Want to be a consultant? If you’re looking to switch career gears but still stay within your industry, a consulting job just might be for you. Here are tips showing you how to break into the consulting business.
Study the Industry: Sure, you’ve worked day in and day out as a marketing manager, but that shouldn’t stop you from taking a look at the bigger picture. Step back and assess the overall industry. See where changes could be made that would benefit a company and use those as an advantage when pitching for future projects.
Research the Competition: Go online and find people who are working successfully as consultants. Research their styles to discover what gives them an edge over other consultants in the field. Then contact them on LinkedIn and see if they can offer you fresh tips for breaking into the consultancy biz. Focus your efforts for maximum efficiency.
Learn How to Self-Promote: There’s a very fine line between well-done self-promotion and irritating a potential client. Learn how to speak confidently about your skills and what you can offer clients without sounding offensive. Focus on past accomplishments, your knowledge base and what you can do to make your pitch less about you and more about what you can do for them.
Get Schooled: No matter how long you’ve been working in your area of expertise, you can benefit from brushing up on your skills. Find some classes or webinars that you can attend which will help you get additional education — and they will be an exciting new topic of conversation when you meet with potential clients.
Network: Even if you feel like you know everyone in your industry, chances are you don’t. Think big picture when approaching new contacts — from connecting with 20-somethings who are on their way up the corporate ladder to industry bigwigs who are in a field similar to yours, you can always meet someone new who might help you find — and land — that next big project.
Build a Portfolio: Consulting work is all about results. Creating a website will serve as an online portfolio of your impressive body of work and accomplishments.
A career in consulting is a great way to spread your wings within your field and find new ways of making money — and finding success.