When recruiters at global business consulting firm Protiviti look for future consultants, they don’t just measure technical expertise — they also value the soft skills that allow graduates to thrive with clients, says Keith Hinds, early career recruiting senior manager. He has found that Stevens students stand out. “They’re not just strong in the classroom,” he says. “They bring teamwork, adaptability and a real desire to learn.”

“Stevens students bring teamwork, adaptability and a real desire to learn. Ultimately, we’re investing in future talent.”

Keith Hinds, Early Career Recruiting Senior Manager – East Region, Protiviti

Jennifer Searing ’21 M.S. ’22, a quantitative finance graduate, first encountered Protiviti through an externship in conjunction with the Stevens Career Center. Now a Risk and Compliance Analytics senior consultant at Protiviti, she says her education gave her both analytics and communication skills. “You can know the technical side, but if you cannot explain it to the client, it does not matter,” she says. Stevens also prepared her to think critically when facing problems she had never seen before — a daily expectation in consulting.

Mia Reinert ’25, who met Searing when Reinert was a prospective student on a campus tour, was so inspired by the upperclassman’s experience with Protiviti that she applied to the Discover Protiviti program as a sophomore. This led to an internship and ultimately, a full-time role.

“Innovation isn’t just a buzzword — it’s in the mission statements of both Stevens and Protiviti. That shared focus has shaped my experience here and the kind of consultant I want to become.”

Mia Reinert ‘25, Technology Consultant, Protiviti

“From day one, you’re meeting managing directors and alumni who were once in your shoes,” Reinert recalls. “At Stevens, we practiced networking almost from the moment we stepped foot on campus and that confidence carried over.” Reinert also points to group projects as training for teamwork and conflict management. “Sometimes you have to hold others accountable. That taught me how to handle differences — exactly what happens on real client teams,” she says.

Protiviti recruiters strengthen their pipeline with Stevens by returning to campus for resume workshops, interview prep and networking nights. “Technical knowledge is important, but we can often train those skills if a student has a strong fundamental background. What we really look for are interns who know how to learn, have a desire to continue learning, and communicate with their teams,” Hinds says. “Ultimately, we are investing in future talent.”

For Reinert, that investment has made the leap into consulting less daunting. “When I started my internship, I thought, ‘Why trust a 20-year-old with this work?’ But thanks to Stevens’ and Protiviti’s mentorship,” she says, “I felt ready.”

– Charles O’Brien