Amancaya

Careers

Before joining McKinsey, I was in search of my passion. I was always looking for opportunities that could offer me something new, while also bringing my career to the next level. I found this by changing jobs frequently. After I got my MBA, I realized that McKinsey offered everything I needed: it would allow me to focus on my career and grow professionally, while still giving me the opportunity to try new things. What's more important, though, is that McKinsey has allowed me to discover my true passions.

Leading by Example

Early in my time at McKinsey, I learned how to step up and act like a leader, even when I wasn't the one in charge. It was a pivotal moment in my career: I was working on a study at a mining company, focusing on finding efficiency gains in their supply chain. I found myself constantly looking for guidance, and while my engagement manager was very helpful, he also recognized that I was holding myself back. He told me to act like the engagement manager of my own work, to take true ownership of it.

This was the first time I realized that I didn't need formal responsibility to make impact: the ability was in my own hands. And we really did bring impact to this client. We restructured their transportation network to bring cost savings, and we also increased the efficiency and safety of it, which is critical for a mining company. This change of attitude was ultimately what made my transition to engagement manager so smooth. When I joined McKinsey, I thought that I'd be terrified to be the manager, terrified to be in front of a team with no one telling me what to do. In reality, though, the transition was seamless; I didn't even realize that it happened.

A New Love and a True Love

Before coming to McKinsey, I had never worked in retail or consumer goods, and had never thought of those topics as areas of interest. I knew I liked shopping in malls and trying on clothes, but I never thought that I'd like working in the consumer space; I always saw myself as more of a finance person. But through the opportunities I was given to constantly try new things, I found unexpected passions.

I had the chance to work on a long study with a cosmetics company, which cemented my passion for working in the consumer goods area. I was able to work in a hands-on manner with the client, really developing strong relationships. This was a topic area that I really cared about and a client that really mattered to me, and I was able to convey this. I was able to show the client how much I care and that I’m in charge of a project, which helped me earn the client's trust and build deep relationships. My clients see me not just as someone who's asking for information; they see me as someone who really cares.

Working at McKinsey led me to discover the passion in my professional life, and in my personal life. I met my fiancé while working at the firm; he was also an engagement manager here. Who says that you can't balance your love life and work life?

What I do in my free time / my hobbies

I travel a lot; my friends and family are in many different countries, so I'm often flying off to visit them. I also like to relax on the beach. When I'm home, I like to spend quality time with my fiancé.