I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.
Diane Ackerman
I’m often asked for career advice by those exploring their options, and my response is always the same: explore a variety of consultancy roles. Doing so played a pivotal role in both my professional development and personal growth.
My own journey into consultancy began modestly—offering technology advice to small businesses, and later expanding into technology and software consultancy for several oil and gas companies. This early experience laid the foundation for my transition into larger-scale management consultancy work with multinational firms.
What I found most surprising—and rewarding—about these roles was the fast-paced, intellectually demanding environment. I worked alongside individuals with exceptional academic backgrounds in science and engineering, often learning as much as I had during my university years. My exposure spanned diverse sectors, including crude oil, geology, medical devices, and fibre optics, significantly broadening my understanding.
But perhaps the most illuminating aspect of consultancy was the work itself: engaging directly with clients, understanding their unique challenges, and delivering tailored solutions under pressure. Each project brought a fresh set of problems, tight deadlines, and high stakes. It was stimulating, unpredictable, and deeply fulfilling—work I genuinely relished.
Beyond the knowledge I gained, consultancy equipped me with a set of practical, transferable skills that could only have been developed in such a high-performance environment. These skills—critical thinking, adaptability, communication, and problem-solving—have been instrumental in my continued success. They’ve also proven invaluable in my transition to the world of education, where I’ve brought this experience to bear in the equally demanding and rewarding field of education consultancy.