How To Write a Consulting Resume
As a consultant, your resume must encompass the full breadth of your experience providing industry expertise to your clients. Stakeholders will rely on your advice and guidance to define high-level project, program, and initiative strategies. Focus on highlighting specific client engagements to illustrate your unique background and thought leadership capabilities.
This guide provides valuable insights and expert tips to help translate your career experience into an accomplishment-driven resume.
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
1. Create a profile by summarizing your consulting qualifications
Craft a compelling opening summary that provides a high-level overview of your qualifications and career achievements to draw the reader in. Start with an opening sentence that includes your title, industry, years of experience, and three to four specializations that align with the job posting.
Highlight your unique knowledge and background as a thought leader within your industry. Brand yourself as a trusted advisor to clients and executives. Remember, first impressions often make all the difference in obtaining interviews and new potential clients for your business.
Professional Profile - Example #1
Profile
A talent acquisition consultant with nine years of experience specializing in diversity recruiting, talent development, and strategic planning. A proven track record of building and developing world-class organizations centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Adept at collaborating with executive leadership teams to improve employee engagement and retention.
Professional Profile - Example #2
Profile
A technology consultant and technical leader with eight years of experience defining integration strategies for multi-million dollar clients. A proven track record of delivering thought leadership to client stakeholders in support of large-scale data transformation initiatives and technology integration projects.
2. Showcase your consulting experience
Prospective employers want to understand your consulting experience and industry expertise. The best way to accomplish this is by highlighting specific projects and engagements.
As you craft your bullet points, reflect on your value to client businesses.
Did your guidance help the client scale their business? Did you devise a strategy to reduce overhead expenses or operational costs? Have you led change management initiatives to transform an organization? These are the insights that hiring managers and potential clients are looking for. Although some information may be confidential, try to quantify these achievements whenever possible.
Professional Experience - Example #1
Professional Experience
Talent Acquisition Consultant, Cambridge Recruiting, Boston, MA
May 2014 – present
- Deliver talent acquisition consulting to businesses across the technology and health care industries, collaborate with HR managers and recruiters to source candidates, and successfully recruit over 100 candidates per year
- Advise client stakeholders on talent development and employee engagement strategies, establish forward-thinking collaborative work cultures, and improve retention rates by 15 to 30% for over eight businesses
- Collaborate with hiring managers and senior executives to evaluate business needs, identify talent requirements, and define high-impact recruiting strategies
Professional Experience - Example #2
Technology Consultant, Cadence Tech Consulting, Philadelphia, PA
October 2016 – present
- Deliver a variety of comprehensive consulting services to identify process gaps and opportunities to improve technology integrations and drive positive outcomes for client relationships valued at up to $1.5 million
- Lead a multi-million dollar client engagement to integrate data management solutions and enhance cybersecurity for an insurance company with over 10 million customers
- Serve as trusted advisor to client stakeholders and C-level executives throughout all phases of the technology integration and deployment
3. List any education and certifications relevant to consulting
In addition to your education, showcase industry certifications and training programs on your resume. This will emphasize specializations within your field and show prospective employers that you’re committed to continuous learning.
For example, if you’re primarily delivering consulting services to help client businesses enhance project delivery, you’d need a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification. If your experience is in organizational development, a Talent Optimization Consultant (TOC) credential would be a great option. Be tactical in what certifications you pursue, and ensure you’re putting time and effort into credentials that speak to your credibility as a thought leader within your space.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
Example
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Nursing
- Columbia University, New York, NY September 2012 – June 2016
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- TOC, HubSpot, 2016
- PMP, PMI, 2014
4. Include a list of skills and proficiencies related to consulting
To achieve compliance with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), you’ll need to incorporate keywords that match the job description. As you analyze the posting, pay attention to key skills and proficiencies mentioned more than once. These are high priority and should be featured heavily throughout your resume. Be sure to provide a mix of skills demonstrating your industry knowledge and leadership qualities. Below, you’ll find a range of key terms that you may encounter when applying for consulting jobs:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Business analytics | Business development |
| Client relations | Coaching |
| Communication | Continuous improvement |
| Consulting | Data analytics |
| Data-driven decision making | Executive leadership |
| Health care consulting | Learning and development |
| Organizational development | Nurse education |
| Process improvement | Project management |
| Talent acquisition consulting | Technical project management |
| Technology consulting | Trusted advisor |
How To Pick the Best Consulting Resume Template
As a consultant, find a template that aligns with your personal brand and messaging. Be tactical in terms of visual elements. Limited use of color is appropriate, but don’t overdo it. If your template is defined by flashy colors and graphics, you may draw the reader’s eye away from your content. Stick to traditional, single-column structures. Reading each section in sequence is generally more effective in presenting information than splitting multiple sections across the same page line.
Consulting Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Skyler Thompson
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
Boston, MA 12345
Profile
A talent acquisition consultant with nine years of experience, specializing in diversity recruiting, talent development, and strategic planning. A proven track record of building and developing world-class organizations centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Adept at collaborating with executive leadership teams to improve employee engagement and retention.
Professional Experience
Talent Acquisition Consultant, Cambridge Recruiting, Boston, MA
May 2018 – present
- Deliver talent acquisition consulting to businesses across the technology and health care industries, collaborate with HR managers and recruiters to source candidates, and successfully recruit over 100 candidates per year
- Advise client stakeholders on talent development and employee engagement strategies, establish forward-thinking collaborative work cultures, and improve retention rates by 15 to 30% for over eight businesses
- Collaborate with hiring managers and senior executives to evaluate business needs, identify talent requirements, and define high-impact recruiting strategies
Talent Acquisition Consultant, Harper Recruitment Inc., Boston, MA
June 2014 – May 2018
- Managed all aspects of talent acquisition for client accounts valued at up to $400,000, developed sourcing strategies, and drove diversity recruiting efforts
- Identified, sourced, and recruited over 40 to 60 new hires per year, defined hiring strategies for businesses, and achieved a 100% client retention rate
Key Skills
- Talent acquisition consulting
- Diversity recruiting
- HR administration
- Employee retention
- Employee engagement
Certifications
- CSM, PMI, 2016
- PMP, PMI, 2014
Education
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Information Technology
Temple University, Philadelphia, PA | September 2011 – June 2015
Joe Battinieri - Senior Talent Acquisition Professional, LinkedIn
Meet our Expert: Joe has over 20 years of experience in Recruiting and Human Resources. His background includes in-house and consulting recruiting roles. He has executive search and talent acquisition leadership expertise in a variety of industries and is currently focused on sales, marketing, client services, and product roles.
1. What are the most in-demand skills for consulting that should be featured on a candidate’s resume?-
Hard skills
- Data analysis and visualization
- Subject matter expertise
- Financial analysis
- Project management
- Quantitative and qualitative research
- Statistics and mathematical modeling
Soft skills
- Client relationship management
- Decision-making guidance
- Well-reasoned decision making
- Negotiation skills
- Stakeholder management
- Cultural sensitivity
2. What work experience and other accomplishments are hiring managers looking for in a consulting candidate?-
Prior experience in a consulting role is highly valuable. It demonstrates your understanding of the consulting process, client interactions, and problem-solving skills within a consulting context. Experience in the specific industry or sector the consulting firm specializes in is often preferred.
Highlight specific projects you've worked on, emphasizing your role, responsibilities, and the impact you had on the project's success. Discuss challenges, solutions, and results achieved. Include examples of how you've positively impacted clients. They could be cost savings, revenue generation, process improvements, or other measurable outcomes.
3. What else in addition to a resume should a consulting candidate be prepared to provide hiring managers?-
- Cover letter
- Writing samples
- Financial models or analysis projects
- Case study or work portfolio
- Presentation deck
- Transcripts or certifications
- Client testimonials
- List of publications and public speaking engagements
4. What advice would you give a consulting candidate about their job search?-
Define your career goals and what type of consulting you want to pursue, and tailor your job search to your goal. Understanding the consulting industry, including its trends, major players, and key challenges, will help you make informed decisions about your job search. Leverage your professional network and industry events to build relationships that can lead to job referrals or job opportunities.
Case interviews are a common part of the consulting interview process. Practice solving case studies and be ready to demonstrate your problem-solving skills under pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions: Consulting Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for consulting resumes?-
It’s easy to find yourself running short on action verbs while crafting your professional experience section. Often a limited number of words can convey your qualifications and achievements. That said, differentiating your usage of action verbs can greatly enhance the impact of your consulting achievements. We’ve compiled a list of action verbs you can use to craft eye-catching and impactful bullet points:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Advised | Analyzed |
| Collaborated | Communicated |
| Conducted | Consulted |
| Defined | Delivered |
| Drove | Enhanced |
| Evaluated | Identified |
| Implemented | Improved |
| Led | Managed |
| Oversaw | Spearheaded |
How do you align your resume with a job description?-
Average salary and job growth vary greatly depending on your industry, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While many lucrative opportunities exist on the open market, you’ll need to align your resume with the job description to capitalize on them. Prospective employers want candidates with industry expertise and qualifications to create value for their organizations. By tailoring your resume towards the needs of individual organizations, you’ll greatly increase your odds of landing the interview.
For instance, if a company is looking for a technical consultant with a strong background in data management, you may want to emphasize data transformation initiatives and cybersecurity on your resume. If an organization seeks an Agile expert to overhaul its project management organization, showcase your experience in hybrid-waterfall methodologies and cross-functional leadership. Aligning your content with the job you’re applying for will give you a competitive advantage and improve your chances during the job search.
What is the best consulting resume format?-
Consultants should use reverse chronological as the only resume format during the job hunt. This ensures that your most recent and relevant consulting experience is placed first while still providing a comprehensive overview of your work history. Functional resumes should be avoided in almost every instance, as this approach focuses on listing skills rather than detailing accomplishments.
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Adding a matching cover letter can further bolster the strength of your application, especially for consulting jobs. To maximize the value of your cover letter, you need to tailor your content to individual companies. Be sure to mention something specific about the organization’s reputation, work culture, or mission statement in your middle paragraphs and why this draws you to apply for the position. For more insights, visit our executive cover letter guide.
