| Here’s a phrase:
“Consultants take your watch and tell you what time it is”
Not the best of images aye? However, the consultancy industry has not only survived despite some of these negative stereotypes – it has seriously prospered and more than that, it continues to attract the best talent across the globe!
Without any doubt, the consulting arena can offer a superb long term career but be warned, it can also ask for a significant investment of time and energy. Whilst this is not always the case, if you are considering a consulting career, here are a few things to be mindful of:
1. Travel.
Depending on which sector or discipline you are involved in, it is likely that you will travel all the time, and no, it’s not glamorous. It can however be fun and there’s a certain amount of self-discovery that occurs when you’re eating alone in some random bar or restaurant in a town you’ve never heard of let alone visited, but do be prepared that your Monday –Thursday that can sometimes take you away from home.
You’ll find ways to make it interesting and fun, though. Frequent flyer status and Platinum status at various hotel groups? Don’t mind if I do!
2. Flexibility!
This is possibly one of the core skills/requirements of a successful consultant.
Consulting can be a great way to gain expertise in all kinds of areas—but it also means that you have to constantly adapt and be as flexible as possible with your aptitude, time, and work style.
3. The elevator pitch is a tool you will come to rely on!!
Consulting is all about making connections and this is why we built TheConsultantHub.com! When we talk about connections we mean connections not only in terms of the actual work, but more importantly, with people. Developing solid business networks, both internally at the firm and externally at your clients is crucial. On client sites you are constantly convincing (and proving) to new people that you are and would be a valuable asset to a project.
Because you will be working on teams with people you may not know, you must be able to show clients a united front to ensure that their projects will be executed seamlessly. If you run into a CEO or Board Director in the elevator and s/he casually asks how your team’s recommendations are coming along, you’ll want to make sure you can calmly summarize things the same way your teammate did!
Effective communication is an absolute must in the career of a consultant.
Interested in a consulting role?
TheConsultantHub.com is a membership network of consultants/consultancy companies who are able to be searched and approached for free by firms directly.
Source: TheConsultantHub.com |
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