Consulting Graduate Tess Loftus

Talent Story

19 Feb 2025

Life as a Deloitte Graduate: My Experience

Tess Loftus, Business Operations Analyst, Dublin Office

My name is Tess, and I’m an Analyst on the Operations, Industry and Domain
Solutions team within Deloitte’s Consulting practice. I studied Business and
Spanish in Trinity College Dublin and joined the Graduate Programme in 2024
having completed the Deloitte Summer Internship in 2023.

During my time in university, I was always curious about what a career in consulting could look like, so I decided to apply to the Summer Internship Programme. During my internship, I successfully completed a strategic analysis project for a major public sector client. I also participated in numerous learning and development activities, including design and leadership workshops, as well as volunteering with Global Action Plan. What resonated with me most from my internship experience, however, was the people. I was really struck by how inclusive and supportive my team were, and especially how generous they all were with their time. Having thoroughly enjoyed my summer at Deloitte, I was thrilled to accept an offer to join the 2024 Graduate Programme. My internship experience really confirmed that not only was a career in consulting the right choice for me, but a career at Deloitte.

Since joining the Graduate Programme, I’ve found that the most enjoyable aspect of my role as a consulting analyst is that every day is different. Depending on our client’s objectives, a typical day can encompass a wide range of activities such as attending client meetings, creating presentations, writing reports, conducting research and analysis, and managing project milestones and deadlines. Working alongside our client team over the last number of months, I have been able to further develop my analytical, communication, organisation, and technical skills. While the transition from university to full-time work can be daunting, I think completing an internship at Deloitte beforehand really benefitted me, as I had an existing network within the business as well as a good understanding of the Deloitte’s culture, values, and work environment.

In addition to client work, Deloitte offers a wide range of learning and development opportunities to analysts as part of the Graduate Programme. So far, I have completed a communication and presentation skills training and participated in a design-thinking workshop, in addition to the comprehensive analyst induction programme I went through during the first two weeks of the Graduate Programme. I have also attended multiple spotlight sessions which highlight the work of different client projects, and I’m currently in the process of studying for a certification in Microsoft’s Power-BI Platform. Continuous learning is an integral part of the Deloitte’s culture, with people across all grades really encouraged to pursue their professional development goals.

Deloitte has a great mentorship programme in place for graduates and I think this is truly indicative of the firm’s open and inclusive culture. From the moment I joined the business, I felt really supported by my buddy Kelvin, coach Lizzie, and manager David, as well as my wider team. As I settled into my new role, having access to this support network really helped me feel a greater sense of belonging. It also helps that everyone is really approachable, willing to give advice, and open to sharing their knowledge and experiences with you.

Another one of my favourite aspects of Deloitte’s culture is its commitment to the wider community. Each year we can participate in Impact Day, a company wide initiative where professionals across the business can volunteer their time and skills to help their local communities as well as non-profit organisations. As part of Impact Day this year, I had the opportunity to volunteer with I Wish - an incredible organisation whose goal is to encourage young girls to pursue careers in STEM. I really enjoyed seeing how Impact Day enables us to connect outside of the office and give back to the communities in which we operate.

My biggest piece of advice for future graduates is to be curious, step outside your comfort zone and get involved as much as possible. There are so many things to do at Deloitte and my favourite memories from the Graduate Programme are the ones I least expected – like jumping into the icy Irish Sea in December to raise money for charity during the Analyst Challenge! So, no matter what your career ambitions are, the Deloitte Graduate Programme provides you with the skills, support, and opportunities to help you achieve them!