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A Consultancy Career

Management consultancy is one of the careers that blossoms in a economic slump.

Why is this? Because more than ever, institutions need management consultants to help them to raise profits and decrease costs.

Business consulting is also one of the highest salaried careers in the Europe. Recent research has found entry-level consultants earn an average of £32,000 annually while senior partners earn an average of £150,000 (including bonuses and profit sharing). Self-employed consultants may earn anything from £50 to £250 per hour.

So, if you have been chewing over breaking into this profession, put it off no more. The financial rewards are a real incentive. Other pluses of the job include: intellectual challenge, prestige, self development, and amazingly high levels of job satisfaction.

Lets consider the two paths of consulting to consider: working for others and going it alone. If you don't have much experience or are a new graduate, employed status is probably the sensible option. If you have already gained sufficient professional experience in a specialised field, being self-employed is a desirable option.

Whichever path you choose, here are some guidelines to break into and succeed in this field:-

Improve your skillsbase.
Business consultants need to be skilled at problem-solving, communication, and management skills such as planning and delegating. Other skills and attributes that can help you land a job are basic computer skills, leadership, and an ability to thrive well under stress.

Educate yourself.
Despite what you might think, you don't need to have a business degree, an MBA or even ANY degree to break into this career choice. However, you should keep abreast of current management thinking through continuing education or reviewing business publications. It can certainly be worthwhile formalising this by obtaining a consultancy accreditation such as the Certificate in Consulting Essentials, or the Diploma in Management Consulting.

Understand the role of the consultant
develop an understanding of job titles, specialisations (from information technology to HR), and the typical consulting cycle (from proposal to completion. Much of this can be learned from specialist workshops or consultancy qualifications.

Get experience.
Ways to get management consulting experience include pro bono work or volunteering for special projects with your existing employer.

Decide what kind of organisation you want to work for.
If your ambition is to work for a consulting firm, decide where you want to focus your job search. Types of employing organisations include multi-national firms such as Accenture and McKinsey, small "boutique" firms, local authorities, non-profit organisations, and government departments. Each one has different advantages and disadvantages.

Understand the consulting job hunting process.
Typically the selection stage for a consulting postposition includes personality tests and CV questions, communication questions and business case questions. You will almost certainly be asked to give a presentation.

If you have an bent for entrepreneurship, preliminary steps to starting a management consulting business include researching the market, deciding whether to become a limited company, and setting up your offices. You will also need to price your services and attract customers through networking, advertising, or publicity.

Although it is not an absolute requirement, you should consider a professional designation as a Certified Management Consultant to take your career to the next level. In the UK The Institute of Business Consulting together with the internationally regarded Chartered Management Institute is responsible for this.

Management consultancy is a very profitable profession do your homework properly to ensure success and there is no better way to do that than to obtain an internationally respected qualification.

Article Source: http://free-article-depot.com

Kim Taylor is a lead consultant for www.managers.com and author of many management texts. She also coaches and mentors budding and experienced consultants who are studying qualifications such as the www.managers.gb.com/”>Certificate in Consulting Essentialsand the www.managers.gb.com/”>Diploma in Management Consulting. Both of which can be studied through distance learning. To find out more visit www.managers.gb.com

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