Working here has led to a long-term interest in business consulting
Pros
I was among the first few employees hired on an entirely remote basis from Pakistan by Emerging Strategy. While I naturally expected compensation, work environment, and hours to be better than domestic counterparts, I was surprised to find that working here is more comparable to a relatively relaxed (but committed) US workplace. This is a small team of highly skilled, experienced individuals and being able to work alongside them in such a close-knit environment is a great learning experience for anyone interested in the consulting industry. As a recent graduate with a social sciences research background, I never envisioned a future in business consulting. But thanks to a brief, 4-month stint at ES, business consulting has become a possible future career choice. If it weren't for unexpected funding I received for graduate school, I would have been happy to continue working at the company. I've also picked up a surprising amount of industry-specific skills (including Excel skills, executive presentations, research, and most importantly, contributing to high level insights and business advice) beyond my academic background. Some pros: - Tasks and deadlines are manageable, and those setting them are considerate - The only occasions I worked past 6 pm were when I volunteered to do so for my own learning and curiosity - Due to the small nature of the company, I had chances to work closely with senior consultants and the CEO, as well as high-value clients, less than two months into the job - Generous leaves outside of official holidays. This was important in the context of my city's frequent power outages, strikes, flooding, etc. - Nobody ever micromanaged my time as long as I was meeting deadlines. Important for someone with an erratic working style like mine (I have ADHD) - Diverse international team spanning several nationalities and educational backgrounds. Most of the folks are genuinely interested in the work we do, mostly education sector focused - Scope for growth. This is a small, ambitious company and good work will be noticed, strongly encouraged, and rewarded - I felt like an important member of the team, even as one of the youngest and least qualified!
Cons
- Entirely remote, no office spaces in Pakistan. If you're looking for a social workplace, this is not it. The folks are friendly and very social, but distance and time zones can be a barrier, naturally - Time zone differences. I had to accommodate a weekly meeting that ran from 6-7pm, adding an additional working hour on Mondays. But because of the geographic spread, this did seem unavoidable - Some assistance with geographically unique challenges (such as frequent power outages) would be helpful. Perhaps financial assistance with purchasing power supply batteries, or a mobile Wi-Fi device - I had to learn my way around at least four different English accents! But then again, everyone probably had to learn their way around mine
