Rianne van der Loo

What does an industry analyst do at Google?

"I analyse the immense quantities of data that Google collects on consumer behavior, and I synthesize findings that are relevant to our bigger clients – for instance, for our clients in the travel industry. What are the destinations people are looking for? What search terms are used? This is extremely relevant for the big players in travel, who get most of their bookings online. My advice is usually a lot broader than just a focus on marketing spend; it also deals with the strategic focus of my clients and the type of products they should develop to meet consumer requirements."

What do you like best about your job?

"That I’m still a consultant but now within my own practice rather than as a generalist. I really enjoy knowing everything about one specific industry. Especially when it’s an industry that’s very relevant in everyday life, such as travel & online. It’s something everybody is interested in and everybody has an opinion about, even within the generation of my parents. But what’s even more important to me is that I now work with the same set of clients for a longer period of time, so that I can really build relationships."

Is your focus on people or data?

"I really enjoy working with data but the service and relational aspect in consulting is something that I have always found equally inspiring. What I liked less when I was with BCG was the short duration of the projects. They were usually brief and intense, while I prefer building relationships with people and intensifying the level of collaboration as time progresses. The work I did as a consultant was a lot of quick-fixing and I missed the implementation phases and achieving results. With Google, there’s more long-term interaction with clients."

Google is a very young company. Does that show?

"The average age is 30, which is relatively young. But you also notice it in the organization, which constantly changes. Nothing is the same for two quarters in a row. You have to be very flexible and enjoy working in an ever-changing environment. Google believes in testing new things and discarding experiments that didn’t work. This is also how I work with my clients. Never hesitate to try something new."

Did your exit change your private life as well?

"When I was in consulting, I couldn’t imagine there were jobs that were as interesting as mine but required less hours. Of course, we also have days here when all deadlines suddenly coincide, which can give me quite a nice adrenaline rush. But in general, my life has become much more stable and I can plan my personal time again now, because I have much more control over my professional calendar. Consulting had too big an impact on me: with fun projects, I was on a high, but when projects were not running smoothly, it could really ruin my day. Thinking of the many nights I spent in front of my laptop, I’m very happy to have left that behind!"

Don't you miss your ambitious peers at BCG?

"At Google, I work with people with above-average academic capability, with work experience at many different companies and with lots of ambition. I have a strong personal connection with many of them. The intense lifestyle at BCG has given me many friends there, who I still meet regularly. In fact, my improved work-life balance is probably enabling me now to see more of them than I ever did before!"