Hello there! Atlanta isn’t something new to me. Being a Georgia Tech graduate before joining Capgemini in June in the Atlanta office, I am no stranger to the eclectic neighborhoods, Southern charm, and of course, the many Peachtree Streets. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that my first project assignment would be local- and long-term- in Atlanta after returning from Global Onboarding in Mumbai, India. Consulting has a bit of a reputation for being full of travel and whirlwind experiences, and as I embarked upon my first day at the client site, I made a promise to myself that while I may be in the same city that I have come to know and love, I was going to use this time to be a traveler in my own city.

What does that mean exactly? I used the fantastic opportunity that I had of being local to expand my knowledge of Atlanta. I began going with my fellow Capgemini new hires from the June, July, and August classes to events like Braves games, dinners at new restaurants all over the city, and even music festivals like Music Midtown. I used my time being local as a way to get to know the other Atlanta office consultants, and I discovered new parts of Atlanta that I never even imagined- from the Streets Alive Festival in Inman Park to my new favorite coffee spot in West Midtown, or my newly discovered home away from home along the Beltline trail. By being close to the office and the client site, I know more about what Capgemini does internally within my client, and overall as an organization. It’s also nice to grab lunch with Capgemini consultants across business units and accounts on a regular basis!

Being a traveler isn’t determined by your frequent flyer mile status, the number of states you hit, or the number of projects you can do in a 6-month period, but rather is determined by the state of mind you take as you approach each engagement. These lessons can apply to almost every city. If you are staffed in California, South Carolina, Maine, or even Switzerland- your location doesn’t matter as much as what you do when you are there! Being on a project locally and for the long-term is not just a way to do amazing work for your client for Capgemini, but is also a great way to expand your personal portfolio for travel, friends, and experiences.  You just have to get out there!