When I tell people I’m a global manager for McKinsey’s IT services, most people would probably be surprised to learn that I started my career in science. But alas, I probably wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t studied chemistry as both an undergraduate and graduate student.
Since my high school years in Jamaica, chemistry has always been one of my interests. I dislike it when things are too simple, and chemistry was the only subject that seemed to sufficiently challenge me. However, I realized after a while that I needed more human interaction, and that spending long nights alone in a lab just wasn’t cutting it for me.
After graduate school, I got a job at a telecom company in Toronto, where I worked for about a year before being contacted by McKinsey for a temporary mobile coordinator contract. At the time, I had no idea what McKinsey did. I went through the interview process and was offered a six month contract. Even though I had already been accepted to a post-graduate program in pharmaceutical operations and regulatory affairs, which was more in line with my scientific studies, I took the role at McKinsey, knowing that the program was on the horizon for me.
Little did I know, the temporary role ended up turning into nearly a decade with the firm. There were people at McKinsey who saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.
Surprisingly, I’ve been able to apply many of the lessons I learned as a chemist into my work with McKinsey, such as my ability to make educated decisions in a short period of time and lead teams out of difficult situations.
My official title now is an expert in product service engineering, with a focus on mobile systems. In other words, my team and I are establishing a solutions strategy for mobile subscriptions and mobile devices.
Despite the fact that this is not where I expected to end up, I can honestly say that I am very proud to be a part of the McKinsey community - and that pride is only heightened by my involvement in the McKinsey Black Network (MBN).
Like many others, the murder of George Floyd sparked a desire in me to do everything in my power to connect with and support my community, and the McKinsey Black Network has far exceeded that. One of the most valuable gifts I received from the McKinsey Black Network is the ability to mentor and be mentored. I was fortunate to have people who pushed me to be my best and guided me through those early steps. Now, I’d like to do the same thing through the community. Mentorship can have such a huge impact on someone’s career, and I want to be a part of that.
The ability to lift each other up means a lot to me on both a personal and professional level. I was recently able to relocate my mother and sister from Jamaica to Canada, and witnessing and participating in their enjoyment of the experience has been both fulfilling and beautiful. This reminds me of how McKinsey colleagues help one another.
At McKinsey, the people are what make this place truly unique. They exemplify the firm values. They are not only the smartest and the brightest, but also people with strong values.
No matter where my career takes me in the future, my time at McKinsey and the people I’ve met here will be a guiding light. And if there's one thing I've learned from this unusual journey, it's that you should never let fear paralyze you. Don't put yourself last because you're afraid of being too much or too little. You're here because you've earned it.