The Aspire Guide - Flipbook - Page 38
Consulting
Management consultants work on projects for organisations (their “clients”) who require
expert advice on how to become more effective in a specific area. The client organisations can
be from any sector - consultants could be advising a drinks company on whether to launch
a new product; recommending to a hospital how they could decrease patient waiting times;
or assessing whether it is more cost-effective for a business to move their headquarters to
a different country. They work with these organisations to formulate new strategies, and/or plans for
implementing these changes, so the work is highly variable and often under time pressure, requiring
strong analytical and communication skills.
Consultancy often involves travelling and working at client offices. Consultants could be working with
their “client” organisation for just a few weeks or months, and generally work in small teams from their
client’s offices from Monday to Thursday and then from their own consulting firm’s office on Fridays, so
this can involve travel.
What they’re looking for:
Graduates from any discipline, especially those with an analytical or mathematical degree, or a degree
related to the industry they want to consult in. Commercial experience is useful. Some consultancy firms
offer School Leaver Programmes.
Salary expectations:
Typical graduate salary: £25,000-£45,000
Potential salary (after five years experience): £50,000-£100,000
Top earners (10-15 years experience): £250,000+
Construction and Building Services
The construction industry is responsible for all new building and refurbishment, and covers a
broad range of roles for both school leavers and university graduates. While many of the roles
available in the sector require a specialist knowledge, there are options for young people with
all kinds of interests, including project management, design and technical roles.
Construction and building services offer roles across the UK, as well as many international opportunities,
meaning you may be required to travel frequently in your career. Construction would suit anyone who is
practically minded and enjoys seeing the finished product of their work.
What they’re looking for:
For graduates, requirements are dependent on the role you are applying to, but generally speaking
maths-based degrees are preferred, as well as all forms of engineering. Construction is all around being
logical and coming up with workable solutions, so any degree with problem-solving is also desired.
There are many options for school leavers going in to construction - many larger firms now offer excellent
apprenticeships for technical roles, and there are also more common routes in to the sector through
schemes such as plumbing and electrician apprenticeships.
Salary expectations:
Typical graduate salary: £24,000-£30,000
Potential salary (after five years experience): £30,000-£45,000
Top earners (10-15 years experience): £50,000-£80,000+
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