Alicia Kortenoever Interview

Alicia Kortenoever Lepe started out as an intern in our Amsterdam office. Read on to find out how she knew she wanted to stay with the company as a consultant after her very first week.

1. Why did you want to do an internship at Simon-Kucher & Partners?

As a student at Erasmus University, I got in touch with several international consulting firms, including Simon-Kucher & Partners. Simon-Kucher stood out to me because of how approachable the consultants were. I also liked the focus on “blue ocean” projects, e.g. projects based on product launches or the development and pricing of service offerings that don’t involve restructuring the business or reducing costs (overhead). These projects tend to be well received by the clients’ staff, which makes working together more pleasant. Given my Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) background and limited consulting experience, I opted for an internship after finishing up my master’s degree, so I could gain first-hand insight into the industry before committing for a longer period of time.

2. What was the most memorable day of your internship?

The first time I participated in a findings validation workshop at the client’s site. I remember feeling excited to meet the client’s representatives and receive their feedback on the analyses I had worked so hard on.

3. When did you realize you wanted to become a consultant?

Right from the first day, both my project team and the rest of the office made me feel really welcome. The Partners and project managers went out of their way to make sure I had the resources I needed to achieve my personal development goals. With all this support and my newly discovered passion for pricing, I knew I wanted to start as a Consultant after the first few weeks of my internship. Luckily, the feeling was mutual, and I was able to sign the contract halfway through my internship.

4. What made the biggest impression on you during your time at Simon-Kucher?

My assigned mentor, who was also my project manager at the time. Not only did I learn the skills for the job from her, but she also introduced me to different aspects of consulting work (e.g. developing proposals, organizing seminars). I also really appreciate how she involved me in organizing social activities, such as the office ski trip, which taught me a lot and helped get me even more excited about working here.

5. What is the difference between being an intern and being a consultant?

As an intern, you’re a full member of the project team. You’re asked (and expected) to participate in all facets of project work, from discussing hypotheses to giving presentations to clients. As a consultant, you’re given responsibility over increasingly large portions of projects. This allows you to continue challenging yourself and provides ample opportunity for personal growth. And of course, your remuneration picks up a bit as well.

6. What advice would you give to students who are getting ready for an internship or consultant job?

Don’t just go for the biggest name consultancies that recruit on campus. Even within the field of strategy consulting, there are vast differences in focus areas and approaches. Ideally, as a graduate, you want to be working for a company whose mission you support completely.

7. What is the most important lesson you’ve learned?

Only part of the solution to your client’s problem comes from the available data and research. Tailoring the ideal approach also requires listening to every stakeholder, incorporating their wishes, and thinking creatively. Having in-depth knowledge of Excel is helpful, but it is more important that your results convince the Simon-Kucher project managers and the company contacts. In other words, it’s the people involved in the project that make it about more than just Excel jockeying.