We are less than one week away from Careers in Professional Services, military veteran, Emma Jude talks to us about what life is like for her to work for PwC — one of the companies that sit within what’s known as the ‘Big 4’. You will meet all four companies and others if you are registered to attend this year’s event on 27 September 2023.
Emma is a senior manager within the Defence and Home Affairs Enterprise Transformation Consulting team at PwC. She is the day-to-day lead on a variety of consulting projects, helping Defence clients to transform aspects of their organisation. While her projects are very varied, she often supports teams who are delivering programme and change management services.
What was your background before joining PwC?
I left the British Army in 2021 after 11 years of service. I left as a Major, having just completed sub-unit command with 1st Military Working Dog Regiment. My original technical trade in the Army was a Veterinary Officer, however I spent most of my time in Staff and Command (rather than clinical) roles.
What made you consider a career in professional services?
I loved problem-solving and wanted to work broadly across Defence and other government sectors.
Why did you choose PwC specifically?
I was able to speak to a lot of individuals at PwC before I joined. I was really impressed with how collegiate, passionate and knowledgeable PwC-ers were. It was definitely the people and purpose of the organisation that made me want to work here after leaving the Forces – and I haven’t been disappointed. I love working here!
How do you feel your skills from the Armed Forces community converted across to your role?
There were so many ‘soft’ skills I had developed in the Army that helped me transition into my role in PwC. For instance, the leadership and management training I was given by the Army, and the experience I had in leading teams was invaluable. My experiences of moving roles regularly in the Army and having to quickly get to grips with new ‘briefs’ also enabled me to be comfortable with uncertainty and new situations. The way we are trained to break problems down in the Army, not least through our operational estimate process, has also been really helpful.
What are your positives to the role and working for your employer?
I love the variety of my work within PwC. I feel energised by working with motivated teams and clients who have a strong purpose in what they want to deliver. PwC has allowed me to complete a wide range of both internal and external training programmes, which has helped me to rapidly develop as a consultant.
Did you experience any challenges?
I still miss the Army culture and people, but by working in Defence consulting I am able to work with serving individuals and MOD civil servants, which is great. It also took a bit of adjustment to go from owning problems to advising on them. I have overcome this by challenging myself to really think about where I can add most value to clients based on my skills and experience.
What tips would you share with anyone considering a role within the Big 4
Network, network, network. This will ensure you understand what the role(s) you are looking at entail (including travel requirements etc), and will help you pick up the terminology you need to transfer your skills and experience into ‘civvy speak’.
Back yourself! The people we are, and the situations we have been exposed to in the Forces, allows us to adapt and be successful in a variety of business environments.
Would you welcome a conversation with an employment advisor?
Contact us at the Forces Employment Charity where a member of the team will be in touch with you.
