Chaput leveraged her experience of representing Elon in academic competitions and early professional development to achieve a full-time position in management consulting.
Hannah Chaput, a current senior from Albany, New York majoring in economic consulting with an Asian studies minor, identified her love of consulting through a conversation with the Student Professional Development Center (SPDC). Chaput initially heard about her future employer when in high school, but it took building professional skillsets in college to determine where she wanted to apply for a full-time position. Chaput is excited to be moving to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to begin a full-time position as a consulting development analyst at Accenture.
Chaput recently shared about how her professional journey was shaped by interactions with the SPDC.
When you met with the SPDC staff, what were you trying to accomplish?
As soon as I stepped foot on campus as a first-year student, I wanted to advance myself professionally. This looked like building my first resume and using designated private interview rooms, among utilizing other resources offered by the SPDC. These resources have given me immense confidence when going through the recruiting process for both internships and full-time jobs.
What did you learn from the experience working with the SPDC?
The SPDC has a resource for nearly every aspect of professional development and career-readiness. Some of my favorite resources that the SPDC offers include professional headshot photos, internship and job search appointments, interview preparation sessions and personalized business cards.
How did your interest in consulting develop?
During my first two years of college, I was a member of the Elon Professional Sales Team. While I determined that I wasn’t interested in a sales career, I enjoyed the nature of sales competitions and applying the skillsets I had cultivated through the team experience. I met with Cindy Sweeny in the Porter Center, who helped me to discover that sales and consulting require similar strengths. I went on to compete in the Venture Capital Investment Competition (VCIC) and Econ Games, which further revealed to me the variety of opportunities available within the industry and confirmed my desire to pursue a position in consulting.
How did having an internship in the consulting field prepare you personally and professionally for your full-time position?
Interning at MFR Consultants, which is a smaller consulting firm, also helped me acclimate to the industry environment and adjust to working in a larger urban environment. I grew up in a small city and Elon is considerably smaller than Accenture’s 730,000 employees worldwide. I really cherished the opportunity to intern in a more intimate environment before joining the largest organization I have ever been a part of.
Tell me about your experience in landing a full-time role with Accenture.
Recruiting in the consulting industry happens very early and has a short window. Knowing this, I spent a lot of my free time during this past summer figuring out when each firm opened applications for full time roles. Accenture’s career center allows you to set notifications for when applications open, which I utilized to immediately apply when the application opened in mid-July. I went through a few rounds of interviews and by the end of August, I was offered a full-time role!
What specific things about Accenture’s company culture made an impression on you?
I first heard about Accenture as a senior in high school through a teacher who had previously worked there and spoke very highly of the company. When I began to seriously consider which career path I wanted to pursue, I did more research into Accenture and admired the company’s history. Accenture’s ambition and dedication to innovation aligns with the impact I hope to make as a woman in business.
Which other faculty members did you work with to prepare for your job search and what help did you receive?
Brooks Depro formally introduced me to the Economic Consulting program and to a “consulting guide” that painted a picture of what I now understand consulting to be. The entire Economics Department have served as a support system for me throughout the past year and the journey I have gone through to get to Accenture. I would particularly like to thank my advisor, Katy Rouse, and Steve DeLoach.
What recommendations would you share with other students about the Student Professional Development Center?
It is never too early to get a head start on professional development. By taking advantage of resources early, I was able to seize opportunities through the business school that I would have never imagined achieving otherwise!