Consulting is a broad career path which spans all industry sectors and allows people who choose this path insights into the workings of all sorts of businesses and other organisations and a chance to help them work better.

Consultants tend to fall into three camps: strategy consultants advise their clients on large-scale issues such as whether to acquire other companies and expand to new markets; management consultants find ways to improve existing operations; and technology consultants allow clients to turn technological advances into commercial advantage. All consultants usually find themselves employed in short- to medium-term projects, where clients can make use of their skills to tackle the project without having to take on new permanent members of staff.

The leaders in this field are a few high-profile strategy consulting firms and the Big Four professional services giants which all have substantial consulting operations. In addition, there are also many smaller general consultancies and ones specialising in particular areas, such as technology, or particular fields, such as manufacturing.

Consultants apply their skills to a huge number of different kinds of client organisations, from pharmaceutical companies to supermarkets to public sector organisations. Consultants are often dispatched to work at their clients’ premises and the work can, therefore, involve a lot of travelling.

Graduates will quickly find themselves placed with clients and doing real work. While there are no specific qualifications required, consultants’ CVs grow with every project, and people are often assigned to jobs on the strength of previous successes in related projects. As consultants progress in their career, many leave larger firms to form their own consultancies in niche areas, or use their transferable business skills to join client organisations in senior positions.

It’s a career path which is accessible from any number of degree backgrounds, and consulting is often seen as an attractive option by arts graduates in particular. Even specialist areas such as technology can be accessed without existing specialist knowledge, so there are lots of opportunities to apply your core skills to new areas.

In order to make yourself an attractive hire for a consultancy, the most important things to focus on are your commercial awareness and your general business skills. By understanding how a wide variety of businesses work (and knowing a few in detail), how they can be improved, and general trends affecting the business world, you’ll be well-placed to impress at interviews. Many consultancies also offer work experience placements and summer internships, which are a great way to get ahead.

In our Consulting & Professional Services section you’ll find lots more information about how to start a career in consulting.