Five Things You Should Know Before Starting a Career in Consulting

You can pack up your desk in two minutes. The most reliable tools are your laptop, charger, and mouse. In an industry where you’re constantly changing projects and adapting to various work environments, being able to quickly switch gears and welcoming the concept of change is important.  

Flex your chit-chat muscles. Meeting new people and creating relationships with teammates and clients is a constant in consulting. Get comfortable and confident asking about the weather across the country, juggling childcare while working from home, inquiring about fantasy football rankings, and joking about the Wi-Fi glitches and teammates still on mute. Banter creates trust while instilling a deeper responsibility to deliver well.  

Questions are key. Consulting requires quickly becoming the subject matter expert in the room. The ability to rapidly synthesize your thoughts and refine a line of questioning is a sign of a strong consultant. 

High Priority is the new normal. Consulting is the business of catering to client needs and delivering robust solutions quickly. Deadlines approach fast and clients can often ask for what may seems impossible. The ability to manage time, set boundaries, and maintain open communication are all valuable for consulting.  

Rely on your teammates. While meeting clients is always an exciting event, knowing, investing, and relying on your firm’s teammates allows for a safety net that drives meaningful solutions. While projects start and finish, your teammates may stick with you from client to client. Contributing to company culture will keep you rooted and accountable in a constantly changing work environment.   

Stacy George is a senior analyst at Avaap with a focus in business intelligence and analytics. Stacy works with organizations to get the most value from their Alteryx and Tableau investments, including the InnovateOhio Platform and the University of Georgia.