Kaijia
New York
Associate, Oliver Wyman New York
B.A. Economics, Peking University
Master of Public Administration, Cornell University
On coming to Oliver Wyman:
I graduated in from Cornell University with a degree in Economics and another in Public Administration / Non-profit Management. I first joined an economic consulting firm that offered both corporate and government consulting services. As much as I enjoyed learning about research and econometric modeling, I felt that I was missing two things that were really important to me – exposure to a different industries and client interaction. I was complaining to a friend who worked at Oliver Wyman one day about my experience, and she said, “You should work with us!” That was one of the best girl chats I’ve ever had. I joined Oliver Wyman that spring.
On her first several weeks:
During my first week, I was staffed in an industry I knew nothing about; directly working with junior clients, I tried to hide the fact that it was my first week on the job. Fortunately, my project manager and teammates were extremely helpful and patient; they eased my stress and showed me how good consultants can quickly climb the learning curve and add tremendous value for a client. Since then, I have worked on many projects and have never felt nervous or out-of-place again, both because of the experience I have gained, and the knowledge that I always have my team to depend on – we are in it together. This is one of the many reasons why I am still here, after almost fours years.
On discovering her interests:
I became a consultant at OW to gain exposure to different industries and got exactly that. I have even discovered interests in areas I never thought I had! OW has a global generalist staffing model for junior consultants, and staffing decisions were made by the case manager, staffing partner and consultant jointly. My clients have ranged from an apparel manufacturer to an airline, from a big pharmaceutical company to a high tech company, from a large private equity shop to a microfinance network. My work at OW has also brought me to the smallest towns in the US, and some of the most exciting cities in Asia and Latin America – every project is a good story in itself. OW has offered me great opportunities to discover the fun in different industries and cultures, and I’m looking forward to my next adventure! It’s really difficult to get bored with my job when I feel like I have a completely different job – different industry, location, people – every few months!
On pursuing her interest in non-profit management and volunteer activities:
With my academic and work experience in non-profits, I was very happy to discover that OW has a long tradition of giving back to the community. I have organized and participated in many community service initiatives, and our annual charity auction is always one of the most attended and exciting events for the office! We also do pro-bono projects for non-profit organizations. One of my favorite projects was a strategy project for an international microfinance network that has members all over the world. It is absolutely fantastic to work with a group of people who are both business savvy and mission driven. This experience also made me realize that the skills and experience I have gained at OW will not only prepare me for a successful career in business, but in other areas that I am passionate about. Of course, it was a nice bonus to meet Cynthia Nixon at a fundraising event that our client hosted!
