Succeeding as a Consultant

The following is a list we compiled of the skills you need in order to succeed in management consulting:

Problem Solving

At its core, consulting is problem solving. You need to be able to take a complex problem that a client gives you, break it down into its parts, and determine an efficient and effective way of diagnosing the problem and looking into solutions. Consultants engage in structure problem solving, drawing upon frameworks for diving into problems and testing hypotheses.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

You need to be able to communicate your findings in a clear manner that others can understand and be able to connect with people. Consultants need to be able to convince others, including their team and their clients, that their ideas are valid and of value.

“A successful consultant typically has good presentation skills. A consultant can perform excellent business analysis but this analysis and the accompanying advice to the client will never be followed if the client isn’t convinced via a strong presentation that the research is sound. ”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2020

“People with strong interpersonal skills are typically successful at consulting. This doesn't necessarily mean you're an extrovert (there are plenty of introverts who have gone up the ladder and are now managers/partners!). It means that you're able to connect with people and communicate effectively.”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2019

Taking Initiative

Consultants work in small teams where the responsibility for the success of the project lies heavily on each team member. Successful consultants are not afraid to share their opinion, after all, they are being paid for it.

“You have to be driven and self-motivated. It's easy to lose heart in consulting--a lot of the work can be menial and long and purposeless, you may not vibe with your team members, and you may feel like you're not making any positive impact on the world. Despite these feelings, it's important to be grounded in what you want to get out of consulting (a ton of learning in a short amount of time, desirable exit opportunities, tactical business skills), and focus on maximizing your experience so you absorb and learn as much as possible!”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2019

Creativity

Consultants are hired to offer solutions that the client didn’t manage to find. These solutions often require out-of-the-box thinking and a willingness to challenge the status quo.

“It helps to have prior experience with Excel/financial analysis, but definitely not required. Instead, it's more important to have softer skills like breaking down a problem, thinking creatively, being willing to learn a LOT, communicating clearly, working under pressure, being a team player, and synthesizing information.”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2019

Is Management Consulting Right for Me?

Consulting is one of the most popular career choices at Harvard--according to the 2019 OCS Senior Survey, 10% of seniors were heading to consulting careers. It is a desirable career choice for students who don’t know exactly what they want to pursue after college. Consulting is a great launching point towards desirable exit opportunities and allows people to hone in their business skills. However, the consulting lifestyle is not for everyone, as job requirements include extensive traveling and long work hours. Here are some reasons why consulting may or may not be a good fit for you:

The lifestyle

The work is not always glamorous, and the travel can be tough.

​“As an entry-level consultant, not all parts of your job will be glamorous at first – you need to earn the trust of your superiors before you are given the meatier, more interesting pieces of work. The travel can also be fun, but taxing over long periods of time, so I would ask around and make sure that the role is a good fit for you”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2019

Unpredictability

A lot of the work consultants do is unpredictable, such as the amount of hours they work a week to the projects they are assigned to. Thus, if you are a planner who is looking for a fixed schedule and work-life balance, consulting may not be for you.

“ It's not a secret that the job is demanding (~55-60 hour work weeks are what we aim for, but hours can go up to 80+). You have to be flexible with limited visibility, unpredictable spikes in intensity, and a fair amount of pressure to do well. There isn't as much "work-life balance" that other jobs may provide, so you do have to know what energizes you in the job and try to optimize for those aspects. You also have to be flexible with the type of work you're doing. The nature of consulting is that there are lots of projects in different capabilities and industries. You may be able to submit your preferences for certain projects, but in the end, the company is a business and they need people on teams. You might be on a case doing work in an industry you don't care about at all, but you have to find some way to endure it for the next X months.”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2019

Business overview

If you are curious about business as a whole, but are unsure of what specific path or industry you are interested in, consulting is a great starting point. Consulting gives you a chance to learn about different facets of business very quickly, in the form of short projects across various industries.

“I chose to go into consulting because I knew I had an interest in business but didn’t know what I specifically wanted to do. Additionally, I didn’t have enough business experience to feel that I could meaningfully contribute to a company. To me, the typical consultant is one who is a hard worker who is also curious about business and is seeking broad exposure into business rather than an immediate deep dive into a single industry / business aspect.”

- Associate Consultant at Bain, Harvard Class of 2020

Types of Consultants

There are a broad range of consulting roles, and so there most likely is a sub-industry of consulting that applies to a field you are interested in. The following are a few of the most popular types of consulting careers; other types of consultants include: marketing, sales, environment, legal, software, communications, social media, career, and PR.

Management Consulting

Management consultants help businesses improve their performance and may encounter a broad range of business problems, such as mergers and acquisitions, product development, product pricing, and business strategy. Thus, management consulting is a popular career among students who want exposure to multiple industries.

The Big Four accounting firms are the world’s largest consulting firms: Deloitte, EY, KPMG, and PwC. Much of the work is on the implementation of changes.

MBB refers to the most prestigious consulting firms: McKinsey, Bain, and Boston Consulting Group. They mainly recruit from top colleges and are very selective. They are about 1/10th the size of the Big Four firms. Much of the work of these firms is on answering strategic questions, rather than implementation.

Human Capital Consulting

Human capital consultants help businesses best manage and structure their human resources. They work with issues such as employee engagement, compensation, and workforce structuring. Top human capital consulting firms include Deloitte, Mercer, Aon Hewitt, and Willis Towers Watson.

Information Technology Consulting

IT consultants advise firms on how to use technology to enhance their business, which is especially relevant as technology is changing at a rapid pace. IT consultants help design and manage a client’s computer systems. Top IT consulting firms include Accenture, Deloitte, IBM, and McKinsey.