Hannah Duerr, 25, a consultant analyst at LCP Consulting

“I studied business economics at university in Germany but I wanted to study abroad to gain international experience and a more recognised qualification. I gained my MSc in logistics and supply chain management from Cranfield School of Management, which has a close relationship with LCP Consulting. I didn’t plan to stay in the UK but the analytical approach that the firm takes towards its clients really appealed to me. I have been here for eight months and do a lot of work with spreadsheets, collating data. I have enjoyed looking at business operations and working with clients and colleagues on projects from Day 1. Clients appreciate what I do and say so, which gives me great job satisfaction.”

Erfaan Ayub, 25, a consultant at Fujitsu

“I decided that I didn’t want to be a programmer after studying computer science at university, but didn’t know what I did want to do. A friend recommended me to Capita, where I worked for a year before joining Fujitsu’s graduate programme. There was a training component but also work on interesting assignments. My most recent was with a telecommunications company. We were working alongside other consultancies and the client told us that our team was head and shoulders above the others, which was rewarding. I love the variety of the job, but the workflow varies. At times I’ll be working long hours on a client project while at others things will be less intense. I use the breaks to continue my development.”

Victoria Keyes, 24, an analyst at Accenture

“I studied management and Russian at university, but wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Consulting seemed like a good place to start. I went to an Accenture careers evening and was really impressed by the people I met. I could imagine myself working with them. I’m based in the Sainsbury’s retail function. The graduate scheme gives you lots of opportunities to work in different roles with different clients. I want to gain as much experience as possible. Consulting is exciting. You develop a lot of skills in a very short space of time and the travel is a real bonus – so far I’ve been to Amsterdam and Chicago. I hope to use my Russian skills, too. We have offices in Moscow – I’d love to work out there one day.”

Times Recommends

• Inspirational leadership
• How to get a new job
• The reluctant CEO