Building confidence with a graduate consulting programme

Carina Völkerling discusses how a graduate programme can empower young professionals to grow into their future roles.

Originally from Germany, Carina Völkerling, a senior technology analyst at BearingPoint, moved to Dublin to complete a master’s in business analytics at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. 

Eager to advance professionally, she made the decision to join BearingPoint’s graduate programme in 2023, where she worked on a range of projects with diverse clients.

“I’ve always had a love for numbers, and maths was my favourite subject in school,” Völkerling told SiliconRepublic.com.

“But I wasn’t sure at first how to turn that passion into a career. During my bachelor’s degree in business psychology, I discovered statistics and quickly realised how much I enjoyed working with data, transforming it, uncovering insights and solving problems through it.” 

Why did you choose this industry and this company in particular? 

Consulting wasn’t originally on my radar, but when I met BearingPoint at the university’s career fair, the grad programme immediately stood out. The openness and friendliness of the people really struck me and after my first interview it became clear to me that BearingPoint wasn’t just about exciting projects and strong career opportunities but that it also had the kind of collaborative, supportive culture I wanted to be a part of. 

Can you describe a typical day in your role and your favourite aspects of the job?

A typical day in my role strikes a balance between collaboration and technical problem-solving. I spend part of my time interacting with clients to understand their needs and business context and the rest on hands-on tasks, such as exploring data environments through SQL queries, designing target models or developing reports. Documenting solutions is also an important part of the role, ensuring clarity and structure across the project. 

What I enjoy most is the client interaction. Every conversation gives me a deeper understanding of their business and allows me to tailor our work to provide real impact. I also appreciate how varied the role is. Data analytics spans so many areas, and I love getting exposure to different technologies, industries and stakeholders across the business. It keeps the work both dynamic and rewarding. 

Did your responsibilities and workload change as the programme progressed? 

From the very start of the grad programme in September 2023, what really stood out to me was the trust the team placed in us new joiners. I was given the independence to take ownership while still having the right support to grow from the very beginning, which creates a great balance. 

Naturally, as I gained more experience over the past two years, my responsibilities have expanded, and I’ve been able to take on increasingly complex tasks. But even from day one, it was never about just observing from the sidelines. The approach here at BearingPoint is very much ‘learning by doing’, and I believe that’s the best way to build confidence, skills and real progress.  

What skills have you developed since being part of the grad programme? 

I’ve built a strong set of technical skills across data analytics and AI, through a mix of hands-on project work and self-directed training.  

‘Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone’

 On the consulting side, I’ve strengthened my ability to engage with stakeholders, communicate complex ideas in simple terms, and ask the right questions to uncover the true business need. Clients don’t always know exactly what they want and part of our role is to guide them, clarify priorities and shape the right solutions together. 

What have been the most challenging parts of working life since taking up this programme? 

One of the biggest challenges for me early on was confidence. Coming straight from university into a consulting environment, it was easy to feel a bit of imposter syndrome, wondering if I really knew enough compared to more experienced colleagues. What helped me overcome that was realising that everyone starts in the same place, and that asking questions and being open to feedback is actually a strength, not a weakness.  

Looking back, I’ve learned that you don’t need to master everything at once. It’s much more effective to set small, achievable goals and trust the process. Over time, each project helped me build not only new technical skills but also the softer skills that come with working in different project teams and with different clients. 

What advice would you like to give to future graduates? 

My advice would be to focus on building a strong foundation of basic skills, but don’t feel like you need to know everything from day one. ‘Learning on the job’ isn’t just a phrase, it’s the reality and it’s where most of your growth will come from. Stay curious, take every opportunity to learn something new and don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. 

At the same time, trust your instincts. Approach tasks in the way you think makes sense and if there’s a better way, your colleagues will guide you and that’s exactly how you improve.

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