Bob’s personal career path from consultant to principal

Coming from a technical background, our colleague Bob joined the Addestino team and grew from a generalist consultant role into the senior position of principal. In this blog post, he tells us more about his motivation behind the switch and his personal career journey.

Before joining Addestino, Bob had prior experience in more technical roles. Describing his past role, Bob says: “My previous position was solely focused on software development. After writing code day in and day out, I realised that I didn’t see myself moving into a typical technical lead position. While I enjoyed the intellectual challenge of coding, I knew that I wanted to cultivate a broader set of business skills. To make that happen, I needed the right environment, coaching and mentors.”

Just as he began to consider his next steps, Bob received a catch-up email from the Addestino HR team. “This time, I was happy to schedule a call,” Bob recalls with a smile. “What really stood out to me was their personalised approach to recruitment, which was refreshingly different from the standard tests at other consulting firms. I also saw in the Addestino leadership team the potential mentors who could help me expand my skill set and collaborate on projects. I didn’t have to think long to take the plunge.”

Bob was eager to complement his technical skills, he explains: “I had a lot to grasp about conceptualising business cases and understanding how technology fits in with the broader strategy at client organisations. Presentation skills were another piece I felt could use improvement, as I wanted to truly captivate people to convey my ideas effectively. Although my background seemed like a natural fit for Addestino’s expert track, I made it clear from the start that I aimed to join the consulting track and swiftly acquire those essential consulting skills.”

When asked about his personal development at Addestino, Bob mentions the pace of personal growth. “Dominique and Stefan have a knack for spotting the growth potential of our individual consultants before they realise it themselves. They consistently come up with projects that push us just beyond our comfort zones. This kept me in a constant learning mode – there’s not a single moment where things started to feel too comfortable. In my case, for example, I still vividly remember my first international project or the first time I stepped into the role of project lead.”

In a short period, Bob grew to the role of principal at the Addestino leadership team. What exactly does it take to climb the hierarchical ladder? “Being a principal requires certain fundamental consulting abilities. Notably, team leadership is also a key factor. Assigning tasks to team members while maintaining a strategic overview of the bigger picture is crucial at all times. Additionally, a few essential sales skills come into play. Principals often take on an extra responsibility in account management at key customers, where they are in charge of identifying project opportunities that clients might not have spotted themselves. Personally, I handle account management for three of our key accounts. While I wouldn’t have envisioned it for myself, this added advisory role suits me well and brings a refreshing change from the day-to-day analytical work.”

Bob points out the distinctive nature of the Addestino growth track in comparison to typical competitors’: “Big consulting firms tend to concentrate on shaping their consultants into niche specialists, whether in technical, business or strategy domains. The ‘up or out’ mindset is a real thing.

In contrast, every growth journey at Addestino is customised. As a consultant, there is a continuous feedback loop to ensure you can enhance your skill set and evolve into an even more well-rounded professional. If, for instance, you’re looking to brush up on your foreign language skills, the team is keen to invest in a language course. Moreover, short project cycles allow you to take on board new insights for continuous learning in upcoming projects, which helps to deliver tangible, valuable and actionable results for clients.”

Bob stresses the additional intangible benefits of his position. “During my time here, I’ve built a priceless network of contacts across different industries. It’s great to stay in the loop about developments in various sectors and gain a better understanding of the global business landscape. In addition, the extent of personal development here is unlike anything I’ve encountered in my past jobs.”