Top consulting firms usually look for problem-solving skills, entrepreneurial approach, and analytical thinking. Leadership experience is also valuable, whether it's taking charge of a student or volunteer project or managing a team in a formal setting. Here are some more elements that you should emphasize in your business consultant resume:
University and employer brands
Recruiters will look for big company names or renowned universities in your resume (Harvard, Yale, and MIT are especially valued). Popular consulting companies are very selective of applicants. Working for a large company, and a degree or certification from a prestigious university helps you get noticed.
Secondly, when you boast an impressive degree or experience, it is easy for them to "sell" you to the client. Clients of consulting firms pay hundreds of dollars and want to have the best management consultants on their projects. Even if you have limited experience but you went to Yale and had an internship with a Big Four company, it is easier to sell you as a strategic management consultant.
Yet, if you cannot boast an impressive degree or experience, you can still get hired as a consultant, yet you will need to work harder to polish your resume.
GPA and academic achievements
For entry-level consultants, emphasizing academic success is a must. If you have an impressive GPA (4.8 or higher), include it in your Education section. If not, focus on other academic accomplishments, such as Dean's List, university projects, or athletic achievements.
Foreign language proficiency
If you speak German, Spanish, Chinese Mandarin, or any other language, it will give you points if you want to join an international company. Mention all languages you speak and add your proficiency level. It can give you an edge over other candidates during the selection process.
Relevant experience and projects
For experienced consultants, emphasizing industry experience and relevant projects is the key. Your recruiter or potential client will be interested in your relevant experience and the results you delivered to potential clients. If you want to find a client as a leasing consultant, make sure that your leasing consultant resume lists your experience in developing tours, preparing individual pamphlets, and boasts a high resident retention rate.
How to write a powerful resume for all consulting roles: A step-by-step guide
Below, you will find tips on writing a consultant resume for every specialization:
- Big Four consulting resume
- Consulting internship resume
- Marketing consultant resume
- Consulting manager resume
- Sales consultant resume
- Technology consultant resume
- Customer relationship management consultant, and more.
Include all essential resume sections
When developing a business consultant resume, make sure it features all the necessary sections. These sections are already featured in our template above, so you can copy and paste your information there:
- Your name and contact details - this section is placed at the top of the resume. Add your cell phone, email, city, and LinkedIn profile.
- Summary or objective statement- it provides a high-level overview of your consulting experience, skills, and value proposition.
- Professional experience- lists your paid and unpaid consulting expertise, featuring the project type, your contribution, and the results you achieved.
- Education- add a relevant degree and academic achievements. This is especially important for entry-level consultants.
- Skills- add up to 14 skills to outline your technical skills and competencies.
- Training and certifications - highlight important certifications (such as certified management consultant, or CMC) and extra training from reputable organizations.
- Optional sections - include foreign language proficiency, volunteer experience, and hobbies if they make a contribution and can help get you noticed.
Craft a compelling Summary statement
Your Summary section is optional, yet, it can work as an elevator pitch and introduce your qualifications to the potential employer. Keep this section to 3-5 sentences, providing a brief overview of what you can contribute to the team if hired.
- Use the target job title (for example, Senior Consultant) to optimize for robot and human screening.
- Mention your years of consulting experience, industry, and areas of specialization. The best consulting resume summary examples are specific and written with the target job in mind.
- Add 1-2 most impressive accomplishments to catch attention. Make sure they are relevant to the target role.
- Include keywords from the job posting. It will keep your resume optimized for applicant tracking systems.
Showcase your consulting experience
List your job titles, company names, or client names. Under each project, include your responsibilities and achievements as a bulleted list. Highlight project types, your actions, and the impact you've made.
- Keep it specific and explain what actions you took and how you used strategic planning skills to achieve results for the client.
- Use the STAR formula. Describe the real-world problem your client encountered, your task, steps you took, and the result you achieved in the end.
- Focus on achievements. If you managed to streamline business processes, identify cost saving opportunities, achieve regulatory compliance, or boost operational efficiency, prove it with numbers and examples.
Highlight relevant certifications
In the consulting field, certifications are highly valuable. They show your extensive skills, credibility, and industry expertise. Make sure that your resume reflects all certifications accurately and understandably for non-technical audiences.
Here are some of the best certifications for consultants:
- Certified Public Accountant (CPA)
- Certified Management Consultant (CMC)
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM)
List your relevant skills
Adding the Skills section serves two purposes. Firstly, it summarizes your competencies concisely for your financial services client. Secondly, it helps your resume pass the ATS screening better if your skills are relevant.
Don't just list all skills you have on your resume. Focus on the most relevant ones for your target job. Ideally, you should include between 6 and 14 skills. Make sure to prove all skills you add with examples in your Experience section.
Here are some examples of skills to include for consultants:
- Project management
- Analytical skills
- Data analysis
- Managing consulting projects
- Agile methodologies
- Client relationship management
- Financial modeling
- Consulting services
- Programming languages
- Communication and negotiation
- Cost savings.
Tailor it to your target job
Adjusting consulting resumes for a job description is a must. Since consulting is an ultra-competitive field, you need to quickly prove how your qualifications match the needs of the specific client.
- Add relevant projects, achievements, and skills that show how you can benefit the potential employer. The recruiter should see relevant experience instantly.
- Incorporate the keywords from the job posting. It will help you pass the ATS filters. Mirror the language used in the job listing.
- Update your summary and 1-2 most recent jobs for each consulting job. It takes time, but such tailored applications generate better results.