Taron Nijjar

Associate Management Consultant at PwC
MSc by Research - School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, 2021

Tell us a bit about your current role.

I got into PwC by applying for the Management Consultant graduate scheme. My current role is Associate Management Consultant, which involves working with a variety of different clients to solve their problems. This can range from implementing new technologies or enhancing their customer online experience, to making their operating model more efficient.

During my MSc By Research degree, I soon realised I had a passion for problem-solving and this ultimately led me to exploring the profession of consultancy as a career path.

What motivated you to do your postgraduate research course?

I chose to do a research degree because I was very interested in building up on my Sport and Exercise Sciences Degree. I was interested in exploring the notion of using ‘exercise as medicine’ to improve patient outcomes.

What do you enjoy most and what do you find challenging about your role?

What I enjoy most about my current role is that no two days are the same. Being a consultant means I work with a diverse range of clients in different industries on a range of different problems that they could be facing. I enjoy speaking to different people and growing my network. There is also quite a lot of travel involved in my job, whether that be to client sites or different PwC offices, which helps keep things interesting.

Have you faced any barriers during your career journey, if so, how did you overcome them?

I found the initial transition from academia to industry particularly challenging. Given that this is my first full time job since graduating, presenting a convincing case to the recruitment team proved to be difficult as I didn’t have many experiences from previous work to draw upon. To overcome this challenge and make the adjustment from academia to industry, I attended various Career Network workshops that provided support on various aspects for this transition e.g. how to write a cover letter, translating research skills into industry etc.

How did your time at Birmingham help you prepare for this role?

My time at Birmingham helped me immensely with preparing to apply for this role. The Careers Network, particularly Holly Prescott, was always available to answer any questions I had during my preparation. Holly was more than willing to help and shared with me resources and pieces of advice to help with my application preparation. I also attended a number of different workshops hosted by the Careers Network on CV writing, mock interviews etc. During my time at Birmingham, I was able to develop key skills such as communicating with a range of different types of people, sticking to deadlines for pieces of work and keeping organised with my time. These skills have aided me during my role, and I will continue to build on them throughout my career.

What are your career plans for the future?

For now, I am happy working as a management consultant at PwC. I hope to climb up the promotional ladder over the next few years and gain chartership in management consultancy.

What advice would you give to students interested in further study?

Advice I would give someone considering doing postgrad study is make sure you have an interest in the topic you will be studying. Post grad study can be demanding so it helps if you enjoy the field of work.

What advice would you give to students interested in getting into your industry or role?

Advice I would give to PGRs who are interested in getting into consultancy would be speak to as many people in consultancy as you can. This will help you gain a better insight on what the day-to-day role of a consultant looks like and you can see if it is the right fit for you.