Most consultants get into consulting as analysts or research consultants who analyze and troubleshoot problem areas in the departments of many companies in several industries. As consultants progress through the years, their responsibilities and expertise grow, as will their corresponding paychecks. Senior consultants are often tapped not only to present their found problems and recommended solutions, but are also expected to implement these solutions in the company. For large businesses, a consulting manager is expected to implement these recommended solutions with his own team of consultants and analysts.
To qualify for jobs in consulting, whether you are applying to a consultancy firm or straight to a company, your school records need to be impeccable: glowing grades, glowing recommendations, and a strong membership in at least one organization where you have had the opportunity to hone your leadership skills. This tenacity and determination should follow after graduation into graduate school and/or your first job.
Graduates of an MBA program can easily slip into the role of senior consultant right away, although it is often more satisfactory to a company if the consulting manager they hire has had prior experience in consultation and implementation. Often, business students gun for as much experience as they can get even before graduation. While still in graduate school, many business students will find work as administrative assistants with supporting staff duties. They do not actually do much consultation, but learn the accompanying collaterals such as creating slideshow presentations, maintaining Web sites, or doing clerical work.
Others may be lucky to find work right away as analysts and research or staff consultants, again not doing much consultation, but helping the senior consultant with field research and analysis, focusing group discussions, and retrieving all kinds of data. Analysts may eventually leave the company to finish graduate school or may stay on after graduation and become promoted to associate consultant, then consultant, and eventually, senior consultant. Senior consultants may then be promoted to consulting managers after a few years.
Of course, consulting managers operate according to the different industries that require consultation. Again, the number of industries that require consultation services is huge and growing. It has become the accepted standard among corporations that hiring a consultant or a consulting team is better business sense than trying to figure out their problems on their own. It is also less expensive to hire consultants and end up with a much-improved system than to see a lot of dollars go to waste.
Informational Technology (IT) companies will need consultants adept at computer programming, and consulting managers will need to know how to write their own code. IT consulting jobs are becoming as popular as management consulting jobs. Retail stores and restaurants are beginning to see the need for external second opinions on strategic location deliberation and other marketing clarifications. Companies are also now looking for particular experts in specific fields. Consulting managers who have strong human resources backgrounds are in demand by companies who want to boost their workforce. So-called green consultants, who are ecologically oriented, are requested by companies who want to improve their products or services to a more environmentally friendly image. They are also requested for companies who wish to comply with office safety regulations.
There are some consultants who try to find their own consulting jobs with companies while others opt to find consulting firm jobs through advertised openings. Whether applying as a consultant in a company or as a consulting staff in a consultancy firm, consulting jobs are very competitive. Aligning yourself with a consultancy firm, whether a large consultancy firm or a smaller-but-specialized strategic company, will not guarantee easier access to jobs, what with the many consultants employed by the firm who are equally competent as you.
That being said, many consultants try their luck finding their own consultation projects. This is not as difficult these days, with the boom of the Internet and the growing popularity of job search sites. Aside from going directly to the company looking for specific consultants and consulting managers, the top industry consulting firms also place advertisements in job searches, leaving many hopeful applicants a wealth of options.
Aside from the stimulating and challenging work and the very meaty paycheck, many consulting managers and consultants find a lot of things they love about their job including the opportunity to work on several fulfilling projects each year and to socialize and work with many interesting people from diverse companies. Also, as a consulting manager, you will have a team of employees working under you, whether it is from your own consulting agency or from the hiring company, and that will be challenging on its own. The downside to consulting is that you will put in many long and hard hours just to get your job done. It takes a particular kind of person to make a great consultant, and although many hope to get to the top, only those who are really cut out for consultancy will.
