Campus Spotlight: Emilie Miyake
An Early Career Professional’s Insights on the Importance of Company Culture and Core Values
Emilie Miyake is an Analyst with Alvarez & Marsal’s (A&M) North American Restructuring & Turnaround practice in Chicago, Illinois. She earned her bachelor’s degree in finance and sustainable business from Indiana University – Bloomington.
In this Q&A, Emilie discusses the valuable lessons and insights from her college experience, the reasons behind her decision to join A&M and the challenges she faced in the early stages of her career. She also shares advice for recent graduates, her aspirations for the future and the personal attributes essential for success in her field. Additionally, Emilie talks about her favorite hobbies, the perks of working in the consulting industry and a significant goal on her bucket list.
Leveraging Academia to Prepare for the Professional World
Reflecting on your college experience, what unexpected lessons or insights have you gained that have significantly impacted your career?
At Indiana University, there is a strong emphasis on team projects, which played a crucial role in preparing me for my time at A&M. These projects provided opportunities to develop skills in collaboration, communication and organization, all of which have been directly applicable to my work at A&M, as all cases involve team collaboration. Working in a team environment has taught me to be flexible and resilient, especially during fast-paced moments with approaching deadlines. Leveraging these skills has allowed me to contribute significantly to the teams I work with at A&M.
Additionally, Indiana University provides business students with a comprehensive understanding of various subjects relevant to the business world instead of solely the specific major. This diverse background knowledge has been particularly beneficial at A&M since Case Management Services (CMS) deals with every aspect of a business when filing for Chapter 11.
Why did you choose to become a Summer Analyst at A&M?
When I was interviewing for the Summer Analyst role and researching companies, many firms were following a scripted approach tailored to what they believed candidates wanted to hear. However, A&M stood out to me because of their distinct approach. The A&M team members I spoke with were genuinely interested in finding the right fit for their 40-person team rather than simply filling Summer Analyst quotas like other firms. Upon further research into the firm, I was impressed by their extensive experience in restructuring, and I resonated with their core values. This solidified my decision to accept the role.
What motivated your decision to join A&M full-time?
My decision to accept the full-time offer was driven by the positive experience provided by the CMS group. Being part of CMS's first official Summer Analyst class gave me insight into their approach to building such a program. It was evident Rich Niemerg, the program leader, had invested considerable thought and energy to ensure the program was mutually beneficial in professional development, technical learning and fun. It became clear that accepting a full-time offer would allow me to continue each of these paths. The technical learning aspect of the Summer Analyst role also inspired a newfound interest in bankruptcy that I wanted to pursue, particularly at A&M, given their extensive experience. Finally, the culture within CMS was the most convincing part. I appreciated that the 40-person group fostered camaraderie while offering diverse team opportunities.
Which office are you based in, and how would you describe the office culture?
I am based in the Chicago office, one of the larger offices at A&M. The Chicago office is home to a wide array of A&M teams, providing opportunities to learn about the various services that A&M offers its clients. The office culture is highly collaborative and supportive of individual needs, which aids in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Reflecting on your career's early stages, what unexpected challenges did you encounter, and how did you navigate them to emerge stronger?
When I was staffed on my first case, I began to grasp the uniqueness of taking a client through the Chapter 11 process. Since the core concepts of bankruptcy are often not taught to undergraduate students, there is a significant amount of new material to learn. In college, I had grown accustomed to being an independent learner, but when I realized I couldn’t find answers to case-specific questions in textbooks or on Google, I learned to reach out to my teammates and tap into the industry knowledge they had acquired through the years. Everyone in CMS was extremely willing to help and patient with my questions, which made the transition easier as well.
Essential Skills for Success in the Consulting Industry
What crucial skills or qualities do you believe students should prioritize developing to thrive in the consulting industry, and how can they best prepare themselves?
Consulting is dynamic and fast-paced by nature. My advice is to practice being flexible and adaptable. Cases can change very quickly, sometimes right up to the deadline, so it’s best to mentally prepare for change beforehand.
On the technical side, if pursuing any career that uses Excel or PowerPoint, practicing keyboard shortcuts is an applicable skill to develop while still in college. Shortcuts will increase your work efficiency and help you learn functions you weren’t previously aware of.
Looking back, what advice would you offer recent graduates about effectively transitioning from academia to the professional world?
To recent graduates entering the professional world, I recommend absorbing as much knowledge as possible from your older colleagues. They possess the work experience that recent graduates lack and can provide valuable insights that save you time from learning independently. I also recommend being open-minded. This is a time of significant change and new opportunities; it is better to explore and discover what you like and are interested in rather than taking a back seat.
What are your career aspirations for the next few years?
In the coming years, I aim to continue gaining exposure to many different clients and industries. I aim to engage with every aspect of the Chapter 11 process to broaden my skill set and gain a deeper understanding of the job so that I can transfer that understanding to the next client. Additionally, as I develop at A&M, I hope to mentor recent graduates as they navigate their way into our practices.
What personal attributes or traits are essential for success in your field, and how do you continually nurture and develop these qualities within yourself?
Within CMS, attention to detail is extremely important when assisting clients in preparing for a Chapter 11 filing. With that, a unique characteristic of A&M is the level of trust and responsibility afforded to their junior staff. Analysts often work closely with the data, making it important for me to develop systems to check my work product. As I continue my casework, I create new ways to efficiently ensure that the product accurately represents the source data.
What are some notable perks or benefits you've experienced working in the consulting industry?
I can become bored if a job feels stagnant, so I appreciate the diverse range of workstreams and client engagements within the CMS group. After only nine months at A&M, I have worked on various projects, each with different responsibilities and team members. For one of my cases, we traveled to the client site, allowing me to meet face-to-face with the client and present my work. This experience was fundamental in my first-year development and reaffirmed my belief that A&M provides unique experiences to its junior staff.
What's your favorite hobby or activity outside of work, and how did you get into it?
One of my favorite summer hobbies is playing beach volleyball. The neighborhood I grew up in holds a beach volleyball tournament every year, and for the past eight summers, I’ve played in it with my brothers and friends. I also like to play pick-up games whenever I can; it’s a great way to spend time with friends and get a bit of exercise.
What's something on your bucket list that you hope to accomplish in the next five years?
One of my bucket list items is to travel to Africa, South America, and Australia. I’ve always wanted to visit every continent and was fortunate enough to check off Asia and Europe in the past few years.
