Consulting Career Connection

Learn

Consulting is a dynamic, fast-paced profession that needs you to be quick on your feet and innovative in your style of thinking. The first step in considering a career in the consulting is to develop an understanding of the industry and what it is consultants actually do. What better place to start than here. In this section, we'll explore the fundamentals of the profession, the types of consulting out there, and how you pick firms to apply to.

Consulting 101

You might only now be considering a career in consulting, but it's safe to say that at some point you've already acted like a consultant. Management consultants develop recommendations that help clients make more money, run a business more efficiently or plan for the future, among other things. This isn't for the faint hearted. You'll be churning out ideas and looking for ways to improve what's already in place. Read more

Types of Consulting

Broadly speaking, the consulting industry is broken down along some major segments, with many small and a handful of larger companies in each. The beauty of consulting is that there is always another segment; there is always an area of expertise that you can hone in on, leverage and carve out as a niche that only you can fill. The entrepreneurial spirit is fundamental to the industry. Read more

Boutique or Large - Which is for You?

Boutique Consulting - it's a term that's been bandied around for years now, but what makes a firm 'boutique' and do these kinds of companies offer better opportunities to new grads than industry giants? Ask anyone in the industry and it's unlikely you'll get the same answer twice, so we've poked around and gathered some of the opinions out there. Read more

Consulting Career Paths

Burning Question

Q. Where do you see the future of consulting?
A. Despite the shaky economy, consulting is one of the few industries that is expanding – and rather aggressively at that. Of course, some segments are performing better than most – operational improvement consulting (e.g., supply chain and production optimization, cost cutting programs etc.) appears to be the strongest segment going forward, mostly because it’s so easy to.... Read more

Words from the Wise

"To be a true consultant, you're not just going in as a know-it-all. Obviously, you do need to know a lot. Your knowledge is a very important part of what you offer to the marketplace. But there are an awful lot of other things that are important, too. It's about relationships. It's about listing skills. It's about bringing an understanding of what it means to change an environment. It means technical competency... Read more Lanny Cohen, Director - Cap Gemini Ernst & Young