How to Become a Management Consultant – 5 Advanced Tips
More and more people are trying their luck in management consulting because it’s one of the most lucrative fields these days. If you enjoy meeting new people and if you have exceptional problem-solving and analytical skills, you can surely make a fortune in this endeavor.
Here’s how you can become a management consultant:
1. Consider your educational background. If you think that you’ve got no chance in this field just because you are college undergraduate, think again. You see, there are basically two types of consultants that are being hired by consulting firms these days. These are undergraduate candidates who are hired as associates and those with advanced degrees who are hired as business analysts. You can work as associate and be promoted to management consultant by simply attending business school.
2. Go back to school. Regardless if you are a college undergraduate or you have already earned your bachelor degree, it would work to your advantage if you can go to business school to get advanced degrees. This can help you become more knowledgeable in this field. As a result, you’ll become a more effective management consultant.
3. Decide where you want to work. Basically, you have two options. You can either work for a consulting firm or you can work as a freelance management consultant. Both have their own pros and cons but I recommend that you work for a firm first if you are just starting out to get experience and the exposure you need. You can work as a freelance consultant once you have already made a mark in this field (so you can easily get people to sign up to your services). But remember, going on your own will mean losing your monthly paychecks and other benefits. However, you’ll have direct control over your working hours and have the ability to choose the projects to work on.
4. Prepare a powerful resume. Should you decide to apply to consulting firms, make sure that you create a powerful resume that will speak volumes about your expertise and your credibility to increase your chances of getting interviewed. During your interview, make you potential employer see that you are motivated, driven, and dependable.
5. Gain leadership experience. Both consulting firms and potential clients consider a track record that demonstrate interpersonal skills, leadership ability, and critical thinking as these are some of the skills that are possessed by an effective management consultant.