Breaking Into and Succeeding as a Management Consultant
by Jennie S. Bev, Author of FabJob.com Guide to Become a Management Consultant
Management consulting is one of the professions that endure in a slow economy. Why? Because more than ever, companies need consultants to help them increase revenues and cut costs.
Management consulting is also one of the highest paid professions in the United States. A recent survey by the Association of Management Consulting Firms found entry-level consultants earn an average of $58,000 annually while senior partners earn an average of $259,000 (including bonuses and profit sharing). Self-employed consultants may earn $100 to $350 per hour.
Therefore, if you've been contemplating breaking into this field, wait no more. (I'm glad I didn't!) The financial rewards are a real incentive.Other benefits of the job include: intellectual challenge, prestige, opportunities to learn, and high levels of job satisfaction.
Now let's talk about the two paths of management consulting to consider: working for others and going solo. If you don't have much experience or are a new graduate, working for others is probably the wisest choice. If you have already gained sufficient professional experience in a specialized field, going solo is a highly feasible option.
Whichever path you choose, here are some tips to break into and succeed in this field, based on the FabJob.com Guide to Become a Management Consultant:
1. Develop your skills. Management consultants need to be skilled at
problem-solving, communication, and management skills such as scheduling and delegating. Other skills and attributes that can help you land a job are basic computer skills, leadership, and an ability to work well under stress.
2. Educate yourself. Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to have a business degree, an MBA or even ANY degree to break into this field. (Having one doesn't hurt either; in fact you'll be ahead in the game.) However, you should keep up with current management issues through continuing education or reading business publications.
3. Know what to expect from the job. Familiarize yourself with job titles, specializations (from information technology to organizational development), and the typical consulting job cycle (proposal, brainstorming, data gathering, analysis, and presentation). Even better, learn how to prepare a proposal to get consulting work.
4. Get experience. Ways to get management consulting experience include: pro bono work (volunteering to consult for a non-profit organization), an internship, or by becoming a summer associate for a consulting firm.
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Jennie S. Bev is a business consultant, syndicated columnist and the author of the FabJob.com Guide to Become a Management Consultant
http://www.fabjob.com/managementconsultant.asp?affiliate=236. She has helped many writers, career changers and job seekers achieve their dream jobs through her sites WritingGigs.com and StyleCareer.com.
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