Soumil Voma
After his first year in the Texas Computer Science and Business Honors (Texas CSB) program, Soumil Voma is still busy exploring different career paths. As a part of that career exploration, Soumil has become an active member of a consulting-focused student organization and has spent time networking within the Canfield BHP community.
Read on to learn more about Soumil’s extracurricular activities and career aspirations!
1.) How did you first become interested in consulting?
Going into my freshman year, I didn’t really know what consulting was. However, something that I was really passionate about in high school was helping out my community however I could. As a result, I was very involved in non-profit organizations. Through the exploration process of the various student organizations on campus, I found Texas 180 Degrees Consulting (DC). Texas 180 DC is a pro bono organization that makes positive strides for social change in the community by partnering with non-profit organizations. After attending info sessions and coffee chats, this organization seemed like a perfect fit for my interests. Then, following a successful recruitment process, I was able to learn so much about what consulting is and how it matches my strengths. Through impactful client work and getting to know aspiring consultants within the organization, I realized that consulting is the opportunity to make a difference in the world. Consulting allows you to work with various companies while providing practical advice to solve their business problems using innovative solutions. And through these efforts, you are ultimately helping out the customers of the respective client indirectly, which allows you to make a difference in the world. This is how I knew I wanted to pursue a career in consulting.
2.) How have you explored your interest in consulting as a Canfield BHP student?
The Canfield Business Honors Program provides students with ample resources to thrive in the future. One major aspect is the Canfield BHP community. The program contains highly motivated and driven students, which motivates you to be the best you can be. In addition, Canfield BHP alumni have gone on to work at great places, so companies want to attract the students in the program. Furthermore, the community has allowed me to easily connect with upperclassmen and learn more about the consulting industry in general. Also, there are a plethora of different student organizations on campus to make a real difference. Texas 180 DC has allowed me to actively participate in several client projects, where I have been able to provide strategy recommendations related to marketing techniques and corporate leadership. Another important aspect is the resources offered to succeed. I have had an opportunity to schedule meetings with career coaches in order to learn more about what I need to do to succeed in the consulting industry and how I can get there. In addition, there were several info sessions, coffee chats, and career fair events that the McCombs BBA team organized, which made it a seamless experience to explore the various different companies.
3.) How have your courses prepared you for networking and professional development opportunities, specifically within the consulting industry?
The Canfield Business Honors Program does a great job at making sure that students during their freshman year learn the fundamentals skills to succeed. Business Communication (BA 324H) has taught me valuable lessons with regard to writing etiquette and digital professionalism, which have allowed me to interact with company employees with ease. In addition, Professional Development and Career Planning (BA 101H) and Leadership Challenges & Innovation (MAN 101H) have allowed me to develop valuable skills, such as building resumes and cover letters, learning about recruiting strategies and business etiquette, and figuring out the best career path for me.
4.) How did your experience with Accenture prepare you for your future career goals?
The Accenture Leadership Symposium at the Austin office was a great opportunity for personal and professional growth. I learned so much about how to be a successful leader in the business world and how to leverage my personality type in order to become the best leader I can be. In addition, I had an opportunity to get to know the amazing people that represent the Accenture leadership team while also being able to network with like-minded UT Austin students who are interested in consulting. Ultimately, this experience strengthened my desire to pursue a career in consulting.
5.) Where do you see yourself working after graduation?
To be quite honest, I still don’t know yet. However, my ultimate goal is starting my own company. But, I know I need to get industry experience prior to that. Although consulting is my top interest, I am still also exploring software engineering and product management as potential career paths. I hope to figure out my career plans in the upcoming months, but I aim to be in a company where I can leverage both my technical skills and business knowledge.
6.) How does consulting relate to your goals as an aspiring entrepreneur?
I personally believe that in order to successfully pursue entrepreneurship, one should be focused on solving existing problems in the world. Through consulting, I believe that I’ll have the opportunity to not only have a stable career but also be exposed to several different fields where I can learn about so many different things and also be exposed to different problems to solve. Furthermore, when dealing with clients, consultants will often need to engage in an innovative mindset and use specific frameworks, which are very transferable to entrepreneurship. In addition, since consulting firms have such a large network of successful people, it makes it easy to network and find the necessary people when I may need to work with them later on. Therefore, I think consulting is a great choice to eventually pursue entrepreneurship.