I am currently studying CIMA and I want to become a renowned management consultant. I want to know the
How To Become A Management Consultant
Answers
Book knowledge is great. It provides a foundation.
Advanced degrees are wonderful, so are certifications. It showed you were able to regurgitate the information correctly and depending on the test/educator think within the box that was laid out during the course. This is not a put down.
But the real world is not an academic box. Variables are not limited or controlled. Things come out of left field, and go in every direction. Sometimes in your favor, often times not.
Reacting and understanding how to deal with the real stresses of both yourself, your work mates and other stakeholders takes time.
So if you truly want to be a renowned
You then will be able to take your educational foundation and your real-life experiences and diversity of where you worked and dovetail that into practical solutions based on real life successes and failures and hopefully provide a value add to your clients.
Good luck!
What an interesting question - if you think you are one - you are one.
Having said that, what are the skills you bring - who are the contacts you have that will hire you to learn from you?
What are your specialties? How will you market them?
Of course, one way to start is to work for a consulting firm. I of course had to do it "my way" (love that song by Frank Sinatra) and just started consulting many years ago.....
What works for you?
1
"if you think you are one - you are one"
Many times I see a period of time on a resume listed as self employed consultant. I interpret that as unemployed. I've done the same thing myself. I may pick up an occasional, short term, consulting gig, but in reality I, and they, are looking for a bona-fide position.
The truly useful consultants are those that have many years in the real world, experiencing a variety of companies and practices and have a gift for translating that experience to a situation. They listen well, they understand what makes people and cultures tick and use those skills to launch change. This isn't something you can get out of a book or from a seminar.
That being said, there are plenty of useless consultants that earn a significant income. How they look in the mirror every day is beyond me. Perhaps they follow the above comment of "if you think you are one - you are one".
As a
1) Right out of school, go to work for a BIG consulting firm with an excellent reputation, terrific new hire
2) Distinguish yourself as a hard worker. Show up early, stay late, study how every deliverable is received and ask what you could have done better.
3) Distinguish yourself as the person who gets stuff done. (too many consultants are more interested in extending billing rather than doing terrific work quickly and earning additional business)
4) Distinguish yourself as someone who delivers quality work, on time, every time - no exceptions. Not over committing is just as important as giving extra effort.
5) Learn/read everything you can. Take advantage of opportunities to network with Sr. consultants. Learn your specialty, learn general business, learn to get along with anyone - regardless of how difficult they are.
6) Pick an industry. Whenever possible avoid doing work that is too far afield from 1 specific industry. My firm's industry is B2B software, yours may be mining, hospitality, etc. The point is that people who really know the industry add MUCH more value than people who know the discipline and have to learn the industry.
When you have 5'ish years doing this, start thinking about your next role. Check out the Visible Expert information put out by Hinge
Good luck!
Matt
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Human Capital