Robin Smith
, Senior AssociateWhy did you choose Booz Allen?
I had been working at another firm, and there were limitations in terms of the opportunities I could pursue. I was looking for Washington, DC-based work and a chance to apply my skills for different clients. Booz Allen offered a breadth of service offerings, a focus on the federal government, and a fresh start. I was thankful for the opportunity.
Why have you chosen to stay at Booz Allen?
You have the excitement of growing a business, but you have the infrastructure to support you—contract and pricing support services as well as marketing and account planning. For an entrepreneur, the backbone of support that Booz Allen offers is tremendous. I’ve also worked with incredibly talented people over the years, and I’m fortunate to have a client who is a lot of fun to work with and who is very supportive of Booz Allen—inviting us to the table, seeking our advice, and allowing us to be at our best as consultants.
What type of work do you do at Booz Allen?
I work in economic and business analysis as part of a functional team. We support clients such as the National Park Service (NPS) that have large portfolios of real property, including buildings, roads, and trails. Over time, their deferred maintenance costs accumulate, and they’re left with considerable backlog. What we do is very practical: we work with a large data set, we look at the policies that are important to the organization’s mission, and then we support the client by helping make decisions about the smartest, most efficient use of money.
What excites you about your work?
The work is tangible. When you talk about real property, you’re talking about actual buildings…about things you can see. Although there’s some long-term investment planning, most projects will be completed within 5 years, so you can watch the progression in the program. It’s energizing because I can see that we’re really making a difference. The innovation also is exciting. I work with amazingly talented people, and we’re breaking new ground almost every day for our client—solving problems where no industry-standard answers exist.
Do you have a mentor at Booz Allen?
I have two mentors, informally, both of whom are senior in the firm. One came from government and has “been there, done that” with every kind of situation. He has a calm, pragmatic approach to managing people that focuses on identifying their strengths and being an advocate for them. My other mentor shares my interest in NPS work, and our conversations usually focus on expanding my network and meeting new people.
What differentiates Booz Allen from other companies that you could work for? What makes Booz Allen special?
Our 360-degree assessment process is truly amazing. Every year, your staff, peers, supervisors, and clients are interviewed to create a very full picture of your performance. A picture emerges about your strengths and development areas, helping you identify what to address over the next year. For a firm this large, the assessment is very consistent and well-executed across all teams and levels.
How has Booz Allen helped you be ready for what’s next in your career?
I’m always receiving encouragement to keep growing. There’s also always an ongoing buzz around the office, a conversation about things that are relevant to our clients. “Did you listen to NPR this morning?” or “Did you see that in the Post?” Every day, we’re pushing ourselves to know more about client challenges.
How does the work you do help your clients be ready for what’s next? How has your work and your team’s work made an impact for your client?
Sometimes our clients bring problems to us, and we also brainstorm about what might be next. For example, I just finished a meeting where we talked about what the challenges might be for the new administration. We know we have to be mindful of what the trends are, and we have to be ready with the right skill sets and service offerings when things start coming together. Another example is the Ideas Fest, an annual contest that enables junior staff members to submit their ideas for addressing client challenges. Ideas come out of this process that our clients haven’t asked about yet, but they’re often innovations that will be important in the future.
Can you talk about a time when you saw one or more of our Core Values displayed?
One thing that impresses me about Booz Allen is the way we live the Core Values—they’re not a marketing pitch or something on paper, but something we live by every day. For example, there’s an absolute commitment at Booz Allen to client service. Clients always come first, and they might be surprised to know how much thought we put into their challenges—not just what we’re asked about directly but related issues such as needing an organizational change resource for a facilities project. We’re willing to bring all of the firm’s resources and expertise to bear to solve a problem.
