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Hi There, I am a finance and analytics professional with ~7 years of experience in domains like FP&A, OTC, Process transformation and Healthcare analytics. I have hands on experience on Google tools like spreadsheets, Google data studio and other internal tools. Have also worked on multiple Google projects with the PPG team in Google US.
It would be super helpful if somebody from Google can refer me. Please comment below if somebody can and I'll add them over LinkedIn and share the details.
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Says the analyst.
Focusing on drug delivery and biotech. All my experience is in oil & gas technology consulting. Is it pretty much impossible to switch industries? Is an MBA my only hope?
What would you tell someone in the opposite situation? (All experience in healthcare but wanted to get into oil and gas in your practice but was an engineering major)
This is a very common thing I hear at Accenture. It's not impossible to switch but don't think that you'll find exactly the type of work you are looking for. Accenture isn't an engineering company. What you are asking for, especially with your level of experience, is not impossible but very hard. As technology you will continue to do technology work. Yes, an MBA will help to pivot but if you want to do engineering you probably should have gone into that directly.
Or go now! Engineers can usually find great jobs!
Industry won't limit you. Technology probably will. Contact ZS on the delivery side. Have a clear reason about making the switch and what you want to do in the space - moreso on the biotech since that's a broad space
I would suggest drop everything and go to an engineering or pharma company. Or maybe to ZS? Staying at Accenture will never get you closer to that. If you left now and started it wouldn't be too much of a shock to come in at the bottom of the totem pole. But the longer you wait, the more adverse you will be to starting from the bottom and working your way up again
Use MBA to pivot
Move to colorado or washington state
Unless I misunderstood, OP doesn't necessarily want to be an engineer, wants to be a biotech consultant. Drug delivery can mean product, marketing, strategy, reach, operations etc.
Join Deloitte, you can network your way into a project in any industry!
EY1 is right. I don't want to go into industry as an engineer but want to consult in biotech and drug delivery. I have a friend at ZS, will ask her for a referral. And I understand the technology piece is limiting, which is why I was asking for advice. So you guys think there's a chance to laterally move into this or is an MBA probably worth more or my time and effort?
You didn't answer my question. What would you tell someone that wanted to get into oil and gas with no experience? Since you won't answer even though you should know the answer you would likely say they would need strong partner support. They would want to talk to them leverage their skills and ask them to take a risk or identify a role where they can build their knowledge but may not be the lead. Im in healthcare. People show up on my projects and don't know shit about health care. Drives me crazy. But in that case yes it's possible. Strong support, taking a chance and then also having the oil and gas people let you go is important. If they aren't willing to let go, you will either have to burn bridges or leave. Up to you.
Sorry I missed your question. Well firstly, I would be leaving Accenture. ACN doesn't have a healthcare practice that focuses on drug delivery/biotech. Will most likely have to go to a life sciences boutique. But yes if I was moving industries at ACN, I would need 1) partner support from the new industry 2) partner support from old industry to leave 3) someone putting faith on me to deliver on a new project. About people who show up and don't know shit about healthcare, I actually know a ton about healthcare, that's all I spend my free time on... but what I'm lacking is work experience in healthcare which would obviously show in the quality of my work until I'm brought up to speed.
I was aligned to retail when I first started at Accenture. Networked like crazy with LS folks, talked about my education background (BS / published research in biomaterials from college), and got onto LS projects. I'm aligned to LS now. Tech consulting would be the same across all industries though so you'll probably want to be in management consulting or strategy too.
Maybe try to leverage anything Hc at Accenture and then leverage that to an internal role at some of the large med device bio pharmas. Med device would likely be easier as well. Even going to MBA, your previous experience will pull you into similar things because it's just safer.
A4, that's the plan. My current project is an operational excellence/value realization role. So I'm going to use this experience to try and switch into MC. But I still don't think ACN LS does the sort of work I'm looking into, correct? I'll still try and land a LS project for my next project anyways to help my chances if I try my luck at a boutique.
Just apply to ZS! Wouldn't hurt if can already get a referral. You'd likely come in at the Associate Consultant level if you've had at least 2-3 years of experience already. And we don't just do biotech and pharma, we have a PI vertical as well. But within biotech and pharma, we do TONS of different work in sales and marketing. Plus little travel comparatively.
As a side note ... People at ZS come from a ton of different academic backgrounds. Tons of associates majored in philosophy/history/economics/insert artsy major here. No one tries to silo you into a specific area from the get go.