RSM Management Consulting - The Right Career Path

Elia Blankenship
Senior Associate - Management Consulting
Los Angeles, CA

I joined RSM in February 2015, after being in private industry for two decades.  I had been a Banker for the majority of my professional career.  I was the VP of Operations managing various back-office support teams when I had the realization that something was missing.  I had been in the same position for several years and was successful but I sensed that something was missing professionally.  I had invested time and money in my professional pursuit but my aspirations were limited to the opportunities available in my current environment and personally I was seeking variety, opportunities to be innovative, and challenging assignments.

The missing piece was answered in a career opening posted from RSM.  RSM posted a position as a Financial Institution (FI) Consultant in the Technology Management Consulting (TMC) division that resonated with my experience and career aspirations.  As excited as I was about the prospect of becoming a Consultant, I had doubts about making a mid-career change from private industry to a Public Accountancy firm and becoming a Consultant.  Those feelings of doubt were quickly dissolved with the engagements that I was involved in.  Each engagement was unique with banks, credit unions or private industry hiring us to assist them with solving strategic barriers, process challenges, technology concerns and so forth.  The variety was exactly what I was looking for and extremely rewarding.  The best part of working as a Consultant is working in teams composed of Consultant’s that bring decades of experience, industry knowledge, and support to each assignment.

It’s been a year since I joined the firm and have found my mid-career change to a Public Accountancy firm and as a Consultant to be very rewarding.  As a Consultant in the FI TMC division, I continue to have the opportunity to be innovative, strategic, and be part of a team that provides banking management stakeholders with meaningful solutions to meet their strategic objectives and goals.  I have realized that my transition to RSM has reinvigorated my career aspirations and continues to spark a desire to continue to grow in my field.  I can state without bias that I have found that staying true to my banking roots and working with an organization that emulates my own personal values has made my career transition a worthwhile journey.