Article
Campus Blog: Small office, big opportunities
By Christian Hynes
Business Technology Analyst, Consulting | Summer 2014 Co-op
Deloitte Canada is divided into seven regions, housing 56 offices from coast to coast and employing more than 8,000 professionals. Of these, the Atlantic Region is the smallest, comprised of three offices and 250 employees. There is a common saying that ‘bigger is better,’ leading people to assume that a smaller office cannot offer the same opportunities as the larger offices. This could not be further from the truth!
I had the fortune of spending two work terms at two different Atlantic offices, St. John’s, NL and Saint John, NB. In addition to the similarity of their names, these offices both offered a close-knit work environment with ample opportunities to shine. The experience I gained, connections I made, and opportunities I was presented surpassed my expectations.
With a limited number of Business Technology Analysts at both offices, I received the opportunity early on to work directly alongside managers, senior managers, and partners. I gained exposure to industries including public sector, higher education, consumer goods, and oil and gas. The collaborative nature of the smaller offices allowed me to build lasting professional relationships, because I quickly got to know and work with every person in my service line. My relationships with senior management gave me the confidence to express what I desired to achieve and connected me with the right people.
In just eight months of working in two of the smallest offices in Canada, I have been exposed to six diverse projects, had the opportunity to participate in the RFP/ RFI composition and orals for three perspective clients, and completed four months of onsite client work. In addition to this first-class experience, my supervisor was a partner during my second work term, which I would wager is an opportunity no other co-op had the chance to experience in any office throughout Canada!
Smaller offices don’t mean fewer opportunities. They can launch your career just the same as any other. If you approach working in a smaller office with the predetermined mindset: “the opportunities are limited for me here,” so will be your potential. Ultimately this is your career, and where it goes does not depend upon the size of the office in which you work. It depends on your mindset, your work ethic, and identifying how to make your office work for you.
Christian is a 5th year student at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. She is completing a joint degree in Bachelor of Commerce Co-operative Education & Bachelor of Arts Law and Society.
