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Protiviti

3.6
  • #7 in Management consulting
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Brendon Kim

With our flat structure, graduates work directly with our directors and partners to deliver client work, giving us the perfect opportunity to learn from the best of the best.

Where did you grow up?

I’m a proud south-west Sydneysider who studied at Hurlstone Agricultural High School (yes, that includes planting radishes in our veggie patch and herding sheep around the paddock). Fast forward a few years, and I filled most of my spare time in university with volunteering opportunities. My biggest achievement to date is coordinating UNSW’s Orientation Week with the Yellow Shirts, helping new university students transition into an important stage of their lives!

How did you get to your current job position? 

I applied to be a Protiviti consultant when graduate applications were open in March 2018. After finishing off my university studies and travelling abroad, I started my role in early 2019. 

How did you choose your specialisation?

Despite all the hours spent in tutorials and late nights with assignments, I was no closer to working out what I wanted to pursue once I finished up with uni. Having not had any prior corporate experience, I wanted my first graduate role to be flexible and open with various opportunities in terms of the types of projects that I could experience and the various skills that I could absorb. Protiviti was the perfect pick for me with their broad solutions, specialisations, and industries on offer for graduates.

What was your interview process like?

The assessment centre consisted of two formal interviews, a written exercise, a creative activity, and a case-study, i.e. a massive day of interviewing! The highlight was being able to meet all the graduates and employees at Protiviti over lunch to gain a better insight into the company. 

What does your employer do?

Protiviti provides consulting solutions to critical business problems in technology, business process improvement, analytics, risk, compliance, transactions and internal audit.

What are your areas of responsibility?

A Protiviti consultant frequently conducts client interviews, compiles and analyses data, and documents and communicates findings. We regularly get called upon for our fresh perspective to each client engagement, seeking out opportunities to innovate in ways that better serve clients. Outside of projects, consultants are encouraged to build relationships with colleagues and contribute to the success of the firm by participating in activities and internal initiatives. 

Can you describe a typical workday?

Consulting is super dynamic, so no two days are the same. One day you could find yourself at the client site with their executive team to understand their business problem. On another day you may be analysing evidence to find a solution to that business problem! In amongst all of that, I try to find time to get more involved around the office, so that involves helping with our social club initiatives or working to build engaging events for our next cohort of graduates.

I’ve just finished a project to ensure one of our clients have robust risk management plans and controls to ensure that they remain financially compliant.

What are the career prospects with your job?

I’m very much going with the flow with my career prospects, so my main goal is to experience a variety of projects across our solutions to discover the types of specialisations and industries that I wish to pursue in the future. Becoming a Senior Consultant in an area of speciality is the common ‘stepping stone’ at Protiviti.

What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now? 

I genuinely enjoy travel planning, so I wouldn’t be surprised if I was a travel agent in an alternate dimension!

What do you love the most about your job? 

Protiviti graduates get experiences that employees are lucky to get years down the line. With our flat structure, graduates work directly with our directors and partners to deliver client work, giving us the perfect opportunity to learn from the best of the best. There’s enough trust in the company for you to work with clients directly including their management team. It’s the perfect incubator to learn and grow!

What’s the biggest limitation of your job?

The project engagements that we are tasked from the client are often challenging. It involves understanding the dynamics and operations of the business within a short period of time and finding a solution to a problem that is truly unique to their business environment. Being in the shoes of your client, especially across multiple projects that you have been assigned can be difficult, however, I see this as an opportunity to time-manage and work under pressure.

Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student?

  • Leave the university with no regrets. Uni is THE best time to find yourself, get outside your comfort zone and be wild and free!
  • Don’t be disheartened by any grad application rejections. Finding the one perfect graduate offer is better than receiving a handful of offers that you are not sure about taking up. 
  • Career paths twist and turn for everyone. Live in the moment and let opportunities come to you!