Ross Kelley’s Post

Exactly 365 days ago today, I faced the most unexpected twist in my professional journey. As I opened my inbox to jot down notes from yesterday's meeting, little did I know that a mail with the subject line, 'Important Information About Your Role,' would reshape my trajectory. In a mere 30 seconds, I found myself breaking the news to my wife. 10 minutes later, seeking solace from friends Lennart and Oliver. Lennart's first words encapsulated the shock: "Don't tell me you are gone". Within 40 minutes, the unwavering support from my managers Oliver and Paul helped anchor me through the storm. The rest of that day remains a blur. Being laid off sent me reeling, but as they say, life is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're going to get. Looking back, this past year has been one of my most transformative. I'm certainly not grateful for the job loss, but I am thankful for the resilience it unveiled, the unwavering support I received, and the perseverance that has led me to where I stood today: embarking on my first day at the Deloitte Office in Cologne, delving once again into consulting companies on their #visualanalytics strategies. Acknowledging my privileges, I'm aware that not everyone experiences a turnaround like mine. However, amidst these challenging times where tech sector #layoffs persist, perhaps my story serves as a glimmer of hope. You hold the wheel of your career, capable of navigating the storms and emerging stronger on the other side. #business #careerdevelopment #mentalhealth

Friend: "Which company are you joining?" Me: "Big 4." Friend: "Oh no! Couldn't you find a better opportunity?" Nowadays, CAs tend to undervalue the Big 4 firms. Surprisingly, these companies were once the dream destination for many. What changed? Comment below the reasons. PS : Will share the reasons in the next post. If you like the dressing table, order it now on www.airendecore.in #Big4 #job #career #linkedin #linkedin #newpost #opportunity #decision #field

Do this to make your mark at a new job⬇️ ALWAYS ask your manager and other colleagues- “Is there anything I can help you with?” ALWAYS OFFER HELP. Be proactive in asking for work. One thing about working at the Big 4️⃣ is that you WILL NOT be micromanaged. There will be times when you might not have a lot to do, especially as a grad. But the expectation is that you will be proactive and offer to help your colleagues whenever you can. This is also the best way to build new connections at work and make your mark. 🎯 It shows confidence. 🎯 It shows initiative. 🎯 It shows your willingness to learn. 🎯 It shows your readiness to take on responsibilities. 🎯 It shows that you’re a team player. 🎯 But more than anything, it shows that you care about your job. #careeradvice #careergrowth #careeradvancement #graduatejobs #gradjobs #big4jobs #big4

It hurts to post this but here it goes… My journey at McKinsey along with my kickass team, the Data Viz Lab, came to an abrupt end last week amidst a tough, sad, and stressful period of firm restructuring. I'm grateful to my managers, teammates, colleagues, and collaborators for all the amazing opportunities enriching my journey both professionally and personally. With you, I had the chance to test new ways of working as a team leader, a strategist and a partner. My nearly seven-year tenure at McKinsey has been profoundly transformative, shaping not only my professional skills but also my personal growth. As an analytics, and business  data, design, and business intelligence expert, I've  - led analytics and data transformation initiatives for 50+ clients spanning private healthcare, public health, social sectors, life sciences, financial services, and retail, impacting over 40 million lives, including disadvantaged and marginalized communities. - worked directly with clients, including C-suite executives, empowering and advising them with innovative strategies that drive efficiency and transform customer experiences. - helped with COVID response strategy and analytics, impacting over 25 million people - collaborated with multiple nonprofits to address critical issues, including talent gaps in the US job market and the fragmented nature of the homelessness response ecosystem - had the opportunity to design and conduct masterclasses on data storytelling for both client and internal teams with 100+ participants, aimed at technical and design professionals empowering them to effectively craft and deliver impactful insights with clarity. In both work and play, I'm an 'idea guru'. Got a problem? I've got a solution—or at least a quirky perspective! I live for problem-solving, making processes smoother, tackling challenges that scare others, crafting user-friendly products, sparking innovation, and fostering strong connections that could outlast a zombie invasion. I'm seeking leadership and managerial level opportunities in Data, Analytics, Business Intelligence, and Data Visualization, eager to work with passionate individuals who value making a difference while enjoying the journey. As I navigate this transition, compounded by the challenge of being on an H1B visa (easily transferable) with a limited timeframe, I'm reaching out to my network for support. Any leads/openings/referrals would be greatly helpful. If you've stuck around until the end, I genuinely appreciate it – your support means a lot. Thank you! 😊 #opentowork #McKinseyLayoffs #mckinsey #data #analytics #datavisualization #businessintelligence #projectmanagement #productowner #peoplemanagement

Why is a someone ready to take the bullet to work at a Big 4? I've been there, done that, and I know BIG-4 is a corporate dream for many of us. No, this post is not about discussing the long working hours, the low salary, or sometimes the toxic managers you might have to work with. It is actually about giving the right reasons for choosing to work at a Big 4. I can guarantee everyone reading this post that if your reasons for choosing a company and your expectations of it are correct, then congratulations! You will have a successful Corporate Stint, no matter how long or short it is.   1. 🍒Cherry on the Cake🎂: More than anything else, Everyone out of an undergrad college is trying to glorify that piece of paper that we call a resume. Big 4 experience does wonders there. 2. 👯♂️Dancing on the Grave🪦: From the entrepreneurs to the MBA despos, Everybody wants to understand the corporate vibe. From the fancy offices to the sweet and subtle emails, they want to learn it all. 3. 👨🎨Watch the Paint Dry🖼️: Very few from the cohort actually join a Big 4 for the love of the work. Call it Excel, finance, risk, or what not, they love it and hopefully become partners in the firm.   Like I said, been there, done that. Choose your reasons wisely. #big4 #big4jobs #corporate #corporatedream #mba #big4hiring #job

I was once trying to recruit a person for BIG4 and he said it was his dream to work at one of the BIG4. He got the job, and it ended up being the worst job of his life. He said that the culture was too competitive with no work-life balance, He felt like he was a part of the machine that just never stopped. He said “I wish someone could go back in time and tell me that I have been chasing the wrong thing for 5 years” I could relate with him and that’s why I am in touch with him on LinkedIn and Facebook. The point is don’t take the job without understanding the culture first, Know what you are chasing, and Investing your time. So many of us fall in love with the Brands, big-name and professions that sound good like MBB, FAANG, Consulting, IB, etc. Before choosing a career path speak with people in the same profession to be sure that you are making the right choice for the rest of your life. Seek out additional information and make educated decisions. Don’t fall in love with a profession or Name, make sure you understand what you are chasing! Share your thoughts in the comments!

I was meaning to post this last Monday but I didn’t think anyone would believe me… …but after 15 years of working globally across strategy, brand, marketing and innovation for the likes of Accenture Song, Market Gravity, Deloitte., Deloitte Digital and most recently xDesign I’ve decided that the time feels right to venture out and do my own thing. So, it’s with a hefty dose of nervous excitement that I introduce my new strategic and creative home Grain & Grit - https://lnkd.in/e5N3K-VZ But why now? Well when my in-laws asked me at the weekend what I was up to (code for ‘have you found another job yet’) I joked that the reason I was launching my own thing was because it seemed the quickest and easiest way to find someone who would employ me. Which isn’t necessarily a lie! But behind the uncomfortable feeling of “not working” for the first time in my life, is the real sense of excitement about being able to stretch my wings and get out and continue to make good work with good people. Whether that's helping clients to uncover new opportunities for growth through their strategy, brand or marketing activities or exploring a few little creative projects for myself. The goal is always always the same. To make real work out in the real world. And to have fun doing it. I’ll be sharing a little more about what exactly we'll be up to over the coming days and weeks but I’m pleased to say that the spring / summer is already looking fairly busy. 😬 In the meantime, I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who’s helped me get to this point. You know who you are and I can’t thank you enough. And if you can’t wait for the next update I'll drop a link in the comments or please do just feel free to fire me a DM if you’d like to chat. Until then. Stay curious. #Strategy #Brand #Marketing #Leadership #NewJob #Agency

Hello Colleagues, Connections, Friends! As we enter 2024, I'm feeling recharged with the energy that a new year and a National Championship (Go Blue! 〽 ) brings. Sadly, the news I am sharing is less positive. About four months ago, I was laid off from Deloitte Consulting as part of broader restructuring and downsizing. I received this news just under a year after my return as a Graduate School Assistance Program Scholar following my graduation from the University of Michigan - Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Layoffs are not uncommon right now as businesses work to get leaner, but it's still challenging news to receive, and my heart and support go out to my friends, classmates, and colleagues also impacted by recent layoffs. Receiving the news elicited a complex range of emotions, but ultimately, I could not be more grateful for my time with Deloitte. Deloitte was my transition from a bioengineering background into the complex world of consulting. Consulting challenged me in ways I couldn't initially fathom, and the opportunities Deloitte presented opened my eyes to so much of the world and what my career could become. I'm incredibly thankful for all the mentors, guides, and friends I met along the way to realizing tremendous growth over the past seven years. As such, I am back on the job market and fully embracing the uncertainty but, most importantly, the excitement new opportunities bring! 💪 What am I looking for now? 🤷♂️ Quite simply, three things... 💡 Purpose: An environment where I can strongly impact my future team, organization, and customers 📈 Growth Potential: The opportunity to develop new skills, refine my current skills, and continuously learn 🙌 Team-Driven Culture: The chance to work alongside highly collaborative and generally fantastic individuals ✍ Functions/Roles of Interest (Non-exhaustive!) -Chief of Staff -Strategy and Operations -Marketing -Program Management -Business Development ☝ Industries & Sectors of Interest (Non-exhaustive!) -Healthtech -Fitness Tech, Services, or Products -Wellness Tech, Services, or Products -Biotech Industry-wise... I want to continue focusing on the broader healthcare and wellness industry. More specifically, it's the intersection of health, wellness, and technology and the possibilities that this intersection can unlock to improve our lives that excite me. I want that to be at the forefront of my professional life. How can you help? 🤝 I have been fortunate to interview with several companies so far; however, the job market is incredibly competitive. I am reaching out for visibility, reach, and any support you can provide. If you're free to catch up, have any leads/warm intros, can provide LinkedIn recommendations, or want to like/share/comment for reach, I'd greatly appreciate any and all help! I would be thrilled to reconnect, discuss each other's lives, and learn how we can help each other. Cheers to the next adventure! 🎉 Andy Gifford

9-5: A Myth of My 20s I landed my first job after graduating at Ericsson, where I used to work from 9 to 5 strictly. Why? Because I had been ingrained with the notion that my work should only encompass the hours I was compensated for. I distinctly recall leaving the office at 5 pm without exception and rejecting weekend work outright. It was a purely transactional relationship. The outcome was clear: my personal learning was limited, and consequently, my professional growth stagnated. I was never the go-to person in challenging situations. The same story continued during my second job in Chicago. Then, one day, my friend with a similar background to mine was awarded an opportunity to work on a Microsoft project in Seattle. Our manager chose him over me. It was a wake-up call for me. I noticed the difference in my friend's and my approach. He was hungry to learn, prioritized outcomes over hours, and was driven by the company's success. I decided to change my mindset. ✅ I stopped watching the clock if my task wasn't finished. ✅ I focused on providing genuine value. ✅ I made sure to support my team when they needed me. Result: I had an amazing three years at Deloitte. I still maintain great relationships with my team there. 🚀🚀🚀 💡Don't be swayed by the facade of 9-5 work hours showcased on social media. If you seek exponential growth, you need to work hard, at least for the first few years of your career, and deliver value. Otherwise, don't complain about growth slower than the inflation rate. -------------------------- If you resonate with my content, please repost ♻️ it and sign up for my newsletter for more career growth tips (https://lnkd.in/gPBziwZ3) #8hoursjob #careergrowth

Quite often, becoming a manager is a typical next step in your career. But what if you don't want to manage people? This month, a reader asks our advice columnist Emily Durham, senior recruiter at Intuit about what to do when your boss wants to promote you to a manager position, but you don't see that for yourself: Q: I have been in a senior-level role at my company for the last five years and my manager and I have been talking about my next career move: becoming a manager. The problem is, I don’t actually think I want to manage people. Does this mean my career will be stunted? What is next for me? https://lnkd.in/gJK44HsV #CareerDevelopment #PeopleManager