Areas to be Proficient in as a Consultant
Consultant jobs present an exciting career path given that a consultant career is characterized by a good salary with many benefits, extensive travel, meeting different people, and brainstorming around different client scenarios. To be a cut above other applicants for the same position, a consultant must be armed with a broad array of practical and professional skills. Even though there are consultants specialized in virtually all industry sectors, there are three main areas of consulting today: finance, management, and technology. One is more likely to succeed in consultant work if they have expertise in at least one of these three areas and a good grasp of the other two.
How to find Consultant Jobs
The following are the other steps you can take to help you find consultant work.
• Network - Attend and be an active participant in forums that bring together people in a consultant career. Where possible, check the list of attendees and keynote speakers during the seminar and workshop so you can identify persons in influential positions. Since you have a finite number of business cards, zeroing in a number of persons will ensure you make the most use of the forum. Be careful not to simply dish out your business card before making some level of conversation.
Remember that the people you talk to, especially if they have a high profile; receive business cards all the time. Your best bet for distinguishing yourself from the competition is by initiating an intelligent and informed conversation that will leave a lasting impression. Have a ‘one minute resume speech' that you can use to talk about your qualifications and experience that predisposes you to a consultant work career. Follow up on any person that you give your business card to so you can remain at the top of their mind when a position does arise. Networking sessions will increase your awareness of what consultancy jobs recruiters are looking for in job applicants.
• Have a separate cell phone or fixed line for receiving business calls - When you interact with many people and hand out many business cards, over time your number is in the possession of a large number of people. In order to avoid confusion and maintain professionalism, get a separate business line that you will indicate on your business cards. That way, when you receive an incoming call, you will be psychologically prepared to respond to it formally thus avoiding a casual response that might jeopardize your chances of consultant employment.
• Perform a background check on the consulting firms you would like to work for. Find out what their core areas of business are, who their main customers are and what qualifications they look for when hiring for consultant jobs. This will not only help you if you are called up for an interview but will also help you develop a resume and cover letter that resonates with the firm's internal work culture.
• Use the internet - With over 1 billion users spread out all over the world, recruiters now consider the internet as one of the top places to go to when looking for consulting talent. When looking for consultant employment, do not ignore online job boards. Also, make use of social networking sites to build contacts as well as showcase your consulting knowledge by being an active contributor in professional conversations.
Competition for the best consultant employment opportunities can be intense. Therefore, anything that can give you an advantage over other applicants might be just what is required to help you get to the finish tape before everyone else. With thousands of listings, ConsultingCrossing.com can provide you with just the edge you need to find the best consultancy jobs. Sign up for a free trial today.
