What is the role and responsibilities of strategy consultant?
A strategy consultant works to identify trends within specific markets and analyse a business's competitors by gathering data. They must then be able to take their findings and turn them into implementable action plans to improve their clients business.
Analytical skills
Strategy consultants process and analyse large amounts of data and derive insights to find structural solutions to business challenges. They may also need to report and present complex insights and findings in easy-to-understand terms. This requires strong analytical skills.
As a strategy consultant, you look at the past performance of a business, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and come up with a future action plan with the objective of making the business more successful by achieving its goals. In this role, you can be a specialist in several different areas of a business.
A typical management consultant is hired to identify problems an organization is facing as a whole. A strategy consultant is hired to provide strategic advice on specific management topics.
Strategy consultants typically earn a base salary between $70,000-$100,000 at the entry level. MBA grads earn $150,000 while project leaders in strategy consulting earn $175,000. Information Technology consultants have become important assets for consulting firms.
Strategy consultant salaries typically range between $87,000 and $151,000 a year. The average hourly rate for strategy consultants is $55.41 per hour.
Strategy consulting is considered to have one of the most competitive recruitment processes in the world. In fact, McKinsey & Co reportedly receive about 200,000 applications per year and hire only ~1.1% of candidates. To put this in perspective, the acceptance rate of candidates at Goldman Sachs is said to be ~4.5%.
Strategy consultants often start out by working in a particular industry, for example, consulting for insurance firms after a career in insurance. Alternatively, you can obtain a bachelor's degree in business management or related fields. Acquiring an advanced degree like an MBA is an advantage.
A fundamental difference between standard consultants and strategic consultants is that strategic consultants work with the much bigger picture. This means dealing with establishing company executives' long-term goals for the company and helping to guide the business in both a sustainable and an achievable manner.
Consulting firms are looking for mature candidates with a solid concept of business management, analytical skills, and a demonstrated knack for problem-solving. You should also pursue internships — ideally with a consulting firm or within an in-demand industry — throughout your time in school.
Why do you want to work in strategy consulting?
First, the opportunity to work on really challenging business problems. Second, the opportunity to work closely with talented colleagues. And third, the variety of work you experience as a consultant.
Yes, a principal consultant is higher than a manager.
A principal consultant leads and manages a project, plus is responsible for the entire delivery. There are six steps on the consulting career path: Step 1: Business Analyst. Step 2: Junior consultant.
Keep in mind, if the average consulting fees are around $100 per hour, your experience and track record will need to be taken into account. If you are a brand new consultant, you may be charging closer to $50 or $75 per hour. With 20 years of experience under your belt, you may be charging $150 or even $200 per hour.
McKinsey & Company is the last, and highest paying Big 3 MBB consulting firm on this list. McKinsey is arguably the most prestigious consulting firm of all tier 1 companies and consistently attracts the top Fortune 500 clients to its offices around the world.
- Marketing consultant.
- Associate consultant.
- HR consultant.
- Technology consultant.
- Investment consultant.
- Sales consultant.
- Environmental consultant.
- Software consultant.
- Research the company. ...
- Prepare your questions. ...
- Consider how you are a good fit for the company. ...
- Brainstorm examples for behavioral questions. ...
- Review case types. ...
- Learn about multiple industries. ...
- Practice your math skills. ...
- Practice.
On average, a standard number of hours a consultant can expect to work in a week is between 70 and 75, including lunch and travel time. Weekends aren't included in a consultant's working week.
Those with a master's degree earn about $83,578 annually. The typical entry-level position earns about $40,000 annually and rises to roughly $63,000 at mid-level. At the senior level, consultants can make six figures, with the average salary at $105,000.
- Internships. ...
- Work experience in other sectors. ...
- Virtual internships. ...
- Make use of resources. ...
- Skills gained from volunteer work. ...
- Part-time work. ...
- Make your gap year count. ...
- Get proactive.
McKinsey, Bain, and BCG don't have a strict GPA cutoff, but they do typically consider anything from 3.6 up as a strong GPA. However, it's not quite that simple. For instance, you may have a 3.4 GPA but have top scores on your SAT or GRE, so all of these academic results will be reviewed.
Do you have to be smart to be a consultant?
You do not need to be a genius or even that smart to be a consultant. The truth is most tasks just require you to have a basic level of intelligence and ability to think in a structured way, coupled with hard work. In fact, being extremely intelligent does not necessarily mean you'd make a good consultant.
A strategist is a person responsible for developing and carrying out an organization's strategy by articulating its objectives, outlining a course of action to achieve those objectives, and carrying out those plans. A consultant is an outside expert who is brought in to advise on certain matters.
Average Accenture Strategy Consultant salary in India is ₹ 34.5 Lakhs for experience between 3 years to 10 years. Strategy Consultant salary at Accenture India ranges between ₹ 15.9 Lakhs to ₹ 55.0 Lakhs.
You'll be required to own a part of each client project you work on, and make a significant contribution to your project team. You'll also find that your opinion matters; you'll be expected to contribute to problem-solving sessions and speak up if you see a different way of looking at the problem.
- McKinsey & Company. Founded in Chicago by James O. ...
- Boston Consulting Group (BCG) BCG is a smaller management consulting firm than McKinsey but is growing a little faster, and with 25,000 employees, it's a clear challenger. ...
- Bain & Company. ...
- Kearney.
The top firms in this category are: Advancy, EY-Parthenon, Strategy&, Kearney, LEK, OC&C, Oliver Wyman, Roland Berger, and PwC Strategy&. The Accounting, Finance & Technology category consists of Accenture, Booz Allen, Deloitte, KPMG, EY, PwC, and Wavestone.
Strategy consulting tends to be more focused on long-term planning and big-picture thinking, while management consulting is more focused on executing specific projects and initiatives. If you enjoy analyzing data and developing high-level recommendations, strategy consulting may be a better fit for you.
While it's not easy to break into consulting with a non-business master's degree, it's certainly possible. Consulting firms are not looking for particular majors and no longer focused solely on business school students.
Consultants support individuals and businesses in improving their operations by helping them identify challenges and find appropriate solutions. They typically have deep knowledge and experience in a specific field, which allows them to provide qualified advice to their clients.
Consultants wanting to transition to business strategy consulting must first meet the criteria for general management consulting. Then they must learn the additional skills, frameworks, and processes needed to provide strategic direction and help companies have a competitive edge.
Why is consulting so stressful?
It is a job which constantly puts you into new situations where you must fix something that is 'broken'. The fact that about 26% of consultants are self-employed, rises the impact of the success or failure of each project. This pressure leads to higher stress levels.
You can do the work and deliver exceptional results. You will fit in beautifully and be a great addition to the team. You possess a combination of skills and experience that make you stand out from the crowd. Hiring you will make him look smart and make his life easier.
“I should be hired for this role because of my relevant skills, experience, and passion for the industry. I've researched the company and can add value to its growth. My positive attitude, work ethics, and long-term goals align with the job requirements, making me a committed and valuable asset to the company.”
After several years of working as Consultant, most professionals progress to the role of Senior Consultant (or Senior Advisor, Senior Associate). In this function, many responsibilities lie within project management of relatively small scale projects or managing a specific area for a larger project.
- Step 1: Analyst. Joining a consulting firm as an analyst is the typical entry point following graduation from university. ...
- Step 2: Associate/Consultant. ...
- Step 3: Senior Associate/Senior Consultant. ...
- Step 4: Principal/Senior Manager. ...
- Step 5: Director.
leading. Consulting is a defined role that is distinct from leadership. A consultant is one who helps a leader by framing the problems that the leader is accountable for solving. Consultants frame the challenges and help provide a roadmap for the resolution of challenges.
- Analytical Skills. ...
- Problem-Solving Skills. ...
- Strategic Thinking. ...
- Effective Communication. ...
- Leadership Skills. ...
- Adaptability. ...
- Strategy Consulting Skills. ...
- Management & Operations Consulting Skills.
- Problem solving, critical thinking, innovation and creativity. ...
- Ability to deal with complexity and ambiguity. ...
- Communication.
Asking powerful questions 1) demonstrates sound listening skills, 2) strengthens the consultant-client relationship, 3) moves projects forward faster, and 4) helps detect the root cause of a problem. A good consultant can deliver pragmatic solutions, while striking a balance between strategy and tactics.
Consultants tend to be predominantly enterprising individuals, which means that they are usually quite natural leaders who thrive at influencing and persuading others. They also tend to be artistic, meaning that they are creative and original and work well in a setting that allows for self-expression.
Does McKinsey hire older workers?
Age, non-consulting culture and habit deters McKinsey from hiring experienced people, and prefer fresh candidates.
At McKinsey, the salary for entry-level consultants (Analysts) ranges from $90,000 to $110,000 per year, while the figure for MBA-level/experienced Associates can go up to $233,000. Engagement Managers typically earn around $250,000, while Partners and Directors can earn up to $1,300,000.
The classic McKinsey consultant is ENTJ – outgoing, big-picture, hyper-rational, and highly organized.