WHAT WE LOOK FOR
The first thing to tell you is: we’re not normal. To have the impact we do, we need to be different.
To join us, you’ll need certain skills up your sleeve, from excellent numeracy, to exceptional communication. You’ll need a sharp, analytical mind and the ability to think both logically and conceptually – all at once. For our part, we’ll help you learn and develop these talents every step of the way.
Do you have the skills we need? Take our quiz to find out.
Bravery
There’ll be a moment – at least one – where you ask yourself, ‘why did Newton choose me to do this?’ Sometimes you ask yourself in awe; sometimes in confusion. That’s understandable. You'll be transforming entire businesses or even communities. You'll be working hard to influence people at the very highest level of many different organisations. It's not always easy. But summon up the courage and it's always inspiring.
Belonging
Culture doesn’t equal conformity. We’re happy to be home to a number of entirely different people, with different hobbies, preferences, backgrounds and personalities. While there’s no set formula for whether you’d fit in, the questions below may give you an indication.
Belief
Belief isn’t just about confidence – because let’s face it, you’ll never know everything and so you’ll never feel comfortable with everything. Butterflies are normal. Newton teaches you how to turn your under-confidence around; to identify what you’re not confident about, work with it and actually enjoy that feeling of being stretched.
Influence
You’ll find yourself in front of figures from healthcare, defence, local government, manufacturing and many other sectors. They’ll be listening with genuine interest to what you have to say. The words you choose have the potential to save millions of pounds, improve people’s lives, create jobs and change industries.
Kicks
We never underestimate the value of good fun, and get together as often as we can to catch up, meet new people and generally have a good time. As well as fortnightly company-wide Review Nights, we organise quarterly weekends away, Christmas and summer parties and a host of other events throughout the year.
Here are just a few examples of things we've got up to in the past:
Grit
Here’s the thing: not everything you do will work straight away. That's why you need the strength of character to keep going when others’ belief is wavering; the mental agility to evolve your solution as circumstances shift around it; and a clear focus on the long-term benefits of the change you’re introducing.
Rewards
Hard work never goes unnoticed at Newton. That's reflected not only in the salaries, benefits and bonuses we offer, but also in the way we recognise each other's achievements and celebrate our shared successes.
Spirit
There’s a difference here you can feel. One of our graduates said it best: “Clients, when they work with us, can't believe how much we say the word 'exciting'. They can't believe how friendly and open we are. You come to take it for granted a bit, but the way people at Newton interact with and challenge each other, and yet also go out and socialise and are best friends with each other – it’s just incredible.”
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Q1. Which of the following best describes what Bravery means to you?
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"We all have a comfort zone. Newton is always making you push up against it and make it that little bit wider. That’s something you need to do. After all, very often the first time that we are doing something is the first time that we have ever achieved something. That’s the nature of our work. But it means I have already done three times more than I thought I could do."
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"I was assigned this social care project, and my brief was simply: we need more housing for people – can you sort that? It felt like the impossible. But it really felt like this was my project, my responsibility, so I worked really hard with my team to get the results we needed"
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"Being a Newton consultant is not about being a cold, third party observer. It’s about really getting in there – deeper than you might think. Last year, for example, we had a couple of people stacking shelves at a supermarket to prove a point about how it could work. We like to get our hands dirty."
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"I’ve worked on social care schemes in Kent, on warships in Plymouth, in submarines and in grocery stores, with traffic light companies in South Wales and construction workers in the Midlands. If you got bored here you would be a very strange person indeed!"
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Q1. How interested are you in other people?
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We’re a very sociable group at Newton, and we do take an interest in each other’s personalities, hobbies and work. We’re home to extroverts and introverts alike; there’s something for everyone.
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Excellent – us too. There’s a sense of fellowship that runs through Newton – and that’s largely because everyone here has an interest in others.
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We’re home to introverts and extroverts here. But one thing that does unite us is an interest in others; when we share thoughts and ideas with each other, we become stronger as a group.
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Q2. How readily do you help someone out?
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Support comes in different forms. For us, it’s not just about chipping in when someone is struggling; it’s also about challenging them to do better, and giving them the space and encouragement to learn.
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We’re supportive of our colleagues at Newton. We like to offer different perspectives on problems and challenge each other to do better. Like you, we always have each other’s back.
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True. We learn by doing here, and we like to give people the space to work things out. At the same time, we always have each other’s back, and we know when to step in and offer support.
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Q3. How willing are you to give and receive feedback?
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That’s just what we like to hear. Everyone is encouraged to offer each other constructive comments, praise and ways to improve at Newton.
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While there will be several formal sessions in which you’ll receive feedback on your progress, expect a lot of other guidance along the way. Everyone is encouraged to offer each other constructive comments, praise and ways to improve here.
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We admire your determination. That said, you can’t avoid feedback at Newton: everyone is encouraged to offer each other constructive comments, praise and ways to improve.
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Q4. How widely do you involve yourself?
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There’s a lot to get stuck into at Newton, and we encourage everybody to get involved where and when they want to. Just take care not to spread yourself thin.
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Broad interests keep your mind open, as well as occupied. We’ll encourage you to explore where your interests lie – and also to specialise in areas where we think you’re strong.
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Keeping inside your comfort zone won’t get you far in your career. There’s a lot to explore here; we encourage you to go out and involve yourself in a variety of different activities and projects.
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Q1. How much belief do you have in yourself, right now? Answer honestly.
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Steady on! There is such a thing as too much confidence. If you’re too sure of yourself, you start to overlook areas you can improve and run the risk of ignoring other people’s ideas – both of which are key to being a Newton consultant.
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Believing in your own ability to tackle new, unfamiliar problems is certainly a good trait. Just don’t let it go too far: when we say demand better, that means we always look for ways we can improve ourselves.
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That’s a decent base level to start from. However, don’t settle for competence – chances are, you’re capable of more than you think. Our assessment process is excellent at uncovering talent you might not even know you have.
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An honest answer – and not an uncommon one. Most of our people would identify themselves as ‘underconfident overachievers’. The key to success here isn’t supreme confidence, or knowing everything – it’s a hunger for learning and a determination to improve.
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Modesty isn’t a bad quality – just don’t overdo it. If you’re considering applying, it’s likely that your personality, skills and intellectual agility have already got you far. Luck has nothing to do with it.
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Q1. Time for another example.
Let's say you're assigned to help improve the efficiency of a retail giant’s national operations. Whose trust should you concentrate on gaining first?
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Okay, this one's a bit of a trick question. The reality of the role is that in order for any solution to be a success you will need to influence people at the top and, just as importantly, people at the shop floor. At Newton, we’re not ones for hiding behind reports; we get stuck in and get our hands dirty.
“My part of the project was actually looking at tins of beans – finding ways to improve efficiency in how the stock was transported and stored. So we spoke to the people who dealt with the stock; we asked them, ‘What is broken in your department?’ We listed all of their ideas, investigated each, ran studies and came up with a new strategy. To get buy in at a senior level, we proposed a trial: we would start with one store, then four stores, then 12 stores, check that it all works and then – we roll it out everywhere. When suddenly you get to the point where it’s time to roll out your strategy into 500 stores – and you’re standing there in front of the ops board of this huge company, it’s an amazing feeling. It’s a big thing to do.”
Sarah Garner, Consultant -
Okay, this one's a bit of a trick question. The reality of the role is that in order for any solution to be a success you will need to influence people at the top and, just as importantly, people at the shop floor. At Newton, we’re not ones for hiding behind reports; we get stuck in and get our hands dirty.
“My part of the project was actually looking at tins of beans – finding ways to improve efficiency in how the stock was transported and stored. So we spoke to the people who dealt with the stock; we asked them, ‘What is broken in your department?’ We listed all of their ideas, investigated each, ran studies and came up with a new strategy. To get buy in at a senior level, we proposed a trial: we would start with one store, then four stores, then 12 stores, check that it all works and then – we roll it out everywhere. When suddenly you get to the point where it’s time to roll out your strategy into 500 stores – and you’re standing there in front of the ops board of this huge company, it’s an amazing feeling. It’s a big thing to do.”
Sarah Garner, Consultant -
Okay, this one's a bit of a trick question. The reality of the role is that in order for any solution to be a success you will need to influence people at the top and, just as importantly, people at the shop floor. At Newton, we’re not ones for hiding behind reports; we get stuck in and get our hands dirty.
“My part of the project was actually looking at tins of beans – finding ways to improve efficiency in how the stock was transported and stored. So we spoke to the people who dealt with the stock; we asked them, ‘What is broken in your department?’ We listed all of their ideas, investigated each, ran studies and came up with a new strategy. To get buy in at a senior level, we proposed a trial: we would start with one store, then four stores, then 12 stores, check that it all works and then – we roll it out everywhere. When suddenly you get to the point where it’s time to roll out your strategy into 500 stores – and you’re standing there in front of the ops board of this huge company, it’s an amazing feeling. It’s a big thing to do.”
Sarah Garner, Consultant
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Go karting
Bowling
Skiing
Surfing -
Jazz club
Glastonbury festival
Waltz lessons
Scottish dancing
Silent disco -
Speed mentoring
Motivational speakers
Wellness night
CSR night -
Scalextric racing
Roller skating
Laser Quest
Casino night
Airsofting -
Cocktail night
Cooking by the river
Oktoberfest
BBQ at the Avon Gorge
Hog roast -
Scavenger hunt
Orienteering
White-water rafting
Bushcraft
Mountaineering -
Punting on the Thames
BBQ and bonfire
Mini May-ball
Pub quiz
Ibizan boat party -
American rodeo and hoedown
Hawaiian night
Swedish night
Newton's Got Talent
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Q1. Let's look at an example.
Imagine you’re sitting across the table from the CEO of a large company. His job and his company rely on the solution you're about to present. But he’s sceptical.
You have strong figures to back up your ideas and everything is set up to go well. But the presentation falls flat. The CEO is defensive and unmoved by the strong logic you’ve put in front of him.
How would you react?-
Interesting approach. While it’s always good to listen, test approaches and gain an insight into how your client is thinking, getting someone else to suggest their solution might undermine your own – unless of course you then engage with their ideas and help build on them.
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It’s true: sometimes, people react differently when they’ve had a chance to think things through. Also, calmness pays off. But be careful not to become a broken record: it may be that the CEO fully understands, but there’s something you’ve missed. As consultants, we must always try to remain open-minded. And we must adapt our approach to suit the reaction.
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Everybody has their own style, and their own way of convincing others. We recognise that at Newton, and we encourage every one of our consultants to be completely individual. So, there may be value in bringing in another voice. That said, you should also trust your intelligence and the hard work that’s got you here.
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REWARDS
Hard work never goes unnoticed at Newton. That's reflected not only in the salaries, benefits and bonuses we offer, but also in the way we recognise each other's achievements and celebrate our shared successes.
SPIRIT
We’re never not curious, which means we love questions. Ask us anything about life and work at Newton, or join in one of our existing discussions.
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