6 Reasons to Become a Consultant (No Matter What Industry You’re In)

Do you think being a consultant is sexy? Or boring?

Spoiler alert! You'll be leaning towards sexy by the end of this article.

Consulting is a booming industry that has estimated revenues between $130 billion and $150 billion annually. Professional consultants are among the highest paid workers, earning more than many doctors and lawyers.

I know what you’re thinking. Consulting is fiercely competitive – there’s little to no room for small business. Interestingly, this isn’t the case. What’s beautiful about this market is that majority of the large, seemingly overpowering consulting firms focus only on a thin slice of the market.

This creates opportunities for small businesses and individual consultants who know how to use guerrilla methods to snag their share of a profitable sector.

Besides the ambitious and growing client base – not to mention the pay check - there are many reasons why everyone should try consulting as a job. Here are:  

6 Reasons to Become a Consultant (No Matter What Industry You’re In)

1. You get to try a lot on

As a consultant you get exposure to different industries and functions. It’s like a crash course in how a company or industry works in a short amount of time.

Not sure of the best career path for yourself? This is the perfect opportunity to rapidly try out industries, functional areas, and even geographies to see what you like most.

And if you already know what industry is right for you, consulting presents you with opportunities to see different company cultures and meet people within the company, which can be a major step in picking somewhere you can be successful in your next career path.

It’s also a great way to grow a large and diverse network.

2. You’ll develop valuable transferable skills

• Communication: You’re interacting with different clients, front line and c-suite positions included. 
• Speaking your mind: As a consultant, you can’t be shy to speak your mind and make recommendations. That's what you get paid to do.
• Problem solving: You will be pushed to think outside the box to find the best solution for your client.
• Project management: As a consultant, you'll often be playing the role of project manager. You'll need to gather information, coordinate work, and keep people accountable. 
• Business acumen: The simple truth is that you’re running your own business and you’re helping your clients run theirs. You’ll need to understand business and how it works – meaning you have to understand the bottom line.
• Money management: You’ll learn how to keep track of expenses. You can’t run your own company without being conscious of budget constraints. You’ll get firsthand experience figuring out how to trim the fat and be efficient with your dollar.

3. You’ll quickly become an expert

The training and speed at which you learn in consulting is unparalleled. Consulting projects are usually fast-paced and you’re typically working with teams. You’ll learn from those who are more experienced than you and you’ll find yourself becoming a quick expert in all kinds of fields.

4. You’ll gain C-level experience

As a consultant, you’ll often be interacting with high level executives. They are the ones who approved hiring you. You’ll have to learn how to sell yourself and your solutions. Consulting gives you the opportunity to exercise your strategy muscle and gain exposure to CEO type of thinking.

5. You’ll have more opportunities to grow

Unlike many other jobs, you won’t have to wait for your boss to leave in order to progress. If you’re great at what you do, you’ll be rewarded.

6. You don’t have to start your business from scratch

You’re not alone and there's help available! The ConnectsUs HR Consulting Kit provides you with a comprehensive and invaluable resource to set up and manage your independent consulting business. It even provides services to set up your own consulting website. 

The subscription is perfect for an HR consultant but has tremendous value for any type of consultant.  

Take Away

Whether you think it’s sexy or boring to be a consultant, if you have a specific expertise you should give it a shot. There’s a multitude of opportunities to learn, grow, and progress as a professional.

Sarah Visca is the Operations Manager at ConnectsUs HR, a company that provides tools & resources to quickly set up a Human Resources department.  
You can contact her here. 

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