Our Alumni
Jan Broodryk
Recently we were joined by UTSCC Alumni Jan Broodryk as part of our “Meet the Alumni” campaign. Whilst studying a Bachelor of Business majoring in Economics and Finance, Jan joined UTSCC as a Consultant then Team Leader, before staying on as an Engagement Manager, Operations Director and finally as President.
Today, Jan is an Associate at LEK Consulting, a global strategy consulting firm. Jan is appreciative of the experience he gained during his time at UTSCC, which he believes helped him obtain his current role in the consulting industry.
What were some of your favourite things or experiences about UTSCC?
With UTSCC forming a major component of his life and a large number of friends coming from the club, Jan reaffirms that the people he has met is one of his favourite things about the Club. The down-to-earth, ambitious and collaborative individuals that join make for excellent team members who want to make the most out of their time at UTSCC, with the Consultant Cup being a highlight each year where everyone gets together for a final showcase.
Jan also notes the value of UTSCC in helping its members professionally. Jan states that, “Start-up clients were impressed with work that we did and some even implemented our solutions,” with members also being able to receive internships and roles because of this.
What did you learn from UTSCC that you have found has helped you in your career so far?
Jan states that UTSCC helped him develop foundational skills that have been applicable to his current role. In his role as President, Jan notes that he developed his leadership ability by learning from other executives and getting the most out of the team by leveraging their unique skills, strengths and leadership styles. UTSCC also contributed to his ability to look at business problems, break them down and conceive potential solutions, as well as build character through difficult situations.
What is your favourite aspect of consulting or something you really look forward to at work?
Jan reflects that the appeal of consulting lies in the constant intellectual stimulation that the job offers, such as engaging in team calls to discuss emerging answers to a case or working on slides and frameworks. He was also surprised at how much impact he was able to have within the first few weeks of his role.
Do you have any advice for UTSCC members or students in applying to intern/grad roles or any tips you think would be helpful to hear?
Jan emphasises the importance of keeping a balanced perspective in recognising that rejection is normal, and actually presents being unsuccessful as an opportunity to continue refining your skills, especially those required for the case interview. He also recommends leveraging one’s network, including the people that you meet in UTSCC who can help with practicing for case interviews. He also states that he was most successful at interviews for companies where he had developed relationships with people from the inside, and recommends using LinkedIn to reach out to individuals working at companies of interest.
Thien Bui
We sat down this week with UTSCC Alumni, Thien Bui. Whilst studying a double degree in Business (Accounting) and Science (Biotechnology), Thien joined UTSCC as she was interested in exploring what consulting entailed and how it combined certain aspects of both her degrees together. After starting off as a consultant, Thien continued in the society as Secretary, Events Director and Vice President.
Today, Thien works at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) in their group strategy team, after previously working as an Associate at PwC’s Strategy&. One of her most interesting projects to date was investigating the implications of the recent interest rate hikes on CBA customers, including how this will impact their future spending and savings patterns. With these findings shared with stakeholders such as the Australian Government to inform future decisions, Thien notes the rewarding nature of working on projects with tangible outputs. Stating that even “UTSCC consultants will see this tangible impact when their clients implement their solutions in the future”.
How has UTSCC helped you in your career?
Thien noted that being an executive in UTSCC helped her meet industry representatives from sponsor firms, allowing her to gain a more detailed understanding of the types of firms and roles on offer in consulting. Particularly, Thien mentioned how these interactions and connections can really make a difference in the application process, attributing her graduate role at Strategy& to this platform UTSCC provided.
What is your favourite aspect about UTSCC?
Upon reflecting on her time at UTSCC, Thien mentioned that her favourite aspect was “definitely the people”. Thien touched on how as everyone is working together on delivering the consultant programme throughout the semester, there is this sense of achievement at the end of the process. Her advice for current UTSCC consultants is “definitely make the effort to network and build your relationships with the executives and the members of the society more broadly”.
Is there a certain skill you acquired from UTSCC that has helped you in your career?
Thien mentioned that one of the greatest skills she acquired from UTSCC was stakeholder management that she established from liaising with sponsors and other stakeholders in organising events or partnerships. This skill helped Thien when dealing and working with clients to get data or information for a project.
What would you say motivates you?
When it comes to motivation, Thien acknowledged two key drivers that motivate her everyday:
Firstly, knowing that in her job or any other activity, she is continually learning, improving and upskilling herself in some way shape or form. Thien mentions how consulting is a great example of this because you’re always in a new industry, new client, or working on a new problem.
Secondly, making a difference or giving back to the world the best she can, whether that be from a pro-bono contract or working on an initiative or project that she feels improves the world.
Chris Tran
We were joined by UTSCC Alumni Chris Tran as part of our “Meet the Alumni” campaign. Whilst studying a double degree in IT and Finance, Chris joined UTSCC as an Engagement Manager and stayed on as President, winning the society “Club Executive of the Year” and “UTS Club of the Year” in 2018.
Today, Chris works as an Strategy Associate Consultant at Bain & Company after previously working as an Associate at PwC’s Strategy&. One of his most rewarding projects to date was investigating how a retail food company would be affected by inflation from a revenue and profitability standpoint, and contributing to decision-making on pricing whilst shifting their overall marketing strategy. With the client interested in continual consultations next year, Chris notes how adding value for his clients is an especially enjoyable aspect of his role.
What were some of your favourite things or experiences about UTSCC?
During his time at UTSCC, Chris valued the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and the appreciation of the clients. He enjoyed the fulfillment of mentoring new people, many of which were able to get grad roles because of the experiences they had at UTSCC. Overall, the people he interacted with was Chris’ favourite aspect of UTSCC, recalling how the consultant program was, “a lot of work - you do spend a lot of time with each other, and so the people and friends I made were by far the best part of it all.”
What drew you to consulting?
Chris remarks how upon finishing his cadetship at PwC Assurance he wasn’t set on accounting, and was drawn to consulting as it offered him a variety of work and the opportunity to meet new people. Consulting also helped Chris develop a great skillset that could be applied anywhere, becoming valuable in helping him launch his career.
Do you have a favourite aspect of consulting or something you look forward to everyday at work?
Chris found that “consulting in the real world is very similar to UTSCC”, and therefore his favourite part of his job is also the people. Aside from the clients and work, Chris finds that due to the necessary long hours required in consulting, being able to enjoy the company he keeps at work is what really energises him. “Also, there is always a budget for amazing food!”
Do you have any advice for students wanting to start a career in consulting?
Marks, work experience and extracurriculars. Chris identifies these three areas as essential during the application process:
For work experience, internships are not a prerequisite, but are a great way to develop skills that consulting firms are looking for such as problem-solving, working with data and collaboration skills.
Chris also suggested how “extracurriculars help show how you are an interesting person outside of just university and work.”
Kate Daine
We sat down with UTSCC Alumni Kate Daine as a part of our, “Meet the Alumni,” campaign. Whilst studying her Law Degree, Kate joined UTSCC seeking practical experience within the business industry. Acknowledging the intensive nature of the program, she was drawn to the engagement the society had with collaboration and teamwork - particularly with people outside her degree. In fact, Kate stayed on in UTSCC after her first semester, having various roles including Engagement Manager, Operations Director and President.
Today, Kate works as a Senior Specialist Analyst for Kearney specializing in proposition design and customer experience. One of her most rewarding projects to date was her work on a proposition design piece on an electric vehicle product - narrowing in on the future of mobility in Australia.
What did you learn most from UTSCC that has helped you in your career?
Kate noted first and foremost, “it is being able to have an accurate experience about what consulting is like.” Kate touched on the typically theory-based side of university, and appreciated the practical experience UTSCC gave her. She attributes her foundation of problem solving to the frameworks that UTSCC provided, alongside stakeholder management during her role as an executive.
What was your favorite thing about UTSCC?
Upon reflecting on her time at UTSCC, Kate said, it's the connections and friendships that stood out. The cross-disciplinary nature of UTSCC also allowed her to meet people of various ages and degrees that she wouldn’t have otherwise crossed paths with.
What would you say motivates you?
When it comes to motivation, Kate acknowledged her enthusiasm to say, ‘yes’ to as many things as possible to be able to learn and absorb information. Kate is inspired and excited by the diverse nature of consulting and the variety that comes from different industries, cultures and ways of thinking.
Do you have any advice for this semester’s current consultants?
Kate’s advice for consulting this year can be summarized down to two key points.
Be present. In Kate’s words, “It’s only when you finish the program and look back, you’re like ‘wow’ the people, content and industry exposure was insightful.” She stresses the importance of not getting caught in the whirlwind that is consulting and instead being mindful and conscious of the process.
Network. The people around you are going to be industry leaders, CEOs, politicians. They are motivated enough to sign up for extra-curriculars so they have an active interest in consulting. And, as Kate concluded, “make those connections, as friends or simply just as part of your network, because these are really inspiring people.”