Jonathan Pryor

Jonathan Pryor, a 2017 communication major and entrepreneurship minor and a 2020 master of science in management, is a Business Advisory Consultant (financial services) with EY. In this role, he works with a team to help clients (financial institutions) solve their problems through creating CDD or KYC reports, improving process efficiency, or increasing profits through helping raise revenue or lowering costs through an operational perspective. The specific work varies on each project, and each project is usually very different. In a normal work environment, there tends to be a lot of travel (Monday through Thursday) to the client site in addition to some remote work.

What advice would you give students who have an interest in consulting?

Network, know how to articulate how your skills transition into a consulting role, and be comfortable in going through case studies. Almost everyone at Wake can have the technical skills to get a job but those three things can separate a candidate.

What WFU career resources did you utilize that were most helpful to you?

Case interview club helped me practice and familiarize myself with case framework. Also practicing behavioral interviews with the MRE team helped a lot during the process.

What courses, activities or experiences gave you an edge in the job search process?

ALP (now graduate consulting project) helped a lot. I was able to pull a ton of technical, leadership, and interpersonal skills from that project to talk about in interviews. Find roles throughout the project that will help you gain an advantage when discussing in consulting interviews.

What specific advice would you give regarding effective networking?

Wake Network and LinkedIn are two great places to find alumni who are also in consulting. Reach out to them to learn more about their role to find a good career fit for you. That can also lead to a positive outcome during interviews by having alumni put your name out there.

What specific advice would you give to students regarding effective interviewing?

Practice with classmates, MRE, etc. and ask for feedback. I used to answer interview questions with stories that had no relevance to job description. Tailor your answers and experiences to what the position is that you’re applying for.

Are there any books, magazines, websites, etc. that you would recommend to students who are interested in consulting?

Case In Point