A tech consulting career uniquely my own

I am a computer scientist and a consultant. A doctor and a mother. Tech consulting is a blank canvas of possibility we get to discover all aspects of ourselves.

In brief

• In tech consulting I get to try many things and explore many paths that I couldn’t have imagined back in my academic days. From business development to helping clients mitigate risk.
• From industry to industry, client to client, I work with various businesses to understand their priorities and help them meet their goals.
• I learned the importance of growing my skills, embracing critical thinking and refusing to accept the status quo. 

When I talk to my children about the future, one thing is clear: I’m preparing them for jobs and roles that don’t even exist yet. In many ways, my career in tech consulting offers up a micro view into what that means.

At my core, I’m a computer scientist. But day to day in tech consulting, I wear many hats, try many things and explore many paths that I couldn’t have imagined back in my academic days.

When I was earning my PhD, I envisioned myself as a researcher, a professor. An internship with a boutique consulting shop first opened my eyes to the beauty of applying my knowhow in ways I had never pictured before. In a single meeting, we’d move from technical design to the human process. We shifted lenses over and over, delivering value and becoming well rounded practitioners in the process. I was hooked. I completed my studies and dove headlong into the world of consulting to see what else I could explore.

Consulting has opened up so many different doors for me. I’d never done business development in my life — and it turns out I’m good at it! I’d never read a legal document or drafted a contract. Now I’m helping our organization and our clients mitigate risk. This is a really useful skill. I’ve learned that I love winning engagements, leading multidisciplinary teams and trying new things. From industry to industry, client to client, and sometimes even hour to hour, I work with various businesses to understand their priorities and help them meet big, ambitious goals.

Knowing we’re working towards a shared purpose of helping the world work better matters to me. Every day, consulting broadens my perspective. I contribute unique skills and perspectives — and I learn from people who have deeper knowledge than I do. It’s a privilege to work with people who are the best in their fields.

My career inspires me. The culture equally so. This is a place that prioritizes clients and people — believing that strong financial results will follow. That principle defines our way of working at EY and keeps me inspired. So many women in my field are absorbed into high tech after graduation. The world of consulting can seem vast and unknowable. To every woman considering their options, though, I’ll tell you this: we’re solving big technical problems for clients, all in a work environment where we ourselves are valued, recognized and empowered to succeed. We are tech savvy and business savvy all at once. That ability to apply our deep technical knowhow against businesses’ greatest challenges isn’t just a job: it’s a remarkable gift of a career.

I am a computer scientist and a consultant. A doctor and a mother. I have found a sense of belonging in an ecosystem where my wellbeing is prioritized above the margins themselves. Some days I push the gas. Other days I pump the brakes. I’ve found a career and a firm where I can do both.

In many ways, tech consulting is a blank canvas of possibility we get to discover for ourselves. I know my role will evolve again and again, just like the jobs my children can’t yet envision for themselves. Maybe that right there is the greatest advice I can give them. Grow your skills. Embrace critical thinking. And then? Refuse to accept the status quo. Never settle. Be courageous, and you’ll be amazed by the career you can build, no matter what the future holds