Client engagement started!

Deloitte has a formal process of defining summer goals and project scope. All the goals should be made SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely). Then I will review the goals with peer advisor, my consoler and my project manager. They will also provide some suggestions for the goals, then I will update accordingly. After everybody agrees on the goals, I submit them to HR. My summer performance will be measured against those goals. It is a very transparent process.  

For the second week, I was on the beach which means I am not working on a client engagement. At that time, I did some practice development work, which is doing some research on a specific topic and increase knowledge of the firm. It is a very intensive project. I ready technology white papers, industry report, companies’ financial report and analyst report to get familiar with the topic and also collect raw materials for my deck.

Starting from the 3^rd week, I was staffed on a client engagement project. This project is to help client build an information technology roadmap to align with company development strategy. At the first week of the project, we conducted a series of interviews with stakeholders to understand the current situation and future needs. It is a really nice experience, not only that you could talk to many people from the management team, but also a great way to learn consulting. There is a small tip when conducting interview. One of my job scopes in the project is to collect raw materials, so I take meeting minutes during the interview. As non-native English speaker and freshman to the industry, I know it will be difficult to follow the conversation at the beginning. So I suggested my supervisor to record the meeting with my phone. My supervisor thought it was a good idea, but we have to check with clients before we do that. It turned out to be a great help, because the meeting schedule is very intensive and there is indeed a lot of new information. The recording helped to fill in many gaps in our meeting minutes. 

Well, here comes the boss. My supervisor is from Ohio. You know what I mean. But he is really a nice guy. He gives me many tips about client engagement, and told me many fun facts about the firm. At my side, first of all, I try to focus on my job and get the work done. I also try to be honest about my progress, asking for advice and help if needed and updating my progress regularly.