What's your job about?
Consulting is all about supporting organisations in solving difficult issues, to achieve their goals and priorities. As part of my responsibilities at Nous I have primarily been involved in proposal writing, which is discussing to potential clients why we are the best to partner with over another company. Through this we need clear understanding of the client’s context and the problems they are facing. We also need a clear and impactful value proposition, demonstrating the valuable knowledge and experience that we can bring to deliver the best outcomes. If we win the work, we then get to begin partnering with the client to go beyond conventional understanding to deliver substantial transformational change.
The great thing about working with Nous is that one our core values s working to achieve positive influence, this has meant the ability to work on some projects where I can see that the work being done will make a substantial impact for Australian communities. For example, I recently supported a project to help deliver the 2022-2032 Northern Territory Disability Strategy. In another project I assisted in the Queensland Consultation on the draft National Safety Priorities in Mental health, reviewing existing strategies, stakeholder input and best practice literature to help assist in appropriate updates.
What's your background?
I am a proud Wiradjuri and Ngemba woman, who was born and raised in Brisbane. As part of my upbringing, I was heavily involved in my parent’s non-for-profit organisation, “Fishers of Men”. Here I was able to develop core values of wanting to make a positive contribution to those most vulnerable in my community, specifically those struggling with homelessness and/or substance dependencies. After finishing secondary school, I took a gap year with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) to begin aiding international communities in various ways including supporting the physical, mental and spiritual needs of those in poverty and helping support the efforts of local organisations (e.g. human trafficking organisations, youth work organisations, etc.).
Upon cessation of my gap year, I wanted to continue to make a difference on a larger scale and believed that I could achieve this by getting into management consulting where I could impact change from the top-down. So, I chose my degree in business management and psychology, to give me the skills and understanding needed to support organisations.
Could someone with a different background do your job?
I think consulting is one of the broadest jobs there is, no matter what field you are interested in there is a spot for you! However, I believe the most important thing is that you have a desire to make a positive impact and develop your capabilities to work on complex projects so that you can provide real practical and meaningful solutions.
What's the coolest thing about your job?
I think the most exciting thing about my role as a consultant is that I get to constantly learn, practice creative thinking, problem-solving and perhaps most importantly I get to work with amazing colleagues who similarly have a passion to make a difference. Whereas other jobs I believe can get boring and repetitive after a while, consulting is working in an ever-evolving and completely innovative space, that will always be changing as there will always be new and complex problems/issues to solve!
What are the limitations of your job?
I think one of the biggest limitations I experience of my job is experiencing ‘imposter syndrome’, that is, doubting my own abilities to quickly learn and understand the client’s issues and come up with meaningful outcomes. While constantly learning is great, it does mean that I sometimes feel as though at times I can lack a sense of personal security in my own skills and capabilities. Consulting can also be quite a demanding job, with high-performance expectations and long-work hours.
3 pieces of advice for yourself when you were a student...
Get involved with volunteering and supporting your community, go out and make a difference! Not only is it valuable to others, but it is also great for yourself and your sense of purpose and being.
Apply for various internships, it is great to get a wide range of experience to know where your interests are. For example, something you thought you would have loved you may actually find is not as exciting as you thought it was going to be.
Surround yourself with amazing people who are going to push you towards your dreams and aspirations and help you to be the best version of yourself.