Razak Nganga, Consultant
An interview to discover what a day in the life of a Wavestone consultant looks like
What does a normal day look like for you as a Consultant at Wavestone?
First and foremost, I’d begin by checking my to-do list for the current day. Following this, I’d ensure that all the preparations are complete for any client meetings or workshops I have; I also have daily touchpoints in the morning or afternoon with the wider team on the project to make sure we are progressing in the right direction and to shed light on anything we are unclear on. Outside of client work, I assist with planning the monthly “All Hands” team meeting for the UK office, sharing knowledge from projects I’ve been involved in, recruitment activities, and partaking in different training courses that I am interested in.
What are the most exciting aspects of your role?
I have a plethora of things I could say, but the standout would have to be having the opportunity to be involved in different types of engagement such as in (Cloud, Cyber, Disaster Recovery) which have enabled me to work with different clients/colleagues that have helped strengthen my knowledge and understanding of different topics, and how they interlink.
What is your most memorable experience at Wavestone?
My most memorable experience so far would be Wavestone Inside. Wavestone Inside is a global 2-day integration seminar that is held twice a year for new recruits that have joined the company within the last 6 months. Our seminar was held in Deauville in France and this opportunity provided us the chance to develop our internal networks: strengthening our links with employees from different practises, businesses, management, and offices. In addition, I took part in different activities such as an intense and very serious cake decorating competition which our group won.
Very importantly, what is your favourite lunch spot near the office?
You can never go wrong with a good burger and so far, I am yet to find a better place than Bleeckers at Bloomberg. Bleeckers also won the award for best burger in the UK in 2020, so I would recommend checking it out for yourself.
How did you get into the technology consulting industry?
At university, I did a module in Information Technology Consulting which gave me an understanding of what consulting and project management entails – focusing on ways of diagnosing and interpreting complex organisational problems and processes through the lens of consulting and engaging in strategic project management. This led me to develop an interest in technology consulting to understand how consultants can work with clients to help them transform how they use technology.
What would you do (career-wise) if you were not in this current job?
When I was a teenager, my dream was to become to be a pilot. I spent more days than I can remember watching different documentaries, such as air crash investigation. Luckily, I did not pursue this as it’s unlikely passengers would want to fly in a plane with a pilot that has a fear of heights. However, I take pleasure in working with different people, learning new innovative ways in which technology can help organisations meet their business objectives. Given all of this it’s sufficient to say it would have been something similar maybe in a different industry.
What advice would you give to prospective candidates who may be interested in joining Wavestone?
Be open minded and ready to challenge yourself in new areas which you would like to explore and develop. There is a myriad of new opportunities at Wavestone which you can put yourself forward for; there are colleagues that are happy to assist you with anything you need help with, including of course myself.
How do you define success?
My definition of success is dedicating yourself to doing something and doing it to the best of your ability. This does not have to be just at work, but it could also be in your personal life.
