Hamish McConnochie

A deep understanding of how complex systems work, from governments through to single organisations has led Hamish to an international consulting career.

One summer break, after I had already started my studies, I had the chance to work in a policy role for the Real Estate Authority. This role opened my eyes up to the world of government and how decisions are made within it. From that point on, I was certainly keen to better understand policy and potentially pursue becoming a policy advisor as a career option.

The role of government will be increasingly important with challenges such as climate change requiring new minds, new ways of thinking, and new skill sets. I enjoyed learning about bureaucracy and the incentives of actors inside large, government organisations. For example, my most memorable lecture from my time at university concerned a series of social psychology experiments known as the Milgram experiment and how people behave when directed by a person in a position of authority.

My first graduate role was at MartinJenkins, a consulting firm with a large focus on supporting government clients. I proactively approached MartinJenkins, having researched public sector and public policy consultancies, which in turn led to an interview with them. Whilst having studied Public Policy undoubtedly helped me eventually secure this role, having relevant, part-time work during my studies also provided me with important 'real world experience'. This was really good for my professional development as it allowed me to continue to develop a broad range of skills.

I have recently joined TD Bank in Canada as a Manager in their Organisational Effectiveness team and before that was a consultant for Deloitte Canada, specialising in organisational design. These roles have involved working with my organisation or clients to understand their current challenges and goals, and developing new ways of organising teams and staff to better realise these goals. My work involves data analysis, interviews with clients and subject matter experts and application of best practices to develop design options that will help my organisation or client.

My study of how organisations function has also certainly helped me through the course of my career. Prior to relocating to Montréal, I lived in London, where I worked for the manufacturers of the OrgVue organisational design software, Concentra Analytics. More generally, my employment requires regular production of reports that are delivered to our clients and my studies definitely helped me to develop report-writing and presentation skills.

Living and working in Montréal has both enabled and required me to learn French. Learning a second language was not something I considered until after I completed my studies. I am really thrilled to have recently passed the Diplôme approfondi de langue française (DALF) C1 exam. 'C1' means you can express yourself spontaneously and fluently in social, professional and academic situations. I would therefore recommend anyone who has interests in living abroad to consider using their time at university to develop an additional language. Doing so has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.