Hi Siqi! You have two master’s degrees from LUSEM, one in Economic Growth, Innovation and Spatial Dynamics (2016) and one in Managing People, Knowledge and Change (2018), can you tell us what you have been up to since your graduation?
After graduation in 2018 I moved to Stockholm and started working at Deloitte as a management consultant. It’s been some fun years and I’ve been here since enjoying the life in Stockholm!
Today you work as management consultant in Stockholm, what can a work week look like for you?
The work as a consultant is very exciting and really differs from week to week, even from day to day. When I’m working on a project, my typical week would be being at client’s office conducting project work, which could include planning and delivery project plan, conducting hands-on tasks, having numerous client meetings, leading workshops, and sometimes even being onsite to see how client’s core business could look like, to be able to understand work in the different industries and thus deliver higher results.
The most challenging and thus the most exciting part of being a consultant is to be able to understand the core problems our clients are facing and find the solution that suits just them in the given time and situation.
Outside of project work, I would also have internal tasks where I focus on developing my own capabilities and supporting my junior colleagues’ learnings. Alongside this, I devote time in supporting business development, as well as taking part in outlining the strategy of my team.
You have two master’s degrees from LUSEM, what knowledge and experiences from the two master’s programme do you bring into your career?
I think the greatest benefit of studying both economics and business degrees is broadened horizon. The theoretical aspects combined with applied knowledge gives me a fuller image of how to view and consider different perspectives.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your current role, and how have your studies prepared you to address these challenges effectively?
The most challenging and thus the most exciting part of being a consultant is to be able to understand the core problems our clients are facing and find the solution that suits just them in the given time and situation. Connecting to my previous comment on being able to see and consider the different, sometimes opposite perspectives, is something very beneficial in my daily work. It is also very important to mention that the genuine curiosity of understanding the situation and the topic is also a habit I brought into my work life after being a curious student for so many years.
What are your favourite memories from your studies at LUSEM?
It might be surprising at first when you hear the answer, but I strongly believe that the best memories from university life is often associated with the great time you get outside of classrooms. Some of my best memories from LUSEM are created during my active involvement in student life, from the engagement in the student union and different student associations, to mention a few. It would have been a long list, ranging from fabulous balls, welcomes days to meetings with the faculty!
Some of my best memories from LUSEM are created during my active involvement in student life
Do you have any useful productivity hacks that you would like to share with us?
I think the best trick I have is not to procrastinate. It might be easier said than done, but one day in my early student life I decided that procrastinating does not make sense and is a hinder to productivity, so I started taking actions on tasks as soon as I had the chance to. You just need a few days to realize all the benefits of being quick at taking actions and you’d want to just keep doing that – it is only a virtuous circle from there.
