Program Overview
For my education abroad experience, I participated in the Fisher Global Consulting – Corporate program in May 2021. The focus of this program is to work on a consulting project for a company that is located in another country. It is also to develop problem-solving abilities by managing a global consulting project with a team of other Ohio State students. The Fisher Global Consulting program’s structure is group based and the focus of the program is to work on a consulting project. After I chose France as my location, I was paired with three other students who also wanted to work with a French company. In this group, we designated a project leader and this person kept track of our schedule and would initiate contact with the operations director. The company I worked with was Ayming in Paris, France. Ayming is a global consultancy firm that has locations located in 13 countries. Due to Covid-19, I was not able to go abroad for this experience, but I was still able to work virtually with my team.
Pre-Departure Reflection
I found out about this program through another student ambassador in the Office of Global Business. I had spoken to them and they mentioned the Fisher Global Consulting Non-Profit program that they participated in two years prior. They spoke about what a great experience they had and everything they were able to learn by going on this program, including the amazing business opportunity. While it is only four weeks long, there is so much that you can learn about a company and their culture during that time. I selected this problem for a couple of reasons:
- It was short-term, so it worked within my schedule and did not overlap with my summer internship.
- This would give me the opportunity to gain global experience as I am working on my International Business degree.
- Consulting gives you the opportunity to work on a project or a problem from an outsider perspective, giving new and fresh ideas
Before I started the program, I was enrolled in BUSADM 4189, Advanced Field Study. This course spanned the last 7 weeks of school and was preparation for the consulting program. During this class I met the other consulting students as well as the students I would be working with directly. Throughout the course we learned how to work in a team, created a team charter, discussed conflict management, and completed assignments. We also had guest speakers from a consulting firm who spoke about their day-to-day life and taught us a consulting framework, in addition to creating a problem statement. Global consulting alumni also came and spoke about their experience with the program, how they documented it on their resume, and how it helped them with jobs or other professional opportunities afterwards. Getting the perspective of global consulting alumni, I was able to get a better idea of all of the impacts this program would have in a four week timespan. The class was helpful in preparing us for the cultural differences, how to conduct ourselves in the office, and how to effectively work in a team. These are all important factors and aided in my overall success. I was very excited to travel abroad and get the experience of working in a global office. I knew based on my research and from what I had learned in class, that the French work environment is very different from the United States. Therefore, I was interested in getting that hands-on experience and really diving into French culture. Growing up I spoke Haitian Creole and learned French in highschool so I am able to understand French and communicate to an extent. So I was excited to strengthen my oral skills and be able to communicate with locals.
While Abroad Reflection
Since I was unable to travel abroad, this program was all virtual. The first day, we met with the operations director who would be overseeing us throughout the program, as well as the CEO of the company that placed us with Ayming. This was an introductory meeting and a way for us all to get to know each other and outline expectations for the duration of our consulting experience. We also learned what we would be working on and what the company would need from us going forward. The meeting gave us all a sense of what was to come and set us up to succeed and gain as much knowledge as we could.
The time difference between Columbus and France was a bit of a challenge. We would have to schedule meetings later in his day to accommodate for the difference in time zones, in addition to personal “holidays”. We quickly learned that, unlike the United States, when someone is on a “holiday”, they do not respond to any emails at all until the next day that they are working and also once the work day is over, it is over. It was an interesting adjustment, but I adapted and soon began to do the same and not respond to emails or continue a task once my work day was complete. I also noticed that the work environment in France is a little more laidback. From the interactions we had with our director, it did not seem stressful or overwhelming, but more calm, which was a little different form a couple other experiences I have had previously. The actual work that I was completing was very fulfilling. I was able to help a company by doing insights, research, and other tasks which would aid them in the long run as they grow and expand. Working over Zoom in general did have its challenges, especially with my team members and I planning out time to work and collaborate, but never being in the same room. We were still able to be productive, but that was a barrier we had in the beginning of the program.
It is a little difficult to discuss my “while abroad” experience, when I did not actually go abroad. While this program had many benefits, I believe that it would be completely different if I would have been in-country. Being able to go into the office everyday, interacting with the locals, and exploring the country and culture.
After Return Reflection
My top 3 takeaways from this program include:
- Consulting has many different aspects, all with the purpose of bettering the company you are working with
- Virtual teamwork can be challenging, but by using direct communication and having a clear charter and expectations, you are able to work together smoothly
- When are consulting with a company in a different country it is important to understand the work environment and culture of the company
Upon completing this program, I began interning at a management, information, and technology consulting firm in downtown Columbus. After having this experience I was able to go into this internship with a little bit of knowledge about consulting and I was able to bring a lot to the table as a result. I learned that I was interested in consulting and learning more about what a consultant’s day-to-day life was like, as well as, what a career in consulting would consist of. Through my experience with the global consulting program I was able to get an idea of what consulting was and I had a base level of experience that I could put on my resume. While I am not going into consulting and instead working at an investment bank, I think the knowledge and the skills I learned through consulting are things that I can apply and bring with me wherever I decide to go. I think that consulting has many opportunities and can allow you to see small parts of different companies that you would otherwise not have been able to experience. In the future, I would love to have a consulting opportunity, hopefully abroad and really be able to put my skills to good use. Having a global mindset, knowledge, and relevant background is important and it would be an amazing opportunity.
One thing that I took away from this experience is that I want to travel more. By not being able to have a fully global experience through college because of the pandemic, this has only furthered my desire to travel and interact with people from different cultures, whether on a professional or a personal basis. I would also encourage future students to study abroad or go on any type of global program while in college. I believe there are so many things you can learn about yourself, your future career path, and so much more by taking the leap to go abroad. Oftentimes students are hesitant to go to a country by themselves, but traveling and exploring gives you a chance to take your time and choose where you go with compromises. I would love to go to France in the near future and explore the country on my own. It would be a chance for me to grow my global background by having real-world, hands-on experience that is not from what I have learned in class or from virtually working with a French company. A global experience can change the way that you look at the world around you and this is something that I look forward to as I venture out and begin to travel more.