From System Engineer to Consultant
We interviewed three of our employees and discussed their challenges after joining SHIFT and how our company has supported their growth.?
Changing to a Consultant Mindset
M.K., an assistant group leader in the Consulting Department, says, "60% of the people who join us come from SIer backgrounds, followed by people from consulting firms.”
He told us that one of the most difficult points for system engineers-turned-consultants is switching perspectives from the vendor to the business company. A consultant must think from the customer's point of view. This means they must understand what the customers think and how they make decisions.
System engineers tend to focus on “moving the project according to schedule.” However, a different approach is required when working as a consultant. This cannot be changed overnight, and hence, we place great importance on giving consistent feedback.
While frequent communication between supervisors and members is valued, M.K. tells us that he is careful about the frequency with which he gives feedback. He realizes frequent feedback can often be taken negatively, making members feel insecure about their work. Instead of frequent feedback, he focuses on giving feedback that helps coach them to realize areas they need to work on.
One way SHIFT helps members acquire skills as consultants is through study sessions. These sessions are held, on average, once or twice a month and include topics such as writing proposals, logical thinking, critical thinking, and case studies. Participation is optional, and recordings are available for those unavailable on the day.
Example of the sessions provided:
There's also a psychology-like study session about "Being liked by your customers!” We have a system that supports training in skills and mindset, perfect for those without consulting experience. We find that it takes at least 4-5 months before members can start working with a “consultant mindset.”
Difficulties After Joining the Company
N.M. told us that he was very much at ease before joining the company. However, there were two things that he struggled with after joining.
He considered changing jobs for two reasons:?
At N.M.’s previous job, most of his clients were small companies with around 10-20 employees. Often, his proposals were taken with very little pushback from the client. While seemingly positive, it also meant he felt understimulated and could not see much personal growth.
He thought that if the projects were held on a larger scale, the number of stakeholders would increase, meaning those with higher levels of knowledge would also participate. Regarding his desire to increase his salary, SHIFT’s transparent evaluation system appealed to him.
During the interview process, he had open and positive discussions with SHIFT about how this career change to a consultant would be and had very little worry when he joined. However, when he joined, he found two things he really struggled with.
Firstly, he found that everyone at SHIFT was extremely knowledgeable, which overwhelmed him.?
To keep up with them, he had to watch all the archived study sessions and study for the in-house exam. He also read every book on the "Consulting Department Recommendation List" and books that his seniors told him about. To use the information he was reading, he would actively implement it where he could.
Whenever he had any questions, he would ask as soon as they arose, so he left no issues unresolved. N.M. told us that's what really helped him. Everyone would reply to him very quickly, even very senior members.
Another point N.M. struggled with was communicating with clients regardless of good or bad news. He told us that this was a huge change from when he was an SE and took time to get used to.
He told us that while communicating logically is very important, it is all built upon a relationship of trust. No amount of communication will make up for the lack of trust. He particularly struggled with this in the first three months and felt that there was a wall between him and the clients.
Currently, N.M. works with clients at least three days a week, and being able to talk to them outside of their project helps to reveal a client's internal situation, which helps him steer the project in a positive direction, which is tailored to his clients.
N.M. tells us that he definitely does not regret his career change from SE to consultant. He originally worked in RPA, and when he was an SE, for the sake of sales, he would have to encourage customers to implement RPA despite the low need for it. At his last job, he was very frustrated as he could see there were other better-suited solutions for clients, but he could not offer them the option.
He told us that he believes that you should not be tied to a product to solve a client's issue. At SHIFT, he has worked without being tied to specific products.
N.M.’s current goal is to branch out into management consulting. While this is a very niche and difficult field, he hopes to become someone who can carve out his path.
Experiencing Growth After 6 Months at SHIFT
T.S. was previously involved in downstream processes such as development and maintenance, but she changed jobs because she wanted to be involved in upstream processes, where she could proactively decide a project's direction.
When interviewing for SHIFT, she found that her interviewer asked her questions based on her interview and felt they were looking at her—not as one of the 100 people who had applied. She took a liking to how everything was personalized at SHIFT, and while she was nervous as this was her first job change, she decided to join us!
During the interview process, T.S. was very open and mentioned her nervousness about whether she would be able to adapt to a new environment and whether she would be able to communicate with clients well. However, they reassured her she would have all the support she needed.
While told all this, she was still surprised to see it in action. After every meeting, she would receive feedback on good aspects and areas of improvement.
She told us that the biggest change for her was switching to understanding the business perspective. At her previous job, she had little opportunity to interact with clients. She found all of the resources and guidance given to help her create the necessary materials and adopt the mindset extremely helpful.
T.S. mentioned that she overcame her worries because of the detailed feedback and the system allowing independent study.?
It has been six months since she joined the company, and feels that she definitely has grown.
In particular, she has become more confident in her communication with clients. If she had stopped at her previous job, she might still be doing only development.?
In the future, T.S. would like to follow the example of her seniors and become a full-fledged consultant with a "business company perspective" who can contribute to the department.?
It’s All About the People
In M.K.’s personal opinion, for an organization to be able to provide true consulting services and not just be an outsourcer or a PM in name only, it is necessary to have people who are willing to "take on any challenge," "accept failure with an open mind,” and "people who can think of others.”
Understanding what people are looking for is very important for your clients and your team. At the end of the day, people want to work with someone who is looking out for them.
After noticing what is troubling them, tell them, even if it is tough. However, this relationship is built on the foundation that people around you have an open mind.
M.K. also told us he wants to ensure his team members connect with and communicate with as many people as possible. This is so they can gain experience in understanding different types of people and their boundaries and, based on that, how to build a relationship where they can exchange critical feedback.
To help younger members grow quickly, he makes sure to assign at least three members to a project: a veteran, a mid-level staff member, and a younger member. He also tries to assign projects that only take up 80% of the capacity. Without the 20% left, members will not have enough headspace to study, which slows down their growth.
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