Ankur Sisodia (McCormick ’10) graduated from Northwestern with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering. Since then, he has worked for companies like Monitor Deloitte and Google. Currently, he is pursuing his master’s degree at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

How was your voyage from from Northwestern to the job sphere?
I have had a spectacular journey so far. After graduating in 2010, I was primarily searching for jobs in the business sector. The economy was recovering from the aftermath of the financial crisis. A lot of investment banks weren’t hiring as many employees as they would otherwise. Thereby, I streamlined my attention towards the consulting sector. I spent some time at Monitor Deloitte, a management consulting firm. Over there, I got acquainted to variegated industries. Most importantly, I witnessed the emergence of the technology industry. Thus, I joined a startup in Philadelphia, which was centred upon mobile technology. After gaining the experience, I finally reached Google. My career graph has not been linear — it wasn’t planned this way. But, I feel that life is not a bed of roses and its the challenges and obstacles that make you a humbler professional.

So, when exactly did you get your first job at Monitor Deloitte?
I got recruited in my senior year. So, I was interning before the summer of senior year and I was able to secure an offer at that company.

What are some clubs and activities you participated in at NU that have really helped you at your workplace?
One of the clubs that I was passionate about was Students Consulting for Nonprofit Organizations. I was involved in the organization since its inception in 2008. To date, I cherish the time I spent in the club. The most imperative outcome was the opportunity to work on real consulting projects and leverage some of the resources and frameworks that consulting firms use. We built a strong network and learned experientially. Moreover, I was involved with the Ayers CCI dorm, which is one the residential colleges. I got the chance to host some business conferences which was a great learning experience as well.

Do you have any advice for our freshmen who are on the threshold of the educational journey?
I believe that education is a lifelong experience so it doesn’t have a start or finish in the classroom setting. However, I strongly believe that at a great university like Northwestern, you will be exposed to a plethora of opportunities to learn from your peers, professors and the miscellaneous student organizations on campus. Like thousands of other freshmen, I didn’t know the direction I wanted to steer my career in, but I certainly went through the self-discovery process and found my comfort zone. Thereby, don’t hesitate to explore the various academic avenues because it is a critical component of your development process.

Finally, where do you envision yourself in the near future?
I can see myself continuing entrepreneurial ventures. I plan on working with a start-up or establishing my own company. What I have really learned from Northwestern is that life is really fast-paced and changes are constant. Thus, I want to keep challenging myself every quarter like a true Wildcat.

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