How to deal with projects with no learning?

Question

Recently joined MBB as a post MBA hire in US, and currently staffed on a data / implementation project for 1 month.

The challenge is that I feel there is limited learning - in the past few days I have spent time on ad hoc research and even translation. Some of these works could literally be done by college interns. My role was also quite unclear, as there are several data scientist on my team and most of the work are knowledge based and requires certain level of expertise. I have less value add as I don’t have any relevant backgrounds, and I started wondering whether I’m staffed on this project just because I am a new hire and not billable (eg, free resource).

What should I do to maximize my learning on the project? Is this a norm in implementation projects, where you would focus on many nitty gritty tasks which might not be strategy related at all? Thanks for your advice.

Answer 1

Hi there,

Your first few cases can be challenging -- I know where you're coming from. Here are a few tactical suggestions to help you deal with the ambiguity and position yourself to add value to the team and show your potential.

Clarify your role and gain a deeper understanding of the scope, client objectives, and context of the engagement: Work with your manager and/or peers to sharpen your sense of what is the highest priority for the client, the modules/workstreams for the case (yours and beyond), and what success looks like at the end. This will help you work backward from the ultimate deliverables and break down your tasks into more manageable steps (e.g., research, analysis, slide writing, client or expert calls, etc.). It would help if you got the bigger picture to know where to spend your time and see how the little pieces fit in.
Craft the "storyline" (initial hypotheses) for your piece of the problem: With you Day 1 / Week 1 understanding, you should be able to write a mini-exec summary that will serve as a roadmap to what research and analysis you need to carry out to do the work. In implementation, this will look a bit different -- hard to say without knowing the specifics.
Develop weekly and daily lists of priorities: Once you get the bigger picture, dive into a work plan that gets you from point A to point B. I tend to structure my work plans with the following elements: 1) deliverables (slides, excel models, memos, etc.); 2) key internal and external meetings (who I need to engage to solve the problem, present findings, socialize answers, etc.); 3) activities (how do I get it all done). Prioritize ruthlessly and outsource where possible (e.g., translation, slide clean up, research).
Get coaching / external support if you're still stuck: Your firm undoubtedly has various support options on learning and development (e.g., 1-1 spot coaching, coaching engagements, peer mentors, tutors, etc.). Talk to your team/peers/office contacts to find out what these are and seek out help proactively -- don't wait until you get a bad review.

Lastly, make sure you speak up and ask thoughtful questions. As a manager, I would much rather hear from you that you're stuck than to find out you've been unproductive for weeks while I was swamped with all these other issues on the case that took my attention away from helping you!

I hope this helps! I've lived this myself and coached others through it. If you're not getting the support you need or need more detailed coaching, feel free to grab time with me to chat through specifics and get more tactical advice.

Cheers,

Vini

Answer 2

Hi there,

This is definitely not the norm. However, it can happen. Likely, they needed someone quickly to help them out and scanned through the new hire list.

In this case, it's good that it's just a month and not longer.

The best thing you can do in this situation is to share your thoughts with your EM and discuss how the situation can be improved for everyone. Frame it as "you want to provide more value for the team but also be more involved in all important aspects to learn and grow."

They are your ally in this situation!

If you want to learn more about your start as a consultant, feel free to check out my book Consulting Career Secrets. It's on Amazon.

All the best,

Florian

Answer 3

Hey!

I completely understand your frustration. From my experience at both BCG and McKinsey, it's not uncommon for new hires, even post-MBA, to initially find themselves on projects that don’t align perfectly with their skills or learning expectations. Implementation projects, in particular, can indeed involve a lot of operational and detail-oriented work that may feel less strategic or high-level, especially when compared to more traditional strategy projects.

Here's how you can maximize your learning and make the most of this experience:

Clarify Your Role: Have an open conversation with your project manager or team lead. Ask for clarity on your role and express your desire to contribute meaningfully. Sometimes managers don’t realize when a team member is underutilized or under-challenged, especially if you’re a new hire.
Seek Out Opportunities: Be proactive in identifying ways to add value. If there are parts of the project that interest you or align more with your skill set (like analysis, client interactions, or project management tasks), volunteer to take them on. Show initiative by proposing additional analyses or asking to sit in on client meetings to understand their broader business issues.
Leverage the Expertise Around You: Since you're on a data-heavy project, this is a great opportunity to build skills in data analytics, even if it's not your core strength. Speak with the data scientists on your team—ask questions, shadow them, and learn about the tools and methodologies they're using. Acquiring even a basic understanding of data analytics can be a valuable asset in your consulting toolkit.
Request Mid-Project Feedback: Instead of waiting until the end of the project for formal feedback, request a quick check-in after the first few weeks. This can help you course-correct early and also show that you’re eager to learn and improve.
Network Within the Firm: Use this time to build relationships within the firm. Reach out to partners or senior consultants who are aligned with your areas of interest. This can help you get staffed on projects that better match your aspirations in the future.
Upskill During Downtime: If you find yourself with extra capacity, use that time to take advantage of your firm’s training resources or online platforms (like Coursera or LinkedIn Learning) to build skills that are relevant to your long-term career goals in consulting. For example, learning more about digital transformation, advanced Excel, or even Python can be beneficial, especially since digital and data are becoming more integral to consulting.
Reframe Your Perspective: Try to see the bigger picture. While this project might not be your ideal first choice, implementation experience can actually be quite valuable. It teaches you how strategies are operationalized, which can give you a more holistic view of client issues and make you a stronger consultant in the long run.

In summary, yes, it’s not uncommon for implementation projects to involve detailed, hands-on work that may not seem strategic at first glance. However, by being proactive, asking for feedback, and leveraging the resources around you, you can turn this experience into a valuable learning opportunity. Remember, the first project often sets the tone for how you’re perceived in the firm, so use it as a chance to demonstrate your adaptability, eagerness to learn, and ability to add value—even in less-than-ideal situations.

Best, Alessa

Answer 4

This happens... Strategy Consulting projects are demanding and unpredictable, i.e., you may have needs that one is not able to anticipate, and as such a high level of flexibility is required.

There is a mindset issue here, and you need to adjust your expectations. As a new consultant yes, you will need to do a lot of ad hoc research, and some other less relevant tasks such as translating. Sometimes you will just take interview notes.

What you don't seem to understand is that sometimes there's a valid reason to have the consultant doing this, and not someone who is doing this as a full time job. Someone who understands the client problem and potential solutions is better at both performing research and analyzing said research. You are better at translating because you have better context. And more importantly, you are absorbing a great deal of information - and you will become the team's expert on those topics and they expect to be able to resort to you. You will then do analysis, bring insights, etc., based on that information you possess, and you are expected to do much better than the alternative you suggest.

That is your role in there. And you are expected to excel on it before you are given higher responsibility. More so given that it is "college intern" dificulty level...

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