Consultants are professionals with skill in maximizing profitability or effectiveness and maintaining smooth operations are known as consultants. Projects are typically worked on by teams at consulting firms, and entry-level consultants may be in charge of a number of duties, such as data analysis, topic research, report writing, and presentation delivery. There may be a lot of travel involved, the pace can be fast, and the clients can have high demands.
Education consulting firms – whether education policy consulting firms, higher education consulting firms, or K-12 education consulting firms – offer services to improve operational processes for educational institutions or companies. When it comes to progressing or adapting to the current disruptions in the education sector, education consulting is essential. They support fundraising, simplify governance, enhance student performance, and guarantee optimal cost efficiency. There are two types of education consulting firms: management consulting firms with significant practice areas devoted to education consulting and boutique firms that solely provide education consulting services.
Tip #1 Consulting firms look for smart people with a strong academic record and a history of achievement. Concentration or area of study is usually less important because firms want to build teams of individuals with diverse perspectives and schools of thought.
Tip #2 Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team is extremely important since that is how consulting firms organize their work.
Tip #3 Consulting is a client-facing industry. It is important to use face-to-face opportunities to demonstrate interpersonal skills such as verbal and written communication, poise under pressure, and confidence.
Tip #4 Take full advantage of the on-campus recruiting process, but do not limit your search to just on-campus recruiting. You may find tremendous opportunities at firms that do not travel to campus.
Tip #5 Connect with alumni who currently work at a consulting firm and/or older students who have completed consulting internships to support you with case interview preparation.
Tip #6 Do not get discouraged if you are not successful in securing a consulting specific summer internship. Seek a business-oriented opportunity in areas such as business development to develop the business skills and savvy that are valuable to consulting firms.
Tip #7 It is imperative to establish a practice of reading to keep current on business news to inform clients of best industry practices as well as your own research findings.