The way you present yourself on a consulting resume is a lot different than a typical job-seeking resume. Normally you would want to stress your reliability, consistency, and long-term focus. On a consulting resume, you want to demonstrate that you can adapt to anything, make a deep impact, and produce fast results. It’s an entirely different kind of document. Here are some tips to help you get it right:
Demonstrate That You Are a Quick Learner
Consultants are expected to be able to integrate with new assignments, new teams, new companies, and even new industries in rapid fashion. During the assignment itself, there are also setbacks, roadblocks, and unforeseen circumstances. Clients look for consultants who’ve shown themselves to be quick learners, and they look at the resume first. Emphasize times when you had to make bold changes professionally. Show yourself to be highly flexible, broadly capable, and keenly strategic.
List Your Entire Work Experience
On most resumes you’re only supposed to list relevant work experience. On a consulting resume, it’s a good idea to list every place you’ve worked in any capacity since you started your professional working life. Even if some or many of the entries seem irrelevant, it shows off the full depth and breadth of your skills and experience. That speaks to the previous point and demonstrates your full value as a consultant. The complete list could also reveal potential business connections that work in your favor. On your resume, populate the list with short entries listing the company, tenure, and a very brief description of your job/project.
Push Your Accomplishments to the Forefront
Consultants are under a lot of pressure to produce results. After all, if you can’t deliver what you promised, you’ve simply wasted your client’s money, time, and staff. Show any potential client that you can engineer a positive change in their organization by focusing heavily on your past accomplishments. Instead of describing what you did, describe what you actually produced. As much as possible, use real numbers and hard metrics, and stay away from wishy-washy sentiments. Study the job description carefully to ascertain what the client’s specific goals are, then position yourself as a consultant with a proven track record of delivering.
The consulting field can be crowded and competitive. With the right resume, you can position yourself as a leading candidate right at the first point of contact. Learn more about finding, applying for, and securing consulting assignments by contacting The Squires Group.
