PRTM's Scott Hefter: Finding 'Pragmatic Brilliance'
PRTM's Scott Hefter: Finding 'Pragmatic Brilliance'PRTM's Global Managing Director Scott Hefter knows what he's looking for in an applicant: "pragmatic brilliance." So how does one go about finding that quality? Here, Hefter opens up about his quest for those who fit in well with the culture at the Waltham, Mass.-based operational strategy firm, and aren't afraid to embrace all the elements of consulting: heavy travel and the following the partner track among them.
Consulting: What kind of candidate would be a good fit at PRTM?
Hefter: First and foremost, we hire the best and the brightest from the best schools or pull them out of industry. But at the same time that we find these folks, a very big filter is that we find people who are pragmatically brilliant, and that they're team players. The challenges that our clients throw at us are of such magnitude and importance that there really is no one individual who can know all the answers from that. So one of our key values is that PRTM is stronger as a team than we are as individuals. That's not just a bumper sticker; we really believe that. So we need to find folks who are really happy working as a team. We're really looking for a fit, team player, and the aspiration to want to put the time and effort in their careers and that they could become a partner here.
Consulting: What would most people be surprised to learn about the types of consultants at PRTM?
Hefter: We have the most diverse set of people from a personality and a hobbies perspective. We've got a partner who's a musician whose band recently cut an album. I've got another partner who's an Indian drummer, and he's done several recordings and worked with some very famous artists doing traditional and contemporary Indian music. We've [also] got a very active set of people who contribute to public service.
Consulting: How do you assign projects?
Hefter: It's a collaborative process, and it's a not a science. Certainly you want to match the best consultants with the client. We try to staff as locally as possible; it's obviously more cost-effective. It's also more effective for managing the lifestyle. We always explain to the consultant that there's a shared responsibility to manage their lifestyle. I always tell consultants that when we're starting a project, 'If you run, and you want to run three miles a day and you like to run every single day and six o'clock at night is the time that you run, then tell me.' There's almost nothing that we can't work around. Work at home is also an option.
Consulting: How would you describe the culture at PRTM? Hefter: I think our culture is very supportive and collaborative, yet demanding. This is a culture that is absolutely a meritocracy. If somebody does well, they will absolutely progress and they know they are not progressing at the expense of anybody else. That is such a core thing where folks know that if you help somebody else out that only reflects and shines brightly upon you. It really fundamentally drives why this place is a different kind of place.© Arc, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to TMSalesOperations@arc-network.com. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.