Being a business analyst in Australia

I studied Philosophy and Economics at Australian National University. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I graduated. I really loved economics but I wanted a role that would allow me to do many different things and have an impact.

Clare B thumbnail
Clare B thumbnail

Working at McKinsey has given me many opportunities to learn new things from amazing people. My favourite engagement was a diagnostic of the Research & Development (R&D) spend within a multinational corporation. We identified ways the organization could spend their R&D budget more effectively, by doing their existing projects better or re-allocating funds to higher-return projects. My role was to figure out the return of previous projects and determine if the clients were working on enough projects now to hit their targets in five years. I learned so much about R&D, financial modeling, and influencing people. Following our work, the company restructured their R&D team and changed their project approval process to ensure they were working on the best possible projects. It was inspiring to know I’d made a difference in helping them get to a better place. A huge part of what made the project so good was the people on my team and a wonderful group of clients.

Outside of client work, I’ve gotten involved in raising awareness and support for mental health in the office. I’ve helped organise a Mental Health First Aid training. I’m also involved in All In recruiting, a group devoted to increasing the diversity of those we recruit to the firm.

If you’re interested in a career like Clare’s, consider applying to join one of our Australian offices; the application deadline for business analyst roles is at midnight on Sun. Mar. 12, 2017. Learn more.

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