Discovering Consulting Careers
Are you at a career crossroads, unsure of your next move? Perhaps then it’s time to explore what consulting careers could offer. As a dynamic and impactful profession, consulting offers a chance to solve real-world problems while leveraging your unique skillset. Whether you’re starting your career or seeking a fresh challenge, consulting provides a rewarding path filled with variety, growth, and impact. In this blog we’ll take you through some key considerations for moving to a career in consulting.
So what is consulting, really?
Fundamentally, a career in consulting is about problem solving. As a consultant, you’ll work with different organisations to identify their challenges, develop solutions, and support them as they make changes. This could involve anything from improving process efficiencies to guiding the selection and implementation of new technology. Ultimately, you will be supporting teams to navigate change effectively in their workplace.
If you enjoy a varied work life, then consulting may be just the thing for you. One day, you might be helping a small charity to improve its processes, creating a positive impact within local areas, and the next, you could find yourself working with a household-name on a large-scale change transformation project across multiple sites. The range of projects is one of the most stimulating parts of consulting careers – each day bringing new obstacles, environments, and people to collaborate with.
Transferable skills: Why you’re more ready than you think
One of the best things about consulting is that there is no set path to become a consultant. Even if you have no direct business or corporate experience, many career paths could have already equipped you with the important attributes required to succeed as a consultant. All you need to do is apply yourself and be excited to learn in a dynamic environment.
Consluting careers key skills to succeed:
- Problem-solving: Consulting is all about creative problem solving and working towards solutions. Your ability to think critically and approach issues from different angles is invaluable.
- Communication: In consulting, it’s not enough just to know the technical details. To effectively put that knowledge into action, you must be able to share ideas clearly and effectively with a variety of stakeholders from different backgrounds and sectors.
- Adaptability: Every client has different needs, and every project has its own challenges. The ability to quickly adapt and stay calm under pressure is vital in the dynamic world of consulting.
- Collaboration: Consultants often work alongside teams from various industries and departments. Your ability to collaborate and build relationships will be key to ongoing success.
- Emotional intelligence: With a variety of projects comes a range of personalities and emotions. Being able to navigate your own emotions, while empathising with those of others, is a fundamental tool of consulting.
These skills are just a few fundamentals, but what makes consulting so unique is the breadth of skill within a wider consulting team necessary for the successful delivery of ongoing change and transformation. Perhaps you can relate to some of these skills already, even if you haven’t been in a traditional business-related role? Whether you’ve worked in sales, customer service, teaching, or any other field that requires interacting with people and tackling challenges, you could be a great fit for a career in consulting. While some consultancies may require specific technical expertise, this knowledge can only go so far without these key interpersonal and analytical skills. The specialised knowledge can always be learned over time, and many consultancies are open to candidates who are willing to develop those skills on the ground, offering opportunities for entry level roles and development programmes.
What consulting is (and isn’t)
There are plenty of misconceptions about consulting careers that can make it feel like an exclusive industry, reserved only for those with university degrees or years of specialised experience and knowledge.
Contrary to common belief, consulting does not require being an expert who knows everything about every business function or service. In reality, successful consultants are collaborative problem solvers who thrive in dynamic environments. The role involves constantly learning on the job and working with clients to tackle challenges – meaning you’ll always be growing and evolving with each project. In fact, having a non-traditional background can make you stand out as you offer unique perspectives and skills.
Another misconception is that consulting requires long hours and a rigid corporate environment. While the work can be demanding, it’s important to find a consultancy firm who prioritise work-life balance and encourage employees to bring their personalities to work. The variety in the role means you’ll never face the monotony of some career paths, and you will have the freedom to work in a way that embraces your natural flair.
Your new career path
Consulting careers offer the opportunity to make a tangible impact on businesses while constantly learning and developing new skills.
Consulting isn’t just for those with business degrees or a specific set of technical knowledge. It’s about people who have a passion for collaboration and continuous learning. If you’re someone who enjoys variety, thrives in dynamic environments, and loves helping others grow and succeed, consulting could be the perfect fit.
If this resonates with you, why not start exploring this exciting pathway further? After all, all the best consultants are curious… At Nine Feet Tall we’re always on the lookout for talented and enthusiastic individuals to join our team! We have a variety of career openings and also our award winning 9Start Development Programme for those looking to kickstart a career in consulting. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions!
