Management Consulting As A Career

As a business continues to grow, the procedures and strategies employed become more complex. This increases the challenges and risks involved in routine transactions. Irrespective of the size of the business, there is always scope to employ external experts for advice and guidelines. They contribute towards obtaining optimum results in the most cost effective manner, to yield a good profit. Research reveals that they help to improve efficiency, organizational structure and returns on investments.

The demand for management consultants is high whenever a company is under performance pressure. They welcome professional help to boost the revenues and lower the cost of management. The special ability of a management consultant to identify the issues responsible for stagnation in a business helps the management to focus on developing the areas of concern.

Emoluments Of A Management Consultant

Management consultancy is one of the highest paying careers in the U.S. According to surveys conducted by the Association of Management Consulting Firms, a beginner in management consulting has an average earning of $58,000 annually. Earnings of senior partners are approximately $250,000 annually. A self-employed management consultant usually charges $100 to $300 per hour.

Working Conditions

Management consultancy offers intellectually stimulating working. These conditions expose professionals to challenging situations and provide a platform for perpetual learning. You can enjoy tremendous job satisfaction as a management consultant, especially if you are driven by challenges.

The field is highly competitive, and generally an MBA degree is the minimum acceptable qualification. Management consultancy firms help organizations take independent decisions in the areas of operations, information technology and business strategy.

Attributes Required

Operations consultancy focuses on the organization's policies and processes, with a view to achieve optimization within the given resources and strategy. Information technology is about developing management information systems to enable the achievement of a company's goals.

Strategy consulting is determining behavioral patterns in the given business environment, taking into consideration its capability and the effect of external influences. These influences usually include competitors, customers and suppliers.

The attributes required for a successful career in management consulting are skills and experience in defining client problems, to suggest and implement appropriate solutions. You must possess high-level critical business thinking ability and be a team player, with exceptional communication skills. Strong skills in spreadsheet and financial modeling are also required to understand operational and market dynamics.

Designations for undergraduates include the designations of Associate Consultant, Analyst and Business Analyst. The responsibilities include collection of data, data analysis and submission of reports.

Newly-minted MBAs are considered to be Consultants or Management Consultants. They are responsible for business analysis and interaction with clients. They also are expected to manage junior level employees. They get the opportunity to identify and work with a team within the company, who in future generate high returns with the help of the expertise inculcated.

In order to pursue a career in as a management consultant, it is necessary to possess an MBA degree. It is a career that demands a high level of intellect, offering a very lucrative salary, social recognition and prestige.

Author: Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

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