Strategies for Career Advancement: Takeaways from Consulting Magazine’s Rising Stars Professional Series

Contributor Phase
This phase involves a focus on doing whatever is needed to support your team and clients. This often requires a willingness to take on a wide range of tasks and responsibilities. “Your job is to come in and kind of do whatever is needed of you,” said Le Roux. “And when I both was in my first job at Bain & Company, and since then at other startups, I think the first few months will always be your contributor phase.”

Inviting Feedback: This phase is where consultants are expected to demonstrate self-growth and initiative. “This is a phase where you are not just receiving feedback, but actually asking for people to begin to contribute to your growth,” she said. “And demonstrating self-growth initiative creates patterns for you to accelerate your professional growth as well.” Le Roux noted that feedback can be difficult to hear at times. However, she stressed the importance of being open to feedback and using it as an opportunity for growth. “I used to think that the sweetest words in the English language were ‘I love you.’ And I’m confident now that they are ‘You were right,'” noting that some of the hardest feedback given was the most valuable in shaping her career and relationships.

Following Curiosity: During the curiosity phase pursue new business, capabilities, delivery models, and internal initiatives to develop as a leader. Le Roux encouraged risk taking and exploring new opportunities, including pursuing new areas of interest, taking on additional responsibilities, or seeking out new mentors. "Curiosity kills the cat, but accelerates the consultant," La Roux noted, highlighting its importance for longevity and learning. Within the curiosity phase she also highlighted the importance of mentorship in career development, noting that mentors can provide valuable guidance and support as consultants navigate the various phases of their careers.

Establishing Legacy: In the final phase of a consulting career, Le Roux encouraged attendees to focus on building a lasting legacy. This may involve taking on leadership roles, developing a strong personal brand, or making a meaningful impact within their organization or industry. Le Roux left attendees with a final piece of advice: “Really think through how you can move through the phases of your career. Welcome the process early on, and work on becoming an excellent and strong contributor at work, inviting feedback, following curiosity and finally establishing your legacy.”

Panel Discussion Takeaways: Beyond the CV: Building a Personal Brand That Propels Your Career

A panel discussion moderated by Le Roux followed the keynote and featured Andrea Mack, Founder and Lead Growth Strategist of Prequel; Sarah Pomeranz, CEO of Consultants for Impact and 2025 Rising Star honoree; and Shannon Moscal, Principal with Crowe LLP and 2023 Rising Star honoree.

This group shared experiences and insights on building a personal brand that propels career growth, the importance of continuous learning, building strong relationships, and aligning career goals with personal values. By embracing curiosity, seeking feedback and prioritizing personal well-being, consultants can navigate the challenges of the industry and build lasting, impactful careers. Some key points of the discussion included:

Be Forward Thinking in Mentorship: Mack advised mentees to focus on what they can learn from their mentors about the future, rather than just the past. Pomeranz suggested that mentees should come to meetings with a specific goal or problem in mind, while Moscal emphasized the importance of providing value to mentors in return, Mack also advised to "Think about what's next versus just seeking mentors that have done what you want to do."

Design a Healthy Work-Life Balance: For Mack, it's about finding work that aligns with her values and mission. She also emphasized the importance of setting boundaries and being intentional with her time. Pomeranz, who works with impact-driven consultants, noted that many of her clients experience burnout when their work feels disconnected from their values. Moscal shared her own approach to work-life balance, which involves working on vacation in order to take more trips.

Define Client Expectations: Building strong relationships is crucial for success as a consultant. Pomeranz, emphasized the importance of defining a precise problem statement and building trust with clients. The panelists also discussed the importance of asking the right questions and understanding the client's 'why?' Moscal supported that concept, "When you get to the point where you ask why, why, why? And eventually get to the answer of, ‘I don't know, I never thought about that,’ now you can start."

Align Work with Personal Mission: Burnout often stems from a disconnect between work and personal values; find ways to align your work with a mission that resonates with you. Pomeranz noted that many consultants "Feel like their work and their energy is just not being channeled through a mission or addressing a global problem that really keeps them up at night."

Humanize Business Interactions: Connect with clients on a personal level and understand their perspectives. Moscal shared a story about connecting with a difficult client through an unlikely shared interest in cake decorating, which "smoothed everything out."

In summary, the day’s programming underscored the importance of continuous learning, building strong relationships, and aligning career goals with personal values. By embracing curiosity, seeking feedback and prioritizing personal well-being, consultants can navigate the challenges of the industry and build lasting, impactful careers. As La Rue concluded, she has "stayed because what I'm able to do is actually build a life of work that really work well together."

Consulting Magazine extends its sincerest thanks to all of our faculty for this program.