In this Real Humans: Alumni, Cameron Bard, Emory Goizueta MBA ’24, shares his journey from Lockheed Martin to BCG. Read on for his insights into the value of an MBA, what he learned during the recruiting process and how an Emory Goizueta MBA prepared him for consulting at BCG.
Cameron Bard, Emory Goizueta MBA ’24, Consultant at BCG
Age: 30
Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Davidson College, Physics; Washington University in St. Louis, Mechanical Engineering
Graduate Business School, Graduation Year and Concentration: Goizueta Business School (Emory University), 2024, Strategy, Finance, and Business Analytics
Pre-MBA Work Experience: Aeronautical Engineer, Lockheed Martin, 4 years, Aerospace and Defense
Post-MBA Work Experience: Consultant, Boston Consulting Group, <1 year, Professional Services (Management Consulting)
Why did you choose to attend business school?
I loved my time at Lockheed, but after a few years with the company I decided I wanted to expand my skillset out of engineering and learn how businesses operate at a broader scale. Simultaneously, I started to become interested in several other industries. After some research, I realized an MBA would help me move both forward and laterally simultaneously, which few other degrees offer.
Why Emory Goizueta? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to attend?
Four traits primarily drew me to Emory. First was the small class size and second was the excellent faculty; combined, these things allow Emory students to develop close relationships with both their peers and the professors, who can often support your career journey just as much as alumni. Third was Emory’s exceptional placement into consulting, which was my chosen career path since I had very specific industry interests. Finally, fourth was Atlanta itself. I fell in love with the city when I moved here 6 years ago, and I wanted to stay (and ultimately settle down) close to my family and friends.
What about your Emory MBA experience prepared you for your current career at BCG?
I’ve used a huge amount of knowledge I gained in my classes as a consultant, including strategy, economics, and data analytics most frequently. I also competed in several case competitions, which taught me how to operate under pressure and gave me reps at solving real-world problems while also allowing me to network with a variety of companies. Finally, I completed two directed studies while at Emory, one of which dove into the economics of nuclear power. I’m hugely interested in energy consulting, and that study earned me credibility in the space where before I had very little.
What was your internship during business school? How did that inform your post-MBA career choice?
I interned with Boston Consulting Group in 2023 and absolutely loved my experience. Consulting can definitely be exhausting, but as an intellectually curious person, I was perpetually stimulated by the constant learning. My client that summer was also an energy company, and I had a blast getting to know our client counterparts and helping them think through the challenges they faced. That summer convinced me consulting was perfect for me, and I have yet to think otherwise.
Why did you choose your current company? What factors figured most prominently into your decision of where to work?
The fast pace, constant learning, dynamic nature, and ability to become familiar with a multitude of industries drew me into consulting generally. BCG, however, is unique in that the culture strongly encourages individuality and quirkiness, which is hugely valuable to me. It also strikes a nice balance between the ability to work on a variety of cases through its regional staffing model, while also allowing for consistent strings of local work (which is especially important for consultants with families). I can’t speak highly enough of BCG or my experience thus far, and I sincerely hope I can spend many more years with the company.
Advice to current MBA students:
–One thing you would absolutely do again as part of the job search?
Don’t become too fixated on one company or even a handful. Post-MBA careers are hugely competitive, and the more open-minded you are to a variety of opportunities, the happier you’ll be in the long run.
–One thing you would change or do differently as part of the job search?
In a few cases, I tried to mold myself into what I thought a particular company wanted. Sometimes that strategy may work, but I regret not always being the best version of myself during recruiting. Ultimately, we should all strive to work somewhere where we feel fully comfortable in our own skin, and I’m happy to say I feel that way in my current position.
–Were there any surprises regarding your current employer’s recruiting process?
I was surprised (in a good way) at how personal BCG made the recruiting process. This echoes what I said above, but BCG highly values quirkiness and being yourself, so I was taken aback at how comfortable I felt with practitioners right off the bat, which I think helped me secure the outcome I was looking for.
–What piece of advice do you wish you had been given during your MBA?
Have a blast while in your program, but keep in mind that MBAs are an opportunity for learning and growth that are about as risk-free as it gets. I performed well as a student during b-school, but I think I might have been able to squeeze even more out of the experience by taking more coursework, harder classes, and competing in more competitions, even if I meant sacrificing performance in some courses or a handful of nights out with my friends. For most people, the MBA is their last degree – don’t take that opportunity for granted.
