Welcome to “3 Questions with …”, a new feature on the Career Center blog. We’re asking alumni of all graduation years and career interests to share a bit of their experiences and advice.
Orhun Goral, E16, Consulting Manager at GEP Worldwide
1. In just a few sentences, please tell us about your current job/graduate program/vocational endeavor.
I work for GEP, a management consulting firm specializing in supply chain, procurement and operational improvements. A typical client engagement could range from helping a client set procurement strategies for multimillion dollar portfolios to transforming their digital landscape for process optimization through automation. I work with clients in various verticals, including retail, pharmaceuticals, engineering, insurance and telecom.
2. How did your time at Tufts influence your career journey?
As a Mechanical Engineering student, one of my focus areas was the energy industry. While some of the electives I took were on this subject, I also made sure to expand my knowledge beyond the classroom, with the help of my professors, by attending public conferences in the Boston area and following technical blogs/webinars. Putting in extra time not only helped me clarify the specific sector I was interested to work in as well as the problems I wanted to be at the forefront of solving, but also gave me good insight and content to speak to during interviews at energy consulting companies. In fact, one of the interviews I landed was through a connection I met at a conference.
In addition, I benefited greatly from Career Center resources at Tufts. I landed my first engineering internship at a reputable company by attending and taking the fall career fair seriously. When I decided that I wanted to pursue a career in consulting, I attended our consulting networking event and info sessions hosted by a multitude of consulting companies, making sure to especially network with the Tufts alumni in the consulting space.
3. What advice would you offer to a student who wants to pursue a career path like yours?
Network! Set yourself a goal to connect with multiple alumni or other members in your network every week. One of the best career investments as a student is to explore various types of roles in different industries not only by reading about them, but by speaking with experienced people in their respective fields. In fact, one of the offers I received in my senior year was through a Tufts alumna working in consulting. Although she graduated from Tufts four years earlier, we met through LinkedIn. She provided an overview of her responsibilities, what to expect from management consulting, and helped me prepare for my interviews. She was also kind enough to refer me to the position I was interested in. Even today, I still tap into our alumni network when I want to explore new industries and positions.
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