How to get myself staffed on a project?

Auch. I struggled with this a lot during my first year. 

Right off the bat, you might find this article helpful:

• Expert Guide: How to Become A Distinctive Consultant

Then, specifically on how to network to get staffed, what worked for me was relaxing my expectations/criteria for choosing projects. 

So instead of looking for something specific, I started thinking about all the projects that I could add value to and how, then pitched this to the engagement manager who was putting together the team. 

I ended up going for a 4-month project in Papua New Guinea that was a complete game changer for me and one of the best projects that I did. 

Lastly, be patient and try not to place a lot of guilt on yourself. I started blaming myself a lot back then even though the problem was mostly out of my hands - at the start you don't really have a value prop so it's difficult to show WHY they should take you and not another person on the team. 

Best,
Cristian

Hi there,

you are a first-year consultant and you are still learning the ropes. This means that it is essentially the firms responsibility to staff you on projects where you can do that. While you should keep your eyes and ears open and also express your interest to the staffing team and managers, the utilization metric is not really under your own control at this point. 

Make sure you regularly signal that you are available and interested and also talk to your mentor about this. 

It could be the case that the project pipeline is not looking too hot right now so that opportunities are not that manifold. While I understand your frustration, I don't think it is a reason to get worried about your career now.

Best

Hi there,

Take a step back and rest assured that there is nothing wrong with you - it is a tough market right now and pipelines are quite low.

Keep volunteering for things and networking. Attend the events, join the affinity groups, raise your hand for BD work, and let staffing know of interest in x and y project.

Network, network, network.

You need to build stronger relationships with people. "Water cooler chats" and firm functions are great ways to build relationships and get notified of opportunities. Gossip is gold so to speak.

So, I recommend putting yourself out there socially in order to advance professionally. As a "bonus" also try to demonstrably develop your skills...if you're completely green, no-one will take on that risk for you. If you can get certifications, side projects, etc. that show your ability to be a star in certain topics, then do so as often as possible!

Hi there,

Utilization is not really a metric that impacts your evaluation a lot if you are in your first year. Additionally, many people are benched at the moment due to a slow business environment.

That being said, of course, it's wise to get staffed for all the other benefits that come with it.

I'd try to network with relevant people in areas you would be interested in working in. Identify them and reach out directly to ask about opportunities (engagements, internal work, recruiting, events). 

This could be:

• EMs
• Partners
• Staffing Coordinators
• Experts
• Practice Leads

All the best,

Florian

There's no right way to network… just make sure you are meeting new people around the office.

What you should do is to be visible and offer yourself to support business development work - then being staffed to the projects you supported is more likely to follow.