Updating Results

Kearney

4.2
  • 100 - 500 employees

Rhys Kilian

What is exciting about my job is that I can take cutting edge research and apply it to real business problems.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up and went to high school in Wollongong. I moved to Sydney to study for university. Now, I’m working at Kearney, based out of the Melbourne office.

How did you get to your current job position? 

Having not previously interned, I applied to Kearney through their graduate recruitment program. I started work at the start of 2019 and have enjoyed every moment of it so far.

What does your employer do?

I work in the advanced analytics team. My responsibilities include working closely with the client to understand the intricacies of the problem, then applying analytics techniques such as statistical modelling and machine learning to develop a proof-of-concept solution.

Can you describe a typical workday? 

While cliché, I’ve never had two days which are the same. The first thing on most days is to have a stand-up meeting with the Kearney team and client to plan the day ahead. Once I have a plan, my day will include working with various analytics tools and software to develop my statistical or machine learning model. The great thing about working in the analytics team is that I often leave my model behind which is implemented by the business. More often than not, I also have regular check-ins with the client during the development phase to ensure they understand how to use the model.

Currently, I am working on an inventory management project with a large Australian company. I am working to improve their supply chain practices by applying analytics techniques on their customer demand forecasts and inventory optimisation.

What are the career prospects with your job? 

One thing the world is not running out of is data. There is great demand from clients within all industries to better understand the data they are creating. I got to pursue a technical mastery path within Kearney, to become a true expert in the analytics field. Or, I could continue to improve my consulting skills to move into management on technical projects.

What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now?

Growing up, I always thought I was going to be a scientist or an engineer. However, going through university I realised I became frustrated when I lost sight of the bigger picture. The great thing about working in Kearney is that I can continue to improve my technical skills but directly see the impact of my work on our clients. I will be here for many years to come as there are plenty of problems still unsolved.

What do you love the most about your job? 

I love learning every day. There is only so much you can learn in a university degree. What is exciting about my job is that I can take cutting edge research and apply it to real business problems.

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? 

As consultants, we often work on tight deadlines. There are often hundreds of sub-problems to be solved and it takes quite a bit of planning to ensure that I prioritise those which will have the highest impact. However, I always feel supported by my team and they always help me to be successful.

A word to the wise...

  1. Focus on learning – if you’re not learning, find a way that you can
  2. Exercise and eat healthy – it’s easy to fall into bad habits when you start working
  3. Try and meet new people – you never know where opportunities will come from