When did you join Expleo?
June 2022
How was your first day at Expleo?
It went smoothly I had my induction on the first day. I also met Shivani, the Head of Business Architecture and Analysis, and I had some good conversations with her. She reached out to me on LinkedIn to say that she was excited to have me join Expleo, so it was nice that when I came in on that first day, I already saw some friendly faces. It was a welcoming experience, and the induction was great, and well put together. There was lots of good conversations and speakers throughout the day that gave me an insight into what consultant life would be like and it was useful to hear about what to expect, and how to manage client’s needs consistently.
We also had a group lunch, where I had the opportunity to meet people from different areas of the business.
What's a typical day in the life of a Business Analyst like?
When you’re working with a client, it’s important to speak with your team first thing in the morning to understand what the priorities are for the day, including current tasks and new work on the horizon. There’s always a series of tasks that need to be completed at any one time. There’s always different meetings or workshops that you need to attend or documentation to complete, upkeep or be signed off. But typically, it’s about harnessing relationships with stakeholders picking up different pieces of work, analysing different information and presenting options back to the client and then working through the actions. No two days are the same, tasks vary daily when working with a client and it’s probably what I love most about my role.
Expleo focuses on how you want to use your own time and develop your own career when you’re in between clients. I’ve been doing a lot of training, working towards qualifications that are relevant to Business Analysis, but also personal qualifications that can support me and make me feel more confident in my role and how I can represent the business. Between working with clients there’s a heavy emphasis on your learning development and how you can develop client relationships in the future.
What about Expleo do you enjoy the most?
Whilst I may be a Senior Business Analyst, I work on a lot more because Expleo help you develop into areas that you’re interested in, allowing you to navigate and explore different avenues of work. I’m not pigeonholed as a Business Analyst; I am exposed to different areas of work and able to leverage my strengths
How did Expleo help you grow your career?
Training is a focus at Expleo and the Expleo Academy is something that I didn’t appreciate it until I was part of it.
It is a massive bonus for anyone joining this business to have training at your fingertips that you can just book on to. I have friends that are consultants and freelancers and I’ve said to them, if they ever want to brush up on skills or learn new ones, Expleo has this great training Academy where you can take courses and get qualified. My career manager works within my business area, and they have a vested interest in ensuring that I’m taking the path that’s right for me.
Can you summarise what the Expleo’ Employer Brand pillars mean to you?
- Autonomy & Support
I have autonomy on how I spend my day I might have tasks that need to be completed by my client or I might have meetings I need to attend but how I produce my work and how I present the work and the output I deliver is completely my choice and that’s important to me.
Regarding support, if I’m struggling with a piece of work or maybe the client is not responding to something that I have presented to them or they have difficulty discerning the options, I know that not only can I reach out to people within my team working with the same client, but I can put a message in my practice Teams chat and ask for help and support. If you need support, you just need to ask, and typically, you’ll get four to six people who will help you within the first 15 minutes.
- Local & International
I rarely work with stakeholders in the same location to where I am based. At Expleo, we have huge expertise offshore and in other countries and there’s always a commitment to make sure we’ve got the right person for the role on that team. If they’re in a different country that does not limit our team capacity, we are an international team, even if we support a client locally. We also work well across different time zones. There’s never anything that gets in the way of that. There’s always a commitment to work holistically together in the hours that we share in the same working day. For example, colleagues in India may start work five hours before our working day begins, but we ensure we always catch up first thing in the morning or in the afternoon to ensure we’re aligned. We have got this complete synergy between teams regardless of the differing time zones. - Expertise & Creativity
Expertise is something that is huge for me here at Expleo. I feel I’m constantly surrounded by a team of experts. It doesn’t matter what client engagement I join or whoever’s assigned, I know I’m in a team of professionals who can all deliver. That drives me to push myself in my career, obtain more qualifications and learn from other people.
We’re often innovating in the markets that we move into or the way that we present information, and we also share that content between teams. For example, I am part of a team looking at building reusable assets, that can be used for various clients. When we deliver something well for one client, we can reuse that material for another client to support that engagement and improve the process going forward. We’re working creatively and working smarter with the work that we’re doing and the content in which we create.
- Performance & Responsibility
What really stands out to me is that performance is delivered at every opportunity from senior management. You know how the business is performing. You know where you fit into that overall goal, overall objectives, and the revenue. You know what you’re bringing in and how you’re contributing. That’s important also for performance. I have regular catch– ups with my career manager, the mid-year reviews and end of year reviews really help you understand where you’re at and not once have I been caught off guard. Communication is always flowing around how you’re performing and what feedback you’re getting, and expectations are always clear. The responsibility is up to me; I drive my own career and performance. My career manager is there to support me and help me as a mentor. But really, it’s up to me to say if I want to book on to a course or to navigate in a different direction for a client. When I have ideas, they are listened to, and I cherish that I am given the opportunity to express my thoughts.
What advice would you give to other business analysts considering applying to Expleo?
Apply as soon as you can. If you want to grow, develop, and make new connections, you must be involved.
Be Yourself
Providing an inclusive, accessible environment, where all employees feel valued and supported. We want you to be the best version of yourself and we will support you in building a workplace that reflects the diversity of the communities in which we live, and an environment to reach your full potential.
