Hi, I'm Erica. I went into undergrad convinced I would pursue a career in public service. For a while, it looked like that would be my path—I interned on a presidential campaign, and then in the House of Representatives. I had the opportunity as a rising junior to participate in Bain's BEL program, and I thought I'd give the full ACI summer a go to affirm that public service was indeed the right place for me. I had no idea I'd fall in love with Bain! And here I am.
It's a given that the people are great. For me, what's equally important is knowing that I'm learning critical skills in leadership and analytics through hands-on business experience, which will prove valuable in whatever I decide to pursue next.
"I can point to every project I've worked on and identify the skills I've built that will make me a more prepared, more well-rounded candidate for any job on the market."
One of the coolest projects I've worked on was implementing a major turnaround plan for a large restaurant chain. We got to work closely with our client to build the transformation plan from the ground up. We visited restaurants and met the team members who would actually execute the changes every day, incorporating their perspective in the ultimate solution. We collaborated with our client on a training plan, working to build and then put in place a comprehensive solution in restaurants nationwide. It was extremely rewarding to see our work come to life, and hear positive feedback from frontline team members and guests along the way.
I love that our office feels like a big family. People here really know me and have my best interests at heart, and I can not only be myself but also do well in the process. Not to mention, we get to eat lunch with a view of the White House!
One of the great things about this job is that the expectations are always increasing, and you always have the right and the chance to earn more responsibility. This is not a job that lets you get comfortable, but if you like a challenge then it's a great place to be.