“If I know more about data, I’ll work more efficiently and won’t waste my time and others’.”
Despite having loads of experience in management consulting, when it comes to data, Peace knew less than other professionals from the AI team who have been in the field for much longer. Therefore, he decided to delve deep into the world of data by signing up for online courses, studying one-on-one with the AI team manager, and culminating it with a certification test to prove his knowledge. Spoiler alert: he now holds a PL-300: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst certification.
To top it off, he accomplished all this within just two months!
How did he achieve so much in such a short time? How does being knowledgeable in data contribute to his career as a management consultant? What life lesson did he learn from this? Let’s find out in the article.
Deeper Expertise VS Broad Knowledge
Having graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration (International Program) from Thammasat University and successfully completing the first-ever MCAP internship program at Bluebik, Peace joined the Management Consulting team as a consultant.
He reflects that as a fresh graduate with foundational knowledge from textbooks, he prefers Bluebik’s approach to work, which encourages him to gain hands-on experience and on-the-job insights—something that sets it apart from other consulting firms.
“Some firms group consultants into larger teams of around ten individuals and assign them 4-5 concurrent projects. This approach helps build a wide base of broad knowledge. In contrast, Bluebik usually forms smaller teams of just 3-4 consultants dedicated to one project. This provides us with more time to delve deeper into the nature of the project and the industry, allowing the development of deep expertise in that specific area.
“I like to compare on-the-job knowledge and skills to a level progress bar. Let’s say there are 10 bars in total, each full at 10 points. In the same amount of time, consultants in other firms might gain 1-2 points across every bar, while at Bluebik, consultants might earn 8-9 points in one particular bar. I believe in high adaptability, as I can apply those knowledge and skills to other bars.”
Becoming a Data Whiz for a Data Project
Once, Peace was assigned a data governance project for a client in the retail industry. His focus was to assess the quality of data stored by the organization for usage.
Given the project’s enormity and the need for collaboration between the MC and AI teams, Peace, a consultant, was deployed to work under the AI team.
“Everyone in the AI team has a good grasp of data, so I believed reaching their level was a baseline I had to achieve. I also thought that if I know more about data, I’ll work more efficiently and won’t waste my time and others’. Otherwise, the AI team would have to assist me constantly, answering questions like ‘What is this?’ and ‘How does that work?’ I concluded that enrolling in a data course was the quickest way to solve my problem.”
In addition to self-directed learning, Peace received great support from the AI team manager, who helped review and test his knowledge using practical use cases. The two maintained a proper learning schedule every week for two months.
In the end, Peace concluded his data journey by earning certification. Yes, he now holds a PL-300: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst certification.
Delving Deep into Data to Become a Well-Rounded Consultant
“Back then, I was exhausted,” Peace said with a laugh as he juggled studying and preparing for the test alongside the usual work tasks.
In retrospect, however, he determined that, “It was worth every drop of sweat. I now understand why everyone cheered me on, as I can now reap the benefits. Recently, I was assigned a data project again. This time, I can communicate well with the AI team and keep up with the conversation. Most importantly, being knowledgeable in data adds value to a business-minded consultant like me because not every consultant has this expertise.”
For Peace, the deep expertise gained from the study, the examination, and the data projects broadens his understanding of how data is vital to any business. He now employs data analytics in finding root causes for business problems and devising solutions. His business strategy now has a well-integrated data storage and usage plan, increasing the practicality of the strategy.
“I remember Jab (Warot Lilahajiva, Head of Management Consulting) saying most consultants graduating with business degrees will only look at the business side of things, while in reality, there are other considerations to take into account, such as technicality and operations. Therefore, I want to know everything in the universe of consulting. I want to explore other areas and see which one fits me best. Diving deep into the world of data was a way for me to understand a corner of the consulting universe and transformed me into a better consultant. Next, I wish to explore other areas through working on new projects, such as product development.”
Cultivating Deep Expertise for Self-Development
Delving deep into the world of data was not only beneficial for Peace’s career as a consultant but also for his self-improvement.
“While working on the data project, I noticed that there was a clearer process compared to a business or strategy project. As soon as a customer buys a product, there’s data, not to mention other possible contact points that create data. Moreover, cleaning data to make it usable for a data analyst involves many steps. From this, I now believe that when I want to learn about anything, I need to understand every process and detail of it. This way, when I encounter roadblocks, I can pinpoint right away where the problem comes from.”
Let’s Explore the Universe of Consulting
For aspiring consultants, Peace welcomes you, “If you have yet to determine the types of projects and industries you want to work on, becoming a consultant is the solution because you will have the opportunity to try myriad project types in various industries. You’ll find your passion eventually.
