Life at Clarity as three new graduates has been eye-opening, challenging and extremely rewarding. Having come from vastly diverse backgrounds, Clarity has fostered an environment of mutual respect, openness and honesty that has allowed us to thrive.
This blog discusses the highlights from our first three months on the Clarity Graduate Scheme.
Development, Alex Nightingale, Consultant
Development has been a key focus. Whilst Clarity asks for a degree, diversity of subjects studied is valued and helps to create a stronger team. Naturally, this means we have a little catching up to do in the first few weeks. However, once you begin to understand a few of the many (and I mean MANY!) acronyms, you will fly.
An introduction to the partners and members of the team will fill your first few weeks. My highlight has been our Lunch & Learns. This provides a great opportunity for us grads to meet members of the team and for them to showcase their areas of specialization. For example, one of Clarity’s partners, Andrew Moore, introduced us to the topic of value, creating value for money and its meaning beyond just spreadsheets. It was inspiring to hear some of the previous work Clarity has completed and meet the senior team and their specialties.
There is only so much you can learn in the, albeit virtual, classroom. The responsibility you receive from your internal rotations helps to set a strong foundation within Clarity. If you have an interest, this is your time to shine and get stuck in from day one. From there, the variety of project work on which you will embark will help shape you through your professional journey.
Development never stops. Take what opportunities you can and follow your interests to become a well-seasoned healthcare consultant before you know it!
Working Life, Nick Jones, Consultant
Within our first week, we were allocated to our corporate rotations, these included Marketing, Quality Management Systems and Corporate Social Responsibility. These gave us insights into how Clarity ran and allowed us to have a meaningful impact on the company early on. We were able to use our experiences and bring innovative ideas that were listened to and developed into deliverable outcomes to improve the way we do business. This was a fantastic way to get to know and collaborate with our colleagues in the initial stages of our careers and embed ourselves within the wider Clarity team.
The work we have undertaken so far has been varied and impactful. Within a few weeks of starting, we were brought in to support the policy development and review for a newly established NHS Integrated Care Board. The Clarity team was patient and supportive as we got up to speed and developed our new skills. Our other work has included project administration support, developing, and maintaining project management tools in Excel, and mapping clinical pathways. This has allowed us to develop our own professional network, Clarity’s associate's network, and our relationships with clients. The future at Clarity is exciting, with opportunities to work internationally and domestically to make a positive change in society’s experiences of healthcare.
Social, Ed Taylor, Consultant
Being remote, you may think that Clarity lacks a social atmosphere. You would, however, be wrong. My first foray into the Clarity social scene was an overnight residential in Cambridge. We each chose from a list of activities: chill out, spa, gym/pool or the aqua park. I chose the aqua park!
Not five minutes into the activity and I was questioning my decision. This was not for the faint-hearted. The slippery inflatables were frankly lethal and the constant pulling oneself from the water was sapping. Needless to say, such jeopardy engendered a sense of mutual hardship within our intrepid group and bound us together. I only regret that most of our colleagues had the sense to choose a more relaxing option.
Our next event was a lunch and escape room in West London. Fueled by plates of delicious French classics, lunch was a great setting for relaxed chit-chat and socialising. The mood quickly changed from bloated contentment to quiet anticipation, however, as we were split into 4 teams and pitted against each other in the escape rooms. The teams were well mixed in terms of seniority and gave us the chance to work together to beat the clock in a fun (albeit intense) environment.
The first few months here have been a great experience. We have dived head-first into our internal work and have been gradually introduced to client work. We are now looking forward to preparing for the graduate training and experiences we are going to have at Clarity.
If this sounds interesting to you and you want to:
- Make a difference in Health and Care?
- Learn how to manage people, projects and complex client work?
- Join a personal development programme which helps you find and grow into your specialism as a healthcare consultant?
Find out more about our unique Graduate Consultant Programme and apply at www.ccal.co.uk/graduates
