Name: Payal Vachhani
Hometown: Edison, New Jersey
College/Major: University of Virginia/Business - Finance
Pre-Business School: FP&A at AvalonBay Communities, Equity Research at FBB Capital Partners
Summer Internship: Consulting at EY
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PRE-ANDERSON
What did you want to be when you were growing up? Growing up I wanted to be a chemist. My aunt was a chemist and brought me to her lab at J&J for bring your kid to work day.
Why business school? I came to business school in order to pivot into consulting, learn about the tech industry, and grow my network.
Why Anderson? Anderson stood out to me throughout the admissions process because of it's culture and people. My interactions with admissions staff and students proved to me that people were truly collaborative and down to earth. I was also drawn to Anderson because of its proximity to tech and e-commerce companies.
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ANDERSON
Anderson Activities & Leadership:
Parker Series Teaching Assistant
VP of Days on the Job - Management Consulting Association
VP of Finance & Admissions - Retail Business Association
Favorite class and why? I'm currently taking Global Mobile with Professor Kramer. It is my favorite class so far because I am learning a lot about mobile technology that is so ingrained in our lives. The class is heavy on participation too so I enjoy hearing opposing viewpoints.
Favorite Anderson event/trip: The Whistler Snow Trip was my favorite because it was so much fun to unwind with everyone after a hectic fall quarter. I enjoyed skiing in Whistler in real snow too!
Best Anderson memory so far? A tie between Anderween and Casino Night!
One of my favorite first year memories was going to Whistler with great Anderson friends (this is from 80s party on snow trip)!
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RECRUITING
What helped you the most in interview prep/career search? Two things helped me a lot; the networking tracking sheet and the opportunities to do mock interviews with consultants. The tracking sheet was helpful in organizing all of the people I had met or spoken with across industries recently. When I got interview invitations, the tracking sheet helped me recall what I had learned and find people to reach out to for interview prep. As a follow on, mock interviews with people who worked at firms helped me gain a better sense of firm specific interview questions and cases.
Hardest interview question you've been asked? Brainteaser - Estimate the number of streetlamps in London?
How did you land your internship? EY did on campus interviewing so it was through Parker and a very structured process. I did 3-4 informationals, attended on-campus firm events, and prepped for cases that were specific to EY.
Why [particular industry/function]? I decided to pursue consulting because of my analytical skill set, experience gaining buy-in, and the opportunity to learn from many smart individuals on different projects.
Pre-Business School Experience: FP&A at AvalonBay Communities, Equity Research at FBB Capital Partners
How did you utilize Parker in your job search and interview prep? In myCareer, I looked for any postings related to consulting, internal strategy, and finance that were interesting to me. I followed the Parker weekly assignments to prepare my materials and then began to make appointments to see a range of advisers so I could craft my story and interview answers. I also leaned on the Parker TA's for resume/cover letter reviews and general advice regarding networking. I attended as many small-group interview question workshops as possible and took notes on feedback.
How many informational interviews did you conduct? 32 (48 including Anderson students)
How did you figure out what industry/function you wanted to pursue? I found the Parker role-model exercise very helpful because it led me to see that many of the leaders at companies that I was interested in had consulting experience early in their careers. The WAMO panels also helped me make my final choice.
What did you do during the summer before business school to prep for fall recruiting? I attended the Forte conference in June, refined my resume, and researched potential career paths through Parker materials and outside sources.
What was your offer timeline? When did you apply? When did you receive your offer for your summer internship/FT job? I applied to EY in early January, 1st and 2nd round interviews were mid to late January, and I received my offer on in the first week of February.
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