Your Not So Average Consulting Internship

If consultants were a tribe, they'd be renowned not only for their sharp attire and client-ready smiles but also for their tired eyes and perpetual exhaustion. And there’s a reason for that— they care deeply about their clients, often to the point of self-sacrifice. Every consulting firm that has ever existed has stood before a client, looked them in the eye, and, while slowly draining the life from their own consultants, proclaimed, “Client First!” This act is often so convincing that the client is ready to fire their own employees in favor of the consulting firm! But during my summer at Kepler, I was not sacrificed.

Kepler, I felt, was different. It wasn't that we didn’t work a lot—we did, and we delivered exceptional results.?In fact,?we worked so effectively that we secured a project extension, with the client eagerly hiring us for phase two. But throughout the project, my colleagues and I were genuinely smiling—not just in front of the clients.

I remember my first day at Kepler vividly. Instead of subjecting the new interns to mindless one-way trainings, we were gathered in a circle.?We had to introduce ourselves and, through our morning interactions, guess each other's backgrounds—whether they were engineers, economists, or artists. This led to us playing games, sharing drinks, and simply getting to know each other. We trained for various hard skills as well. During the initial weeks, we went rock climbing, had painting lunches, enjoyed go-karting, attended parties, participated in outreach sessions, had ice cream at 2 am, and more! We met outside the firm over the weekends to hang out or play football.

Kepler is full of systems that enable its culture. The fun part is that these systems are run by consultants, and we make up the real team.? It’s always easy to share ideas and collaborate on how our next outing should be, how recruitment can be improved, what can be done for wellness, how we can efficiently operate MS tools, and much more! The office environment fosters a sense of pushing each other, supporting and succeeding as a team.??When the work started ten days into the firm, it became easier to put in the hours. During the project, we were able to pull in a consultant unofficially for a day or two to help with our dashboard design because she was a good designer who was instantly ready to lend a hand.? Why wouldn’t you want to help your friends, especially those with whom you’ve shared genuine fun outings? Instead of staying confused and feeling pressured, my manager already knew me well and could allocate work that played to my strengths. He was also able to give me regular feedback on what needed improvement.?

It’s funny when you think about other firms’ partners promising clients stars and moons while their consultants just want to catch up on sleep. Our firm kept “Employees First,” which translated to us keeping “Clients First.” I was allowed to present my work in front of the CFO, who appreciated our efforts greatly. We eventually got hired for phase two as well. And we celebrated Kepler-style, with no one in a rush to go home because each other's company was genuinely enjoyable. ?

Kepler is a people-centric company. As my internship days came to an end, I was grateful for all the learnings I had at the firm—client exposure, problem-solving, MS tools skills, work management, and the list goes on.

I also knew that I would genuinely miss the people I had met here.?That’s how you know you can come back to a firm full-time after completing school—when you can act honestly and authentically. At Kepler, you don’t have to lie to your colleagues, the client, or yourself. Less politics, more camaraderie—that’s how it works at Kepler.

To learn more about the work and team at Kepler Cannon, head over to our website.