I have learned that at McKinsey anything is possible and I am always encouraged to keep trying until I succeed.

I can best be described as a “seeker."

When I started in university, I first studied architecture, but by the time I graduated, it was with a degree in systems analysis, workplace psychology, and leadership. I joined McKinsey because I wanted to be on a steep learning curve. McKinsey is fulfilling my need to be challenged, and allowing me to continue exploring the topics that really interest me. Rather than being asked to focus immediately on one topic or skills set, I have the full support of the firm to try out various different client engagements to discover what suits me best.

Everyone is here to help others

My most satisfying moments so far at McKinsey have come from making progress with clients, and our teams truly work together to help our clients succeed.

What has surprised me the most is how fun it is to be here. Before I joined, I expected to find really smart people, at their desks, cranking out slides with machine-like efficiency—but that wasn’t quite what I found in reality. Everyone here is certainly very smart. I just didn’t expect the wide range of personalities and individuality people are able to express in their everyday work. That makes work much more fun, in and outside the office.

Recently, I attended the Scandinavian Women’s Conference, which was hosted in Paris at a lovely castle. We spoke at length about “centered leadership” which is one of McKinsey’s core people-development tools. I got to sit down for three days with fantastic peers and inspiring senior partners to talk about my sources of energy and my strengths.

Endless opportunities to find my passion

Just as during my first year at university, I am on a quest to find my long-term professional interests and passions. There are so many opportunities at McKinsey, and just as many directions, in which to take my career. I am interested in business technology, lean operations, mergers and acquisitions, and I also want to work on the organizational health of companies. That is about five percent of the work that this firm does, and still the opportunities seem endless to me!

Education

Aalto University
MSc, systems analysis and operations research