Consultants are a strange breed. We span all industries, but ultimately we are in the business of helping organisations make difficult decisions and implement change. It is a combination of strategy (why), culture (hearts and minds), and operations (what) and delivery (how and when). Oddly, the most important ingredient is leadership, which consultants cannot provide. Only clients can provide the ‘Why’ that motivates people into action.
To be honest, when I was at school or college, Management Consultancy wasn’t something that got mentioned and had very little subject matter information. However, once is started my professional career the number one factor that drew me into management consultancy was the diversity of work and the impact you can have. As a consultant, you will work on a range of projects, with a variety of colleagues and clients. You will gain experience across sectors, industries and even countries, as many consultancies also offer opportunities to travel and experience different cultures.
Just as businesses need to change and adapt, so does my personal growth and development. I am always ready for new and challenging opportunities, and somewhere where I can make a real difference and positive contribution, and at the same time push my professional boundaries to the next level. I find consulting a great fit to match my ambition, but here are some other benefits being a consultant provides:
1. You get exposure to different Industries and Functions
By taking a job in consulting, you get a crash course in how a company or industry works in a short amount of time. This has a plus and minus side. You need to keep up with the latest trends and technologies, so you need to invest your time keeping up to date with the lastest, tools, methodologies and what happening in the marketplace.
And because business analysts work in a variety of industries on diverse projects, there are numerous opportunities to get exposure to how different teams and companies work.
2. You can make a real difference
As a consultant, you and your team will take on many roles to solve a client’s toughest issues. You will work with clients and your teams to collectively use your problem-solving ability, expertise, and capabilities to create change and drive lasting impact.
As you progress your career you reach the holy grail of ‘The Trusted Advisor’. Here, you work with key decision-makers within the business and come to you for advice on the best approach, strategy or what technology to use.
You may be a trusted advisor to top management one week and the next to be a hands-on coach to front line employees. Either way, you will be solving tough problems that will challenge you and make a real difference to the organisation. Trust me, there is nothing worse than knowing you are working on a project/deliverable that may not be used or has little impact on the business.
3. You Develop life-long valuable Transferable Skills
One of the best parts about working in consulting is that you gain transferable skills that you can take to any job in the future, making you a valuable job applicant and employee across the board.
What are some of the important skills business analysts pick up in the world of consulting? Here are three critical ones:
- Problem Solving: Consulting is all about finding the best solution to a client’s problem. You will be pushed to think outside the box, build hypotheses, and determine the right answer for a given situation.
- Communication: As a consultant communication is key. You will learn how to work and develop solutions with many different clients, front line and c-suite positions included.
- Project Management: As soon as you start, you are given the responsibility to own and drive pieces of the solution with your consultant team and your clients.
4. You Work in a Team-Oriented Environment
As a consultant, you’ll work with a number of other people to find the best solution for the problem you are trying to solve, so there’s a unique opportunity to gain formal and informal mentorship and guidance. The relationships you forge during your assignments are critical. They’re ones that you’ll lean on for years to come.
In addition to learning how to work on a team within a consulting assignements, you’ll also learn what it means to work on a team with clients, another important skill that’ll serve you well no matter what field you go into.
Summary
Regardless of what you want to do, consulting is a unique opportunity to obtain valuable skills, work with experts, travel, and gain mentors.