Last summer, I had the amazing opportunity to intern for 8 weeks at the specialist consultancy Q5. Having heard horror stories about summer internships and the consulting world, I was a bit apprehensive the day before starting, but Q5 was different.

Being a smaller firm, what really surprised me about Q5 was the strong sense of community and belonging that I felt while I was working there. Everyone was always very keen to go for a coffee and get to know me, making me feel part of a team where I could also give my input. Compared to other management consulting firms I had applied to, Q5 were really good at recognizing how my existing skills could help with what they were doing. In this case, since I study Arabic and Classics (I know, rogue), I had the chance of helping them with a proposal project for a public sector client in Saudi Arabia. This opportunity was extremely motivating and interesting, and I felt I was actually leaving an impact within the company. 

However, this was not my only project. At Q5, every intern is treated as a full-time consultant and therefore I was able to take part in various projects and initiatives within the firm, including an organizational design project for the Home Office.

My experience at Q5 truly made me understand the nature of what management consulting actually means, and allowed me to find my place and aspirations within the industry. With plenty of opportunities not only to learn new skills (I would have never thought I could have used Excel THAT much as a Humanities student) but especially to connect and meet a wide range of people, I would definitely recommend the experience to anyone at Mansfield who is ready for a challenge.

 

– Tommaso Crestani

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