From College to Being a Consultant – Not That Different

Yes! I did it, I graduated college! As I soaked in the excitement of graduation accompanied by the memories of the past four years, I suddenly thought to myself: “Wait, so now what am I supposed to do? Are cell phone bills, early wake ups, morning commutes, and conference calls the only things on this earth that I have to look forward to?” Don’t worry soon-to-be-graduates; there is a happy ending to this story. The good news is that I’ve been working at ALL4 for almost three months and I have yet to dread an early morning wake up, or sitting in on a client conference call. Although I can’t deny my nostalgia for those lovely fall days walking around the quad, or throwing the Frisbee after class, I’ve begun to notice that life working at ALL4 has a striking resemblance to the pace of college life and, to be honest, I like it. So, how can this be possible? How can working full time after graduation be similar to college? Well, let me show you how a career at ALL4 as a consultant can compare to my college days.

I do work for people who expect the very best, with complete accuracy. At ALL4, I call them clients. In college, I called them professors. Clients are much like college professors, as both demand that projects and presentations be performed in a professional manner. In both cases I must demonstrate my mastery and expertise in a specific area of study.    

As a consultant, I am on a team. In college I had my lab group. Now those lab partners have transformed into my project team. Collaboration and efficiency are still required to meet deadlines and working together is essential.    

Consultants form relationships. Before working at ALL4, I defined my relationships as friendships.  Now, relationships define my work. Strong relationships create repeat business contracts and a good reputation.   

I still have the opportunity write essays…even as an engineer! I get to delve into my creative side and enhance my writing ability through both technical and blog writing. ALL4 teaches its consultants to be well rounded in very much the same way college educates the whole person so he/she can develop a variety of skills.    

I could go on and on about highlighting all the similarities between a college lifestyle and life at ALL4, but I’m going to end with two that I regard as the most important.  At ALL4 learning is essential. Our product is our knowledge. We are always learning new processes, new regulations, and new methods of efficiency. With learning at the forefront, ALL4 consultants must also juggle a multitude of different projects. Just as a student has a full plate of assorted work from various classes, the workload at ALL4 varies constantly. 

As you sit there pondering life beyond those college dorms and academic halls, and think of the future unknowns, just know working as a consultant is more similar to college than you might have once thought. You’ll be prepared for the real world, as long as you are always ready to learn; for more learning is surely on the way. The real world after college isn’t as bad as some people say, especially when you are at a place like ALL4.