last week as was on the train returning home after a long week of work, I reflected about my career at Accenture. I have had many opportunities and am glad that I have taken advantage of many of them. As a young person it’s always difficult to know what you want to do or where you want to take your career. I have had many opportunities at this company and have learned from every experience. The key to success and furthering your career is to be open as in consulting there are difficult roles and/or clients. I myself have had roles that haven’t been the best but I have always been open to them. From each of my roles and clients, I have learned something new. Although at times, I have been stressed or disappointed, I never give up. Regardless of the company you work, you will face challenges and being open is the key to striving through these challenges.

Getting Involved at Accenture

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:36:39 GMT

Like in college, it’s important to get involved in extracurricular activities besides your general work routine. Getting involved with the many organizations available at Accenture is a good way to network. Working for a big organization such as Accenture can make it difficult at times when building your network. At times we get caught up in our immediate world and don’t make time to expand our relationships and knowledge. Accenture has many organizations that employees can get involved in. There is practically some sort of organization or committee for everyone.

After Several Busy Weeks - Time to Go on Vacation

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 23:49:31 GMT

The past several weeks my team has been busy preparing for our project release in August. We were very busy and had other work that came from other directions. Since, we are testers for one of our client’s applications; we had many scenarios to test in order to assure we were ready for the big release. The week before the release it was crunch time and several issues arose that were unexpected. Luckily, the team is great when it comes to prioritizing. We reviewed the items that needed to be completed and prioritize them to ensure the most important items were being completed on time.

Meeting "The Man"

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 13:35:45 GMT

What an amazingly busy week! We’re less than a month away from deployment now, so we’re all heads down in testing and defect-fixing. It is a tense environment, and as a tester, my responsibility is to go to the developer and tell them why the software that they spent so many weeks on is faulty. Then we work together to figure out where the problem is.

Accenture Recruiters Blog

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 21:06:12 GMT

Recent comments by Doug and Eric compel me to post about the new Accenture Recruiters Blog. Chris Gould, Tara Hoss and Shelly Price are well versed in the ways of recruiting and can answer all your itching questions.

Interview Jitters

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:14:11 GMT

Last Tuesday I visited UC Davis to meet candidates for hire into Consulting Analyst positions. It was both a personal career builder and an opportunity to meet new people. The visit also invoked some serious déjà vu (I was in their shoes just eight months ago). But that time honestly feels like a world ago, which is why the visit was especially good for me as an Analyst blogger.

Starting Over...

Wed, 09 May 2007 19:24:12 GMT

As I stretched my legs out yesterday evening on the 10-hour flight home from London, I can feel a knot form in the pit of my stomach. Tomorrow I am beginning my new project for a new client, with a new team, in a new location. What a change!

The Best of Both Worlds

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:37:23 GMT

After a year of working at local projects, I recently got the opportunity to start traveling to my current project. I always dreamed of having a traveling role and to experience the life as of a traveling. My dream came true and I am now traveling to Washington, DC for my current role. I am based out of the Philadelphia office and like Philadelphia a lot, but I like DC a lot as well. There is nothing better than being in two cities every week. Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to traveling roles, as some like it and others don’t. I really like traveling and enjoy every minute of it.

Importance of Team Support

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:38:08 GMT

After a year with Accenture and being staffed at my third client something always sticks out in mind about the projects I have worked on – team support. I have been fortunate to have very helpful team members that are always willing to provide me with help and input when needed. When completing important deliverables I always ask my team for their input. I have been working on a large vista implementation at a large pharmaceutical company. My role requires attention to detail, organizational skills, and time management, and I have been able to improve in these areas. I have seen improvement in my performance as I always try my best and think of ways to improve the completion of deliverables. No matter how busy my team members are they always make time to help me.

It’s Vacation Time…

Wed, 27 May 2009 16:50:37 GMT

I am writing as I travel back from Washington DC., after presenting to the C-level suite of one of our major clients (a large cable company). It was a unique opportunity for two reasons: First, this is not an opportunity that many junior employees receive at other consulting firms or any other company. Second, I was tasked to gather and lead a team in the preparations for the presentation. This is a testament that at Accenture hierarchy is translucent: you are recognized by your level of knowledge and expertise, not by your level.

In difficult times…

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:40:47 GMT

A few weeks ago, I received the call that I have dreaded my entire life. My mom informed me that my grandmother was in critical condition. Given that my family lives thousand of miles away, in the most difficult to reach country in Europe, Albania, I did not have much time to prepare for my trip home. I needed to quickly make arrangements for traveling, if I wanted to say my goodbyes to my grandmother while she was still in this life. To make matters worse, the news came to me as my teammates and I were working on tight deadlines to complete a project. But, as everyone on my team found out about my circumstance, they were very supportive and understanding. They helped me to quickly transition my work to them and allowed me to take the time to focus on my family. Other friends at Accenture helped me find and book the easiest flight into Albania, and dealt with other logistics, that I was unable to focus on in my sad and rushed state of mind. I am very grateful to have had such wonderful teammates helping me through the most difficult times. In such situations, you realize how important it is to work and be surrounded with people that truly and personally care about you, and not simply your work.

Career Fair

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 13:58:51 GMT

I’ll be recruiting at the UC Davis Engineering and Physical Science Career Fair this Wednesday. If you’re a past or present UCD student looking for a career, I encourage you to stop by and say hello. I’ll follow up with something insightful after the event.

On the Road Again

Tue, 07 Aug 2007 13:52:01 GMT

Well everyone, I am writing to you today from sunny (and extremely warm) Atlanta, Georgia. I have been staffed on a short (6-8 weeks) business transformation project. I never cease to be amazed at the fact that in a moment’s notice, I am flying across the country to begin a new project. As of last Thursday, I was scheduled to finish working on the RFP with a team in Chicago this week. However, plans change, and here I am on the East Coast.

Breaking the Glass Ceiling

Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:31:23 GMT

It’s hard to believe that women in the work force have come so far, in so little time. It was only three years ago that women were earning on average $.76 to the dollar of a man’s wage, for comparable work and experience. (www.aflcio.org) I just finished reading Carly Fiorina’s memoir, Tough Choices. I think this is a MUST READ for every female in Corporate America. It’s absolutely mind-blowing to see how much women in business have progressed. Today, more then 10.4 million firms are owned by women, earning $1.9 trillion in revenue annually.

Frameworks are Your Friend

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:27:49 GMT

I distinctly remember throughout my four years of college one of my professors, Professor Savan. Throughout our entire college careers as business majors, he diligently taught us many different frameworks and how to apply them in context of a business case. At the time, I think I did what many of us as college students do: cram everything I need to know in my mind days before the exam without fully understanding the significance of why we need these frameworks, information, and models.

Saving Time for Face to Face

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 17:39:48 GMT

A few weeks ago, I met what would be a first for me: a girl who does not, nor has not, ever owned a television. While others have referred to her as a “hippie,” to me she is more of an idealist. It took me about 30 minutes of lengthy discussion to realize the benefits of this lifestyle, but once I moved past my, “How do you watch Grey’s Anatomy,” method of thinking, I began to see how truly advantageous this could be. No TV, she explained to me, means more time for catching up with family and friends, reading, cleaning and other household chores, more restful sleep, etc. In the event that there is that occasional show that you cannot miss, nowadays, most major network shows are available for free online, and movies can now be played from computers and laptops as well. What a phenomenal concept?!

RFP Work

Sat, 04 Aug 2007 19:08:25 GMT

I must admit, my day today began a little fearful. I have been commuting into our new office every morning now via Muni. Today however, was a little different. My particular train decided that while it was stopping at each station, it was not going to open the doors. A little scary. Everyone in my car looked like deer trapped in headlights. Panic registered across the faces of all the passengers around me. “Is he going to let us off?” we wondered. The conductor announced, “Uh, I’m sorry the train didn’t stop.” And that was about the only explanation we received, as to why the doors were not opening, and the train continued onward to its final destination. As the Montgomery station rapidly approached, I tucked away my book (Middlesex, by: Jeffrey Eugenides) and secretly prayed that Muni would let me off. It had not let off passengers at the previous two stops, Civic Center, and Powell Street. I could see the platform at the end of the dark tunnel. This was it… the moment of truth. Would I make it to the office today, or would I be stuck on this Muni train for the remainder of time?

Finding Balance

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:56:14 GMT

I remember sunny days at the park with my little brother, and my cousin, and my mom. I remember playing on the seesaw, my brother and I on one end, and my cousin on the other. My little brother, the daredevil that he is, would constantly try to climb from our teetering end, into the middle as my cousin and I continued to rock back and forth. He always wanted to make it to the center… that place where perfect balance was achieved. My mother would fearfully call this point, “an accident waiting to happen,” in high school we would learn to call this point, “fulcrum,” in college, “the break even,” at Accenture we call this “balance.

Back in Sacramento

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 18:45:42 GMT

Last we spoke I was packing my bags for a trip to the land of the rising sun. Thanks to Jackie and Cristin this blog has remained ripe with juicy information to quench your consulting appetite. No, I haven’t been on vacation in Japan for two months. I’ve been back in Sacramento staffed on a new project for a large government client. I’ll err on the side of caution on the details of the project for now. However, I’ll gladly share some thoughts on my role and the people I work with.

It's All About The Network!

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:39:28 GMT

Have you ever heard a real estate agent say “Location, Location, Location!” over and over again? It is their mantra, their key to success. Here at Accenture, it’s all about “networking, networking, networking.” That is the bedrock of those who get ahead and stay successful at our company.

Recovering from Strategy College

Fri, 06 Jul 2007 18:55:38 GMT

Wow, so it’s officially been a week since my return to San Francisco, and I still feel like I’m playing catch up from my time spent in St. Charles. I have determined that it’s almost like its own little world… Life continues outside the Q-Center, but to us, it seems as if the outside world is standing still. I honestly felt for some reason, that when I returned, it would be like I never left. Such a strange phenomenon.

Life on the Bench

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 21:20:38 GMT

Well, I FINALLY made it to the new Accenture San Francisco Office. Initially I struggled with the changes: the view isn’t as great, the office is quite a bit smaller, and what’s up with the new “straight out of the 70’s” office furniture? However, after one short day of being here, I can already see that this place has its advantages (you still got me on the furniture though). For one thing, it no longer costs $20 to park if you decide to drive into the office for the day. There are plenty of $8 lots around the Mission area. More importantly however, the size of the office is much more conducive to networking. I could go an entire month in our old office, and more then likely, hardly interact with another living soul with the exception of the occasional, “good morning.” Not the case here. Not to mention, I have already ran into three people that I am well-acquainted with, and have not seen in quite a few weeks.

"You are Like Daniel-son..."

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 20:52:24 GMT

After an incredibly stressful week, and an even busier and more stressful weekend, I was finally able to relax and vent my frustrations to my friend late Saturday night.

Accenture's Got Talent!

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 12:21:51 GMT

I want to take a moment to reflect on the number of really fantastic people that I’ve worked with over the last year. Over and over again, during my interviews with Accenture, people kept telling me that their favorite part of working for the company was the people. I’ve met folks who have left the company and come back, and they tend to attribute their return to wanting to surround themselves with great people.

Finally! My Turn!

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:44:19 GMT

What grown adult doesn’t nostalgically look back on college and wish they could have just ONE more week of college? One more week of no-strings-attached, uninhibited, uninterrupted learning. That’s right everyone, after one year of patiently waiting, Sunday I am headed to the Q-Center in St. Charles, Illinois, for the two-week pilot program of Strategy College.

Sayonara

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 20:38:41 GMT

One week from today I will roll off of my project, saying “sayonara” to my role, my familiar routine, and my co-workers and friends. I can’t help but to feel nostalgia for the memories I’ve created here. It’s my first roll-off, so I’m soon to enter uncharted territory. I’ve been forewarned that this is a time when I might experience culture shock; a new role, unfamiliar faces, new jargon and methodologies to learn. Not to mention that I’ll be wearing a suit to work every day, which means more prep time in the morning and skyrocketing dry-cleaning bills.

Getting Schooled

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:57:52 GMT

Did another week go by already? I guess time flies when you’re having fun!

Tales from the Q-Center

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 21:12:22 GMT

As much as I would like to quantify my experiences this week in St. Charles to everyone, I feel the need to point out that words will never really capture the Strategy College experience. Growing up in Ohio for 22 years, where the most foreign thing I had encountered was a Taco Bell, it was an entirely new occurrence to spend one week, with business analysts, consultants, managers, and senior managers from 37 different countries across the world.

Happy 2007 International Women's Day

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:39:08 GMT

Happy International Women’s Day! I’m a bit late with my greetings, but it is only because I was off celebrating with co-workers. And by celebrating, I mean attending career-enhancing workshops, listening to authors and our district attorney speak, and meeting with current and past Accenture leaders to discuss women at our company.

Going the Extra Mile

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 20:38:08 GMT

These past two weeks, I have found myself constantly operating in “crunch time” mode, as our project is coming to a head. We have rolled new prices out in 16 departments, and are in the final stages of executing prices in four more. When the project started in August, we were to execute prices in 10 departments.

Drivers to Success

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 21:45:17 GMT

My life isn’t all Accenture and client work. Shawn, Jackie, and I have wide interests and activities that we engage in post-workday. It can sometimes be hard to fit in volunteering, time with friends, fun extracurriculars, and community involvement. But having a life outside of work allows for some good self-reflection and helps with mental and emotional health.

A Day In The Life...

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 17:22:09 GMT

One question plagues the mind of all new analysts and business analysts alike. “What does a typical day consist of?” The truth of the matter is, in the world of consulting, no day is typical. Everyday consists of different challenges and tasks. To me, that is one of the most rewarding parts of my job. Variety. Start to finish… here is what yesterday looked like on my project:

Wrapping Up and Saying Goodbye

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 17:19:50 GMT

I un-tack an autographed Jeff Martin poster from my cube that has hung there for the past eight months and discard it. No, I am not a Jeff Martin fan, but, the poster made me smile. Today is my last day here in Vancouver on the client site. Time to clean out the cube, say goodbye, and move on to the next project. Every step, every process we have completed has been documented. We have successfully priced and assisted in the pricing of 16 departments, for two different brands.

Rock Stars

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 13:43:13 GMT

One of the things I like best about working for Accenture is the network of people I’ve created, which I touched on in my last post. I feel lucky to have exposure to talented colleagues who I can build trust with by doing my best work. Perhaps just as important are the relationships with colleagues that form outside of work. I share this because I spent a fun-filled Monday evening with members of my start-group (and friends) at a Ben Kweller show in San Francisco. Although it’s almost been a year, we still make the effort to keep in touch. You’re all rock stars in my book.

Ask and You Shall Receive

Mon, 22 Jan 2007 14:31:42 GMT

I’m a system tester, which means my job is to test new functionality within our team’s functional area (naturally). With my work caught up, I asked to take on a challenging defect. Although it took most of the week to fix and much help from a veteran developer on the project, I learned a good deal about our application architecture and batch development. I’ll be fixing a related defect next week, hopefully with greater ease.

One Global Network

Tue, 29 May 2007 14:57:12 GMT

As part of the Northern California Analyst Action Team [NCAT] leadership, I recently participated in a national networking call of Analyst Action Teams [AAT] from around the US. We spoke to analysts in New York, Philadelphia, Detroit, Dallas, Chicago and Atlanta about the networking, social, and community service activities that they plan in order to raise the level of engagement of analysts in those cities. Since many of us travel and work with folks from other cities, we don’t spend much time in our home offices or meeting other Analysts from our hometowns. The Analyst Action Teams and events are just another way that we help people get involved in our communities. The NCAT group has put together a San Francisco scavenger hunt, happy hours, volunteer events at local schools, lunch and learns with Senior Executives, and information sessions on promotions and benefits.

Sea Change

Tue, 29 May 2007 21:49:57 GMT

With a successful go-live of a major release, the project where I’m staffed is in a state of flux. Many players on our team are rolling off the project, which makes for some interesting reorganization of resources. It’s an exciting time because it means moving on to something new. Personally, my roll-off date is confirmed and I’m working to finalize my next staffing opportunity.

Adjusting to a New Job...

Tue, 22 May 2007 19:07:29 GMT

Fact: Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Six-year-olds laugh on average 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15-100 times I day. (I guess that depends on who you are friends with and how you spend your free time. I would have to say I laugh WAY more then 100 times a day).

Oak Park Preschool Restoration

Thu, 10 May 2007 18:29:34 GMT

Sacramento Accenture folks recently spent some time volunteering at Oak Park Preschool. With the help of Hands on Sacramento, we painted the newly poured blacktop with lines, shapes, letter and numbers, organized files, and (of course) upgraded learning software on PCs. I helped paint the perimeter and bright orange triangle, which is now home to the number ‘8’, then moved inside to install kid’s software like Dora’s Backpack and Pooh Preschool. Ironically, I ended up back in front of a computer like always, but this one was housed in a colorful plastic workstation about one foot off the ground with tiny keyboard and mouse.

Back to the Basics

Wed, 02 May 2007 18:24:40 GMT

Thanks, Shawn, for providing such a hearty summary of Accenture’s new joiner orientation. I helped with last week’s office visit interview session again, and I think that is one of the most frequently asked questions for new analysts.

Signs of Aging

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 20:59:24 GMT

One sign that I’ve been at Accenture for a year is my new role as mentor to one of our client staff members. This role exists to support our Knowledge Management (KM) efforts, which seek to prepare State staff with knowledge and experience necessary to maintain our statewide child support system after the project’s completion. You can read more about KM at Accenture here.

Houston - We Don't Have a Problem!

Fri, 27 Apr 2007 19:28:13 GMT

I am so excited to report that we deployed our software this Wednesday. Like Jackie, I’ve been on my project for the Build, Test, and Deploy phases, and I feel a surge of pride that we completed the task. We spent days finding and fixing out of the box and enhancement errors – but we feel confident that we’ve eliminated all of them. There have been a number of late nights for my Accenture team, testing the code changes and reworking our configuration, and we’re savoring the sweet satisfaction of completion.

Earth Day

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 13:18:06 GMT

With Earth Day being this Sunday, I’ve heard a lot of talk around the office, on the radio, etc. about this lovely planet we call home. I was curious about the nature of Earth Day, so I looked it up. The holiday marks the first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, shares a birthday with some interesting folks, and played a large part in modern environmentalism.

An Update on My Project

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:07:49 GMT

After a few days of vacation, I am feeling refreshed. It’s a good thing, because our deployment date has been moved back a few weeks. Due to circumstances beyond the control of my Accenture team, we’ve had to push things back a bit on our project. We’re still working on the testing phase of the release. My week’s responsibilities are split between testing the software for bugs & usability and working with Change Management to develop training for our future users.

Annual Review

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 12:31:21 GMT

It’s that time of year! Accenture employees will receive feedback in the coming months based on their performance over the last year.

Ready to Relax

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:55:30 GMT

Type With Jackie and I off on PTO [paid time off] this week, I thought it would be timely to post some thoughts on the vacation time allotted to the average American worker.

Community Meeting Eye-Opener

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 13:19:42 GMT

The Sacramento community meeting was a nice break from the daily grind. Being my first community meeting, it was also a crash course on the business we’re doing in Northern California.

Food For Thought

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:47:36 GMT

“Joey doesn’t share food!” The statement flashes through my head as my manager grabs a few fries from my plate one night. I smile as I remember that faithful Friends episode, where Joey is reluctant to ask Sarah on a second date, after she steals some fries from his plate. It was that point in our professional relationship, that I knew we were a compatible team.

Sacramento Community Meeting!

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:57:08 GMT

I’m off tomorrow to Accenture’s Sacramento Community Meeting! It’s my first one of these, so I’m not entirely sure what to expect. I promise to follow up with my thoughts on the matter.

NorCal Dinner Dance Mayhem

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 20:52:37 GMT

The three of us built up the NorCal Dinner Dance here on the blog, but never followed up. I feel like anyone who tries to explain how awesome their corporate formal event was could end up losing their audience quickly, so I’ll be pointed about it. Twenty-two-hundred people, tuxes, gowns, DJ and band, casino games, food (including chocolate fondue) and lots of libations (complete with ice-luge)! It was unlike anything I’ve experienced before, and was over in the blink of an eye. I can't wait 'til next year.

Dress for Success

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:51:08 GMT

“Clothes make the man.” I never put much faith in this statement until now. Some of the most brilliant people I knew, ran around campus in torn jeans and faded T-shirts, and sometimes even their pajamas. Recent events, however, have prompted me to re-evaluate my stance on this statement. After all, we hear time and time again, “Dress for the role that you want, not the role that you have.”

Becoming Bilingual

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:07:54 GMT

For those of you who’ve already been hired by Accenture and are eagerly awaiting your graduation date--this post’s for you! Here’s your crash course in consultant-speak. Imagine getting an e-mail like this in your Outlook inbox.

The Office

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 14:30:11 GMT

Friends have told me they would go crazy spending all day in an office. Perhaps this is because the only hope for a tan is your CRT monitor or the fluorescents above. Or maybe it’s the cooped-up feeling of the office cubical, with nothing more than org charts and build schedules for scenery. Whatever the reason, I understand why a job outside the office is appealing.

Driving Your Career

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 20:05:24 GMT

Now approaching my last two months of this pricing project, I am not only confronted with preparing all my transition materials in order to ensure a successful role-off, but I am being asked on almost a weekly basis, “Where do you want to go next?” Honestly, until now I have not really given it much thought. Most strategy projects typically last one to three months. This pricing project, being fairly lengthy in time, has enabled me to procrastinate thinking about the future until now.

They Call Me Burrito Boy

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:17:41 GMT

I thought I’d post while I wait for my database schema to populate with test data. I’m fixing a batch-related performance defect given to one of our busiest development teams.

They Call Me Burrito Boy

Thu, 01 Mar 2007 19:18:46 GMT

I thought I’d post while I wait for my database schema to populate with test data. I’m fixing a batch-related performance defect given to one of our busiest development teams.

Interview Tips

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 22:37:04 GMT

Well, its Friday and I am helping with a local office recruiting event. I have done this several times, and I really enjoy meeting interview candidates. Talking about Accenture reminds me of all the great things about my job, so even if I was having a tough day before I arrived, I always leave in a great mood.

It's OK to Say "I Don't Know."

Thu, 22 Feb 2007 22:38:13 GMT

Prior to landing my first role, I often wondered to myself, why a client would select to have an analyst on their team over a consultant or a manager. After all, most of us are fresh out of college, working our first jobs in corporate America. Was it just luck of the draw, or availability perhaps?

Just Like Making a Sandwich

Mon, 19 Feb 2007 16:39:13 GMT

People regularly ask what exactly I do on a day to day basis as an Accenture Analyst. I know that I asked that question of every Analyst that I met during my interview process and the answer was always a lamenting “Well, every day is different” type of response – like they wanted to answer my curiosity, but they really couldn’t. Now, when I help with final interview rounds and candidates pepper me with specifics about my job, I really understand why that is such a hard question. We’re bound by NDAs [non disclosure agreements] and the fact is, truly, every day holds different challenges and activities.

MySpace for the Consulting World

Wed, 14 Feb 2007 22:23:45 GMT

It was about a year ago when I needed to make the decision of what to do with my life after college. I interviewed with an array of companies: some very big, some very small. I was torn by two decisions: Join a small start-up of a few people, where I may contribute directly to company decisions, and where the entire company fits in a small meeting room; or join a corporate leader, where my contributions are part of larger, long-term goals, and where my co-workers span the globe. Both choices are intriguing. My purpose here is not to convince you one option is better, but rather why choosing Accenture was right for me. I’ll try not to sound like a billboard.

Hello

Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:43:43 GMT

Hello! For my first blog entry, I thought I would just describe a little bit about my current project. I have been a strategy business analyst for Accenture for almost a year now, and am working on completing the sixth month of my first project. I am based out of the San Francisco office, working on a price optimization project for a major consumer electronics retailer. The main objective of our project is to help merchants strategically manage their pricing while balancing customer price perception with margin improvements.

Taxes

Fri, 09 Feb 2007 16:52:54 GMT

I’ve never done my own taxes before (Thanks Mom). I’m sure many of my fellow new Consulting Analysts are also tax filing newbies. Having filed for the first time this week makes me officially old. Granted, they only took about 20 minutes and required nothing more than flying through a web-based application. But it still doesn’t feel right.

Career Fair Follow-Up

Mon, 29 Jan 2007 23:18:32 GMT

It was a blast meeting candidates for hire last week at the UC Davis career fair. Aside from the free food and a nice day back at the alma mater, there are some good reasons to volunteer for recruiting. I had a chance to network with some fellow analysts, who always impress me. Brian, Diana, Meghan and Mike are all great people doing interesting work. I hope to see them again soon. I had a chance to freshen up on my presentation skills and remind myself why Accenture is a great career. Lastly, I was also able to score some brownie points with colleagues by showing my enthusiasm towards the cause and willingness to volunteer some time. I recommend recruiting to all employees, and especially new analysts.

Community Meetings

Mon, 13 Nov 2006 15:55:19 GMT

Accenture has community meetings every few months where we discuss the future of the organization and any changes that may impact your career. In the consulting workforce, these meetings are held based on your location and industry group. The Reston office just held a community meeting for the Communications & High Tech workforce this past Friday. For those of us on the lower end of the totem pole, these meetings are important in helping us to understand the big picture. While I sit and write queries for my client, there are executives out there using my work and the work of my entire team as an example of how Accenture has brought value to the client.

Tea and Books

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:20:50 GMT

Something about this time of year compels me to reflect on accomplishments and think about the future. That’s probably because it’s the end of the year, and that’s what I’m supposed to do. I have two goals for 2007:

Outgrinched.

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 19:40:14 GMT

Various managers from Accenture and our client strolled through Cubeworld today bearing candy canes, bullhorn and carol-playing boom box. Despite the poor picture quality (taken using my cell phone), it’s not hard to see that they’re decked out in their best Christmas attire. I’ll be honest, I’m usually somewhat of a Grinch when it comes to the holidays. But I couldn’t help but smile at the spectacle of management unafraid to display a little holiday entertainment at their own expense.

The Reverse What?

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 14:08:32 GMT

What ever happened to the reverse commute? Remember, that precious little commodity that made the drive to or from work tolerable because all the bad traffic was going the opposite direction? When I look over to the other side of the freeway and the parking lot over there seems no better or worse than the one I’m “driving” in, I get the feeling that the reverse commute is a dying breed.

Hair Pulling

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 15:09:21 GMT

You haven’t heard from me lately because I’ve been in high gear, supporting a testing effort on the part of our client and, most recently, fixing defects. Learning new things is both exciting and rewarding. It sure can feel frustrating and time-consuming too. I appreciate the foreshadowing of my interviewer, who told me in my final interview I’d experience my fair share of “hair-pulling experiences.” Fortunately, I’ve still got some hair left on my head. Happy Friday.

Reston Office Craver Bowl

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:05:33 GMT

Every year, Accenture’s Reston office has a fall touch-football game that pits “The Staff” against “The Executives” called The Craver Bowl. The Staff team consists of all of us below the Manager level. In the Services workforce, this includes level C-F, in the Consulting workforce this includes Analysts and Consultants. Last year, I participated on the Staff team and we were able to blow the execs out with a two-touchdown lead. (Not that my participation had anything to do with it). I actually brought a close friend of mine who played for the University of Maryland at the time as wide-receiver. He may have been able to give the Staff a slight advantage.

To Charge or Not To Charge?

Mon, 23 Oct 2006 15:08:25 GMT

For those of you who are interested in the financials involved with this blog. The time Shawn and I spend writing for this forum is currently being volunteered free of charge, simply because we want to participate in this project. However, that may change in the future.

Guiding Your Career and Getting Feedback

Mon, 30 Oct 2006 12:58:39 GMT

First I want to say thank you all for all of your wonderful comments. Keep them coming and Shawn and I will try to address them ask quickly and honestly as we can.

What AND Who You Know

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 14:27:13 GMT

Melany said it. New analysts probably won’t choose their assignments to a project or role. With that said, it can only serve to an analyst’s advantage to be vocal about which projects and roles he or she would like to be a part of. For Melany, it was the relationships she made on her project that landed her the role she now plays. This can be said for anyone at Accenture, not just analysts. Knowing your objectives and making them known to your colleagues goes a long way. It's definitely both what and who you know that will advance your Accenture career.

Setting Boundaries and Learning on the Job

Tue, 10 Oct 2006 15:52:27 GMT

I think Shawn responded really well to the comment about the honesty of our blogs. My truth is similar, but not exactly the same. The truth is that on a bad day, I am much less likely to post something on this blog I just don’t feel like it. So that’s my response, my feelings change regularly and the days on which you hear from me are the days I have the energy to write something.

Freedom of Blog

Mon, 02 Oct 2006 13:03:40 GMT

I'm excited by recent comments on the blog, which warrant a candid response. I have been blogging for several years and understand its outreach potential, especially when it comes to interacting with one’s audience. For this reason, I hope that more readers take the chance to ask questions, leave feedback, or just say "hello." I’ll try to respond in a timely manner.