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Julius Powell: M.S. Managerial Sciences 2007
Education
M.S. Managerial Sciences-Business Analysis May 2007
Duke University, B.A. Germanic Languages and Literature May 2005
Work at KPMG
I will be in KPMG's Transaction Advisory Services branch, which is essentially merger and acquisition consulting division. My main focus will be modeling the underlying business performance and projections of companies as a basis for strategic analysis and transaction decisions.
How did you find your current position?
It was all about people. When I left work to study full-time, the people I knew took an interest in my field. By telling individuals in my network exactly what type of opportunity I was seeking after my studies, I was able to double my job search efforts. A former co-worker from the Chamber, who had recently moved back to Germany, happened to meet someone from KPMG through a friend of hers on ski trip in Germany.
The person from KPMG, Tanja, emailed me referencing my former co-worker and encouraged me to send her my resume. We spoke on the phone several times and I actually told her I didn't think I was qualified or interested in the role she initially described. She then described a Business Modeling group headed by a co-worker which might be a better fit.
I did some additional research about the group via their website and felt this was the right fit. I followed up by contacting Tanja, submitting a formal application, and a week later the head of the Business Modeling group contacted me. Following a phone interview, a formal interview via video conference was scheduled with him and his superior, a partner at KPMG in Dusseldorf. A few hours after the interview, they called and made their offer, which I accepted a week later. Bottom line: four degrees and six time zones of separation.
What's different about the international job search process?
I applied for positions in 3 different German-speaking countries, and the largest hurdle was knowing what documentation was expected in their environment. For example, instead of a resume, I had to submit a full curriculum vitae, a picture, and my high-school transcripts! I contacted people who were familiar with the process and could explain any differences. I looked at example applications on their websites and called the company itself to ask for advice. They were extremely helpful.
How did you evaluate the Job Offer and Cost of Living issues?
I had never been to Dusseldorf, but knew that the Department of State and Census Bureau did cost comparisons of American cities. After looking into it, I saw that they compared many international cities as well, and Dusseldorf was one of them.
Germans pay higher taxes, so I contacted people I knew to find out which tax bracket I would be in, which told me what my offer looked like, after taxes.
What advice would you give Robinson students who are seeking opportunities Internationally?
Throw out your assumptions and don't be afraid to ask dumb questions. The company you are interviewing with is interested in you because of your outsider perspective and my experience is they know that you're not going to have all the answers. In fact, it's a two way street, they asked me a lot of questions about our grading system because 4.0 in Germany is the equivalent of a D average! Although Robinson's transcript describes qualitatively what a 4.0 is, I still had to explain it to them in terms they could grasp.
For example, during the process, I asked them about Health Insurance and discovered that companies in Germany don't provide employees with Health Care Coverage because of their National Health Care system. KPMG indicated that this was a very good question and they were able to help me understand what options were available.
How were you able to change functional areas?
By having individuals in my network, who knew my professional strengths and had confidence in my abilities. They were able to confidently make the connection between my previous work experience and the degree I was pursuing at Robinson. Based on this, they were able to confidently make recommendations – and a personal recommendation easily trumps any reservations a company has about hiring someone in career transition.
I chose to attend Robinson because...
Because of Robinson's central location and great reputation here in Atlanta. Thanks to Robinson's proximity to the economic activity in Atlanta, your classmates are really what makes Atlanta business thrive. And because so many Atlanta executives have been through or are familiar with Robinson, you get instant recognition when you tell people that you're in the program.
University highlights, achievements and awards:
GBA President experience
My favorite things about Robinson are…
My classmates. Discussions with them inside and outside the classroom are incredibly informative, and really enhance the coursework.
Even though you landed this job through networking, how did Robinson's Career Management Center help you?
RCMC is full of knowledgeable people who can tell you what you need to get a job. Beyond resume reviews, they have a familiarity with industries that can truly help you see options in places where you normally wouldn't.
Additionally, RCM provides access to databases such as WetFeet and Vault. Although my position with KPMG is in Germany, I was able to go into these databases and pull chapters of background information about KPMG operations world-wide – something essential to evaluating the company's history and future direction.
My favorite professor is...
Skip Schutz, without a doubt. He teaches what many students consider some of the most difficult material in the program, but really knows how to make it stick with you. His classes are entertaining, his examples bring the lessons to life, and he presents the material in such a way that you can go into work the next day and apply it immediately.
My long-term professional goal is…
Unlike most people, I'm not set on being CEO of a company. I'd like to make partner in a small consultancy – maybe my own firm – and dedicate a lot of my time to consulting not-for-profits.
Any future education goals?
I'd like to return to my undergrad alma mater and attend Duke Law - if they'll have me.
Outside of work, what's important to you?
I'm naturally a very inquisitive person, so it's important to me that I get intellectual stimulation in a broad range of areas. For example, my undergraduate focus was on Germanic linguistics, and I still enjoy trying to translate medieval Scandinavian literature.
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