Rising Stars of the Profession: Brian Oakey

Brian Oakey is a senior consultant for Avaap's Workday Student practice. He began his career in higher education serving as an admissions counselor and joined Avaap as a Workday consultant. Brian has experience deploying Workday for higher education institutions, including Workday Student. He is an integral part of Avaap's Workday consulting practice, developing tools to help better plan, capture, and track end-to-end activities throughout projects. He is known for his high level of customer support and willingness to go the extra mile.

What do you consider your greatest personal or professional achievement?

When I began my career at Avaap, I was the youngest consultant the organization had hired. I am proud of my growth and flexibility as a consultant. Taking on new challenges, such as implementing Workday Student at two colleges, is an achievement I am proud of accomplishing, and is a significant step in my own Workday journey. I've also taken on mentoring analysts and have instructed training courses for Avaap's analyst program. Impacting new consultants' careers and mentoring them to be successful is a rewarding part of my role at Avaap.

What advice would you give a professional just beginning a career in consulting?

Don't be afraid to ask as many questions as possible. If you don't understand something, do your research, but don't be afraid to ask your superiors to help explain an abstract concept, or ask for clarification when producing a deliverable or artifact for your client. Continuous learning is the only way you progress as a consultant.

What have you loved most about your consulting career?

Every day as a consultant is a little different and is not scripted. The variety means that there is no "normal" day. I love getting to tackle new problems and face new challenges each day. I also love to travel and being able to travel to client sites as a consultant and explore new destinations is an awesome perk!

What's the best advice—personal or professional—you've ever received?

"If you're doing most of the talking, you're probably going to miss something, because you're not actively listening." Active listening is the #1 thing that makes a consultant great and can make or break project success and client satisfaction. Not only that, when you become an active listener in a professional setting, it is easy to use that skill in your personal life, too.

What does being honored as a Rising Star mean to you?

Being honored as a Rising Star is significant to me because it shows that younger consultants can have just as meaningful an impact on client projects as the most seasoned, experienced consultant. It is inspiring to see younger consultants recognized for their contributions to client success. I am honored to be recognized for my contributions to projects where I have grown as a consultant, and the hard work in laying a foundation for a successful career in consulting is starting to pay off! The recognition helps me reflect on my personal achievements and drive my career goals in consulting.