How Vera Elevated Her consulting Career

Vera, originally from Moscow, had been introduced to representatives from DHL Consulting during her master’s degree in International Management at the University of Cologne in 2021. “I was interested to work in internal consulting for a big company in the logistics sector,” she says. “I’d met with various consultancies on my course but the DHLC people immediately stood out because they were so friendly and interesting.” 

The trouble was, when they gave her a problem to solve, it didn’t go well. “I completely botched it!” she laughs. “From that moment on, I thought: ‘I’m going to get better at case-solving — and then I’m going to get an internship with DHL Consulting’.” 

Which is exactly what happened. In 2022, Vera spoke to a DHL Consulting recruiter and successfully applied to the company’s Elevate program, an internship designed especially for women that offers successful candidates hands-on management consulting experience. She started her internship in July 2023 and has since secured a full-time role with DHLC. 

What attracted you to DHL Consulting’s Elevate internship?

I had to do an internship for my degree, but it was also something I wanted to do — and I wanted to do it with DHL Consulting! Elevate looked like a fascinating way to gain real, practical experience before starting my professional journey. Not just a line on my résumé.

What were your favorite aspects of the program?

I really enjoyed the networking opportunities. I could to talk to anyone in the company, learn about them both as a person and as a professional and get their advice on further career development. And the project work was dynamic and exciting. Every week we were dealing with a new challenge and a new task, which kept everyone engaged and motivated.

Hands-on experience is central to the Elevate internship. How did this work in practice?

I worked mostly with a senior consultant who never once treated me as ‘just an intern’. He let me fully own my tasks and drive them mostly independently, which spurred my development and helped me maintain a very high level of responsibility throughout the entire project. 

Plus I was supported by a very experienced assignment manager. Among other topics, she taught me about the things women need to focus on in order to succeed in consulting. This is an environment which remains more masculine than feminine — but it is changing and it’s being shaped by women like us. 

You also got involved in project-sharing sessions. What did these entail?

This was a special part of the internship that I had with my Elevate mentor, an associate partner. We met every two or three weeks for an hour for an overview of the different projects he managed, with a particular focus on the other divisions of DHL that I wasn’t exposed to during my internship.

This proved very valuable, as I was able to better understand their business challenges and needs; and it demonstrated how DHL Consulting delivers impact for them with tailor-made solutions and extensive support.  

Did you face any challenges during your internship?

I received feedback that I wasn’t speaking out enough on unfamiliar topics. Honestly, I was confused and a bit upset by that because I thought: ‘How can I talk about something I’m not familiar with?’ But it was good advice. If I was driving a topic, I’d always be happy to talk about it in meetings and have lots to say. But if the conversation turned to a topic that I wasn’t personally involved in, I felt my opinion wasn’t relevant. So I’d stay quiet.  

How did you overcome that?

By talking to my assignment manager who was very understanding. She said that she had the same issue at the start of her career, and highlighted that this is something that women can struggle with particularly. She also made this point: when you’re completely out of the loop on a topic, you’re in a good position to see something that might be missed by the people who are close to it.

As a result, you might ask a question or make a comment that could be very important. It still doesn’t come naturally to me and I have to focus and think: ‘Okay, how can I contribute here?’ But that talk with my assignment manager encouraged me to ask questions and challenge a lot more. 

What type of projects did you work on during your internship?

It was actually one big project for DHL Express which involved analyzing internal documents, conducting country interviews and frequently aligning with the client. I learned how important it is to be diplomatic and careful with interviewees and stakeholders because they each have their own interests and goals which the consultant needs to balance.

And I learned how important customer feedback and customer-centricity is to DHL’s business model. Plus, all project work requires multiple iterations, and that its scope might suddenly change if the clients’ needs or wants change. 

Did you develop any technical skills and methodologies?

A lot of PowerPoint skills! These included how to make concise and effective slides, and how to use various shortcuts to optimize the PowerPoint-making process. I also improved my structuring skills. I learned the power of storytelling and how to get a point across to the client in the most effective way; plus how to conduct interviews and gather the most important information from very different interviewees.  

You were offered a full-time role with DHLC after the internship. What made you accept it?

I’d had such a positive experience during my internship. DHLC has the most unique and positive company culture that I’ve been exposed to, with lots of activities and social events. The work is interesting and multi-faceted, the salary is competitive, and you get to work with fun people.

I left the internship having made lots of friends. I started full-time in January 2024. There isn’t that much difference between how I felt as an intern at DHLC and how I feel as a consultant, which shows how much the organization values its interns! I do have far more training opportunities and additional ‘to-dos’ now, such as recruiting events, CSR activities and internal event organization. 

What advice do you have for future Elevate interns?

Be proactive. Show that you’re independent, enthusiastic, motivated, ready to learn and able to deliver impact. Understand that you’re taking on serious responsibility that will cascade to the client. Participate in social events and come to the office as much as possible, because then you’ll get to meet people. Get as much of an overview of DHLC as you can so that you know what to expect if you’re offered the chance to join full time. 

As a woman in consulting, how do you feel the Elevate internship benefited you?

I think Elevate has been a great opportunity for me as a female applicant. Consulting is still perceived as a very male-dominated field where in order to succeed you have to dedicate all your time to your job, be over-confident and assertive, and be ready to compromise on family and friends. I think this largely false perception drives many women away from the job, as they think this type of work doesn’t fit them and their goals. They don’t view it as a field in which they can thrive and succeed.  

Programs like Elevate target women and give them the chance to see the real world of consulting, where there are many strong, outspoken, career-driven women who do not have to compromise on being who they are and what they want in life to be successful.

At DHL Consulting, you see women in senior management, you see women returning from maternity leave to resume their jobs, and you see women leveraging their own individual strengths to drive their topics forward and create impact. All that is very inspiring and, as a woman, motivates you to continue your journey in consulting.