Consultants: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of consultants about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.

That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.

The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for consultants to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of consultants expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.

Keep reading to learn more about career steps for consultants.

What Education & Experience is Needed for Consultants?

Do consultants need a degree? What kind of experience do consultants typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for consultants to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for Consultants

A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of consultants. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 55% of positions. In 24% of job listings no education level was listed and in 15% of postings a master's degree was required.

Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Consultants

While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for consultants. In 36% of job postings for Consultants, employers were looking for candidates with 4-6 years of experience. In 32% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 0-1 years of experience was sought in 12% of job postings for consultants.

What Kind of Degree Do Consultants Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for consultants, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?

According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 25 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective consultants, and in 2021 a total of 534,436 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.

Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective consultants.

Top Degree Programs for Consultants

Top Online College For Working Adults

Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.

Degree Options for Consultants

What Skills Do Consultants Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by consultants to secure a job?

A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for consultants, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's Consultants
Based on 370,107 job postings

Based on 370,107 job postings related to consultants, project management was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 28% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for business process, data analysis, business requirements, finance and agile methodology were also highly sought.

As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for consultants, followed by management, problem solving, leadership, operations and microsoft excel.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about consultants? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for consultants.

What do consultants do?
How much do consultants make?

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The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.

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