David Gethin, Consulting Senior Associate, PwC

What does a typical day look like for you? 

My days are varied. It depends on what project and I’m working on and the client I’m working with. The work we do is with different companies in different sectors and can vary in length from working on a project for week to a couple of years.  

At the moment, I’m working in the healthcare sector and I’m doing a lot of work in stakeholder engagement and issue resolution. We’re trying to implement a new ID system. It’s very interesting work involving a lot of communication skills and stakeholder management. 

What are the main skills you need to be successful in your roles? 

Flexibility and the ability to adapt. The work is always changing so you need to be comfortable with working in areas that you might not be very knowledgeable in. You’ll need to use certain base skills to help the client with the issues you’re trying to solve with them. 

You also need the curiosity to learn about the industry or sector that you’re working in. 

What was your career break? 

In 2014, I started global business and French at DCU. I first spent two years at DCU and then two years in France at a partner college. When I came back, in my final year, I applied for a graduate programme at PWC in the advisory department. I went through the graduate programme and have stayed on since then. 

What advice would you have for a current student? 

Be curious and build on that curiosity. Everybody has an innate sense of curiosity, especially in college when you’re trying to figure out what kind of work you want to get into. 

Hone that curiosity and use it to your advantage. It is a very useful skill. 

How have you adjusted to working from home? 

It was difficult but everybody went through it together. PWC where very helpful in accommodating us from a technology standpoint. We had systems in place that allowed us to work together collaboratively online. 

Now that we’re going back to hybrid working, it’s good to have that mix and to get to see my co-workers again in person.  

What do you like about your job? 

I’m constantly learning new things; no two days are the same. I enjoy working with new clients in new sectors. 

I find it very interesting working with companies in new sectors that I previously knew very little about.