People, regardless of their origin, dream to succeed and make it big in life. The most common approach – perform well in high school, get into a well-reputed college, enter a notable university, and land the perfect job. In theory, these elements work together to help individuals establish careers in their respective fields, helping them achieve all other life goals. It may seem like a well-drafted roadmap, but it is idealistic and often far from reality. Unfortunately, the reality is different, and things are not that simple, not even for those who have aced their academics.
Even when an individual performs well academically or gets into any of the world’s top-tier universities, job hunting can still be challenging. The biggest obstacle in a new graduate’s journey to finding the desired job is often ‘lack of experience.’ With many companies looking for people to have some industry experience, this can leave job searchers, especially new graduates, disillusioned with the lack of opportunity.
Bringing a fresh new perspective to the recruitment process is the global strategy consulting firm, OC&C Strategy Consultants. Operating in the industry for more than three decades, this company has contributed to the evolution of the recruitment process. The company has eleven offices globally, and they send recruitment teams to universities and colleges to meet and present to soon-to-be graduates. Even though this recruitment practice is common among companies, what sets OC&C Strategy Consultants apart is they “put less emphasis on the university attended and discipline studied and more on demonstrable aptitude for creative and lateral thinking and willingness to learn.”
This approach increases the chances of new graduates getting a job, not based on their experience but on their potential, capabilities, and skills. This company’s recruitment process has convinced many students that landing that dream job can happen without them acquiring extensive industry experience. This change in the process pushes students to broaden their horizons and expand their portfolios.
Taking this practice a step further, the recruiters at OC&C Strategy Consultants request that applicants remove their name and contact information from their CV and cover letter. Besides a lack of experience, recruiters’ bias can also make it a challenge for many graduates to land the right job. When applicants submit blind applications, it reduces the chance of ‘unconscious recruiter bias.’
In addition to this, in 2015, OC&C partnered with Performance in Context (PiC) and implemented procedures to identify individuals during the recruitment process that have been successful in comparatively challenging circumstances – ensuring they are assessed on their true performance and ability. More recently, in 2019, OC&C partnered with Rare Recruitment and implemented its contextual recruitment system. The CRS allows recruiters to understand each applicant’s achievements in the context that they have been gained as they understand that not every candidate’s achievements look the same on paper. The result of this application process ensures a widely diversified team where gender, ethnicity, cultural and social backgrounds are celebrated. Diversity is a part of the company’s fresh perspective, success, and what sets it apart.
Another way this global strategy consulting company is making things easy for students and young professionals to establish a successful career is through its International Strategy Workshop. It is a workshop that helps a selected few students from different institutes acquire industry experience. The workshop brings together 24 international students from different academic backgrounds and gives aspiring professionals the opportunity to experience a business strategy case. During the workshop, the recruiters keep a close eye on the performance of each of these students. At the end of the workshop, the students who perform well are offered a job at the company.
A COMPANY OPERATING WITH UNIQUE STRATEGIES
OC&C Strategy Consultants is headquartered in London. It was founded in 1987 by Chris Outram and Geoff Cullinan. It has been operating in the strategy consulting industry for more than three decades and has eleven offices across Europe, North and South America, and Asia. While helping businesses thrive by applying effective business management strategies, internally, the company runs active network programs which foster and encourage diversity and inclusion. It has, with time, established a diverse workforce that is spread all across the world.
It regularly publishes Insights providing expert insight into their core sectors; it also publishes annual industry reviews. These include the FMCG Global 50, the UK Food & Drink Top 150, in association with The Grocer, the Retail Proposition Index, the Media Proposition Index, the OC&C Fundex, and TIC Index.
In addition, OC&C has, for a number of years, provided pro bono services to a range of charities and not-for-profit organisations. Since 2004, OC&C London has provided social impact consulting services to Impetus, pioneers in venture philanthropy. In 2020, OC&C London announced social impact partnerships with the Youth Endowment Fund and NSPCC.
OC&C not only helps businesses tackle critical business issues but also provides a dynamic work environment to its employees to help them establish successful careers. Its unique recruitment process, pay scale, the opportunity to progress, and its position as an alternative to competitors make them an attractive proposition to potential recruits. It is due to these factors that in 2020 the company rates 4.6/5 on Glassdoor, confirming their place as a workplace of choice.