Age: 29
Title: Senior financial consultant
Occupation: ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) consultancy
Company: iSP3 Solution Providers Inc
Hours per week: ave 40-50 hrs/week
Years in position:  Recently promoted; with company for three years.
Salary: $75,000-$95,000 + bonuses
Potential Salary: up to $115,000 + bonuses

Best part of your job:
Helping a client resolve an issue they’re having, and seeing a project that’s been many months in the making completed successfully. In this industry you interact with a lot of people and visit places you normally wouldn’t get a chance to. Last week I was up in Nome, Alaska and a couple months ago I was in Smithers, BC.

Why do you do what you do?
I do consulting because it’s fast paced. You’re always learning and always being challenged. Each project is different from the next - you’re not just punching in and out and doing the same thing every day.

What are the biggest challenges you face?
Learning how to work with a lot of different personalities. As a consultant, you’re expected to be able to adapt to whichever client you’re presented to and generate a positive working relationship with them.

How is this job different from others you’ve had?
Our projects are generally two months to a year in length. You really get to build relationships with your clients, and get to know the cities you visit. I’ve made a lot of friends through work who were clients. I also work with a really great group of people. They inspire you to do better, they’re all about teamwork and helping each other out, and they’re understanding of people’s commitments outside of work.

How did your studies prepare you for your career?
The Strategic Leadership Program at the CMA institute teaches you to think strategically and critically using real-world examples. For instance, you analyze cases that are based on actual companies, and everyone is encouraged to share their experiences from the real world. You learn from each other and learn what kind of leader you are capable of becoming.

Advice:
Remember that everything you do is a stepping stone upwards. Nobody finishes school knowing exactly what they want to do. Several times in my career I’ve had to make a lateral move or step down in terms of salary, but every step I’ve taken has led me to where I am today.

EDUCATION
Program name: Strategic Leadership Program, CMA (Valedictorian)
Degree(s): Bachelor of Commerce (UBC)

LIFESTYLE
Hobbies: reading, volleyball, snowboarding
Vacation plans: honeymoon next year, possibly in Greece or Brazil.
In five years, I see myself… continuing to work in a position that I love waking up for everyday, that challenges me to improve myself – whether or not that’s in consulting.