The reverse interview: Why should I work at eStrategy Consulting?   

“Why should we hire you?” You’ve probably heard this question at a job interview. But we bet you’ve seldom asked, “Why should I work for you?” As we’re always on the lookout for top talent, we decided to turn the question around and interview Cliff Pfefferkorn, Partner and Founder at eStrategy Consulting . Oh, and in case you missed it, earlier this year, we won the “Top Job 2020” award as an outstanding employer. We hate to boast, but that makes us one of the most attractive employers among German medium-sized companies. That’s why we’re giving Cliff a chance to explain why eStrategy Consulting is a great place to work and why you should build your career with us .

Cliff Pfefferkorn

Partner & Managing Director

What does eStrategy Consulting do?

In a nutshell, we’re a digital consultancy that gives businesses the speed and momentum to stay competitive.  As every last frontier in business continues to digitize: the way we eat, shop, communicate, work, and do business, companies across the board struggle to stay ahead of the curve.  Not only do they have to keep their core value propositions running — they must simultaneously figure out how to future-proof their business. Achieving total digital transformation can feel like a Herculean task without external support and expertise.

That’s where we come in. As a digital business consultancy, our team diagnoses problems, plucks out the opportunities, build new business models, products or services, and implements them. We increase their digital readiness and capabilities. By taking this weight off of our client’s shoulders, we not only accelerate their business, but give them a chance to see themselves in a totally new light. Rather than dread change, we get our clients excited about the opportunities that innovation brings. We have already experienced these moments with many of our customers like eBay, ECE, immobilienscout, Haribo and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen.

What’s the eStrategy work culture like? What’s the feedback culture like?

Our work culture is open, transparent, and fair. I know it’s easy to just say that as a partner, but really, you can see it in the team spirit. It’s what I admire most about the people I work with. We are a small firm but everyone puts their heads together to look for solutions.

To maintain this supportive environment, we celebrate group and individual wins, not egos; we look back on mistakes, but don’t point fingers. With such a steep learning curve, reflecting on what we could have done better is key to everyone’s individual growth and development.  We have a family-style feedback culture, think of it as speaking up at the dinner table. There’s a lot of trust there. If you’d like to change the way we do things or have a new idea that could help a client, come prepared with solutions. The managing directors or team leads need to know what the team is happy or unhappy with, and what’s in their way.

From the working students to senior consultants, their creative efforts and relentless positive attitude help the clients maintain an upward momentum.

How would you describe the team?

Take this with a grain of salt, but they’re kind of like the Argonauts from Greek mythology: An assembly of heroes with different skills sets and personalities. The Argos were faced with these enormous tasks and adventures that impacted the history of the world. No endeavor was too dangerous for them. In short, the team is resilient, smart, and good at what they do.

What are the company’s thoughts on work-life balance or working tons of overtime?

The best results come from a combination of intelligence, creativity, and passion. I don’t believe it’s ever come from a caffeine-fueled 70-hour work week. If someone does that, well I admire their passion but we don’t define ourselves by the amount of hours worked that week, but by the results.  If someone was working those hours we would stop and look into it because something must be wrong. The era of long term, heavy, extra hours are over. These days, being passionate and results-driven is more important than ever.

Candidates often fear they’ll be a small cog in a large project because that’s not uncommon in larger consulting firms. With a boutique consultation like ours, this is certainly not the case.

What is a boutique firm and what are some advantages of working at one?

Boutique means we specialize in specific topics, and it also alludes to the fact that we are a small, close-knit team in which everyone knows everyone. As an independent company, we don’t have to sell every departments’ services like a larger consultancy would, meaning we just focus on our clients’ key problems.     If you’re new to the team or in a junior role, there are plenty of opportunities to get hands-on experience on large projects. Of course, you may also find yourself working with me. The company is founded and managed by us two partners, Thomas Natkowski and I, so decision-making takes much less time than in a larger company.

Compared to working at a small startup, a boutique consultancy has a few advantages. Just like at a startup, we make decisions quickly and move fast. The difference is, we maintain high standards of professionalism and structure. This can often be lost when working in a scrappier startup, where the work is a bit more ad hoc. We uphold this standard because while we’re small, our clients range from SMEs to large multinationals.

What is the most common question people ask in an interview? What’s the answer?

“How do you work?” is one of the most frequently asked questions. I imagine candidates ask because they want to know how we get stuff done and what the vibe is working with us. We work in team pyramids with two to five employees. Typically, a partner leads the overall project or program and consultants lead sub-projects or workstreams, each based on their skills and experience. Within these pyramids, we work closely with the customer and embed into their teams. We rely on a mix of methods from classic management consulting and innovative approaches from the digital business world, such as co-creation and design thinking.   Candidates often fear they’ll be a small cog in a large project because that’s not uncommon in larger consulting firms. With a boutique consultation like ours, this is certainly not the case.

All consultants — junior, senior, or new — are heavily involved in the projects. Sometimes we work permanently at the customer’s site, sometimes from our office. In the last few months, it has also been evident that we bring outstanding value to our customers from distributed workplaces, including the home office. Regardless of this, when you work with us as a consultant, you should be flexible with travel.

They over think when they lack direction, we turn that around. Our vision is to not just make the path to digital transformation clear for clients, but to make them actually enjoy the journey.

Finally, what drives you to go to work every day?

Well, there is never a dull day at work. I get an incredible sense of satisfaction to see a client go from feeling glum, to feeling optimistic about his business. We work with many legacy brands that have had amazing track records for decades, but are now struggling with change. While working together, it’s exciting to see their mood change, to realize they have a real shot at succeeding and innovating ahead of the competition. Going on this challenging journey with the team them drives me.

From the working students to senior consultants, their creative efforts and relentless positive attitude help the clients maintain an upward momentum. Business owners lose enthusiasm when faced with tough challenges. They over think when they lack direction, we turn that around. Our vision is to not just make the path to digital transformation clear for clients, but to make them actually enjoy the journey.

Thanks Cliff!

Interested in joining us? Check out our vacancies or send us your resume at jobs@estrategy-consulting.de.