What's your job about?
Nous Group collaborates with leaders in the private, public and community sectors on issues that have a substantial positive influence on people’s lives. We work across strategy, public policy, economics, implementation, organisational performance, leadership, data analytics, digital and design.
Management consulting entails a diverse range of work. Over one year as a graduate consultant, I have worked with universities, not-for-profit organisations, and multiple government agencies at the state/territory and federal level. I have built out slide decks and reports, interviewed stakeholders, analysed qualitative and quantitative data and presented results to client teams.
What's your background?
I grew up in the Western suburbs of Melbourne. After high school, I decided on law and arts because I had always been interested in public policy and wanted to do a job that would have a positive impact on people’s lives. Although I enjoyed the analytical aspect of the degree and meeting some fantastic friends, I wasn’t sure if the law was for me because it felt inherently risk-adverse and focused on addressing past wrongs instead of finding future opportunities. I bounced around a couple internships, doing budgetary policy at the Grattan Institute, refugee policy at Maurice Blackburn, aged care policy for a Victorian state politician and migration policy for a US Congressman. I also did my honours thesis on the constitutional law implications of LGBTQI+ discrimination legislation. I found all those policy areas to be fascinating but I did not want to specialise in any of them at this stage in my career.
My first introduction to management consulting came through volunteering with 180 Degrees Consulting, a student consultancy. I worked with real-world clients as both a team member and then a team leader. I was hooked.
I applied for Nous because it seemed to tap into my academic background in public policy with my interest in high-impact projects. Over the past year, I have learned a lot in a short time. My writing style has matured since university, and I have more confidence to contribute to discussions with a variety of stakeholders. The intensity of this role means that I have been entrusted to do tasks and lead consultations that I would have had to wait years to do in other organisations. Nous maintains a feedback-rich environment, so I have felt supported throughout my journey.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
Someone with a different background could absolutely do this job. In fact, the success of management consulting relies on teams having a diverse range of expertise, experience and academic backgrounds. Off the top of my head, I have worked with people who came with backgrounds in law, medicine, business, mental health, arts, science and music. It matters more to a management consultancy that you are at the top of your game, more than the actual game itself.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I love the freedom and flexibility of working at Nous. We take a self-managed approach to project work so there is often scope to decide where, when and how you work. Some people always work from the office while others choose to work from home. If you want to take a long lunch or go to the gym during the day, you can often structure your calendar around those events. There is not a manager breathing down your neck requiring you to come online at a specific time or leave after a certain time. Combined with the diversity of work that Nous does, there is so much opportunity to learn about new areas and then push yourself into new opportunities in those spaces.
What was it like joining during COVID-19?
I personally struggled with the remote-working that was required during the COVID-19
pandemic. I get a lot of my energy from physically being around other people. Nous was great at working with me to accommodate my needs when times were hard. There was special leave for people that were struggling with the extended lockdown. I had a buddy and Performance Coach who would regularly check in on me to ensure I was going okay in lockdown.
Nous also encouraged employees to set up informal initiatives to increase care and connection. For example, a couple of Nousers set up a voluntary walking group, where people could catch up and walk outside with Nousers in their 5km radius.
What’s it like working with senior people on projects?
Nous typically has small-to-mid-sized project teams so there are often lots of opportunities for direct facetime with senior members of the organisation. I have worked directly with Principals who have had decades of experience in the private, public and community sectors. In my experience, they are consistently encouraging and generous with their time. They want to see you improve and grow.
What are the limitations of your job?
Nous’ emphasis on self-management means that individuals need to ensure they don’t take on too much work or go past their own capacity. People need to manage their time effectively and be self-starters or else work doesn’t get done. Depending on how busy the firm is when you start, there can be lots of responsibility quite early in your journey. Although this is great for development, it can be very stressful. Furthermore, the diversity of work means that most tasks that you will do in your first year will be at least somewhat unfamiliar. Nous is aware of these limitations and will support you through the experience.
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