Consulting Resume Example & Writing Guide

Consultants are the “fixers” of the business world. Whenever there’s a problem that needs solving, these professionals are called in to get the job done. If you happen to be an expert in your field, chances are you have a wealth of know-how and expertise to share with the world. 

However, before you get the chance to do that, you need to get your foot in the door. How can you prove to the hiring manager that you are the ideal candidate? How can you show that you are a cut above the rest? Writing an interview-winning consulting resume is the answer. 

In the following resume guide, we will take you through the steps to do just that. Wherever you are in your consulting career, we know what it takes to get you from zero to hero in no time. 

Resume guide for a consulting resume

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This resume guide and corresponding consulting resume example will cover the following:

• How to write a consulting resume
• Choosing the right resume format for consulting
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your consultation experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right resume design/layout
• What the current consulting market looks like, and what salary you can expect

How to write a consulting resume

Before you start working on your consulting resume, you need to make sure that you have the right elements. Here is what the one or two-page document needs to cover: 

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

Now that you understand what your consulting resume should include, let’s take a moment to talk about how you should write it. This document is, at its core, marketing material. It is the first thing that the hiring manager will see when considering you for a consultation contract. For that reason, you need to make sure that it ticks all of the boxes. Let’s take a look at some of the best approaches you can use when you are writing your next resume: 

• Focus on your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). The first thing that you should pinpoint here is your USP. That is, the trait or skill that you have that sets you apart from the competition. The thing that you highlight will likely depend on your specific area of expertise or, indeed, the sector in which you offer consultations.
• Get the tone of voice on point. Consultants play a vital role in any business but the number one thing that they have to do is communicate. When a business manager hires you, they will expect you to be able to talk clearly and effectively to staff members. Show that you are capable of doing this by using the right tone of voice in your initial resume. You should ensure that your writing is simultaneously approachable and professional.
• Lead with your accomplishments. Consultants have to be experts in their field. So, what is it that qualifies you for this specific role? One of the ways in which you can highlight your value is by focusing on your accomplishments rather than just your duties in previous roles. What results did you deliver for businesses in the past? Be specific here and, wherever possible, add some quantifiable data or statistics.
• Tailor your resume to the role. Hiring managers can spot “copy and paste” resumes at a mere glance. If you want to get ahead of the competition, it is important to make sure that you tailor your resume to the role. Learn as much as you can about the business.

Choosing the right resume format for consulting 

Don’t make things hard for the hiring manager. Choosing a simplistic resume format means that they can gain the information that they need at a single glance. 

As a golden rule, we recommend using the reverse chronological order format. This is the standard resume layout that hiring managers expect to see and it’s easy to use. 

However, if you are transitioning into the realms of consulting (from another career), you might need to use a different format. In this case, you could find that a functional format works best. This layout puts more emphasis on your skills than it does your prior work experience. 

To help you along the way, we have a wide range of resume templates. When exploring them, you can choose the format that is most appropriate for your job search. You can also take a look at our wide range of resume examples to see how each of these formats work in practice. 

Are you unsure of which resume format to choose? Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes. Try looking at your application from their perspective. Which format offers the most value?

Include your contact information

Next up, it’s time to include your contact information. You can list these details as part of your resume header. Much like a business card, this section includes the basic things that a hiring manager needs to know about you. It should be clear, straightforward, and easy to read. 

While this is by no means the most exciting part of your consulting resume, it plays a vital role. With that in mind, make sure that your resume header includes the following elements. 

• Full name & title. You should include your full name—first and last name—and the title of the role for which you are applying.
• Email address. List an email address that you check on a regular basis. Make sure that the address is appropriate for a workplace setting. If in doubt, simply create an address that includes your first and last name.
• Phone number. While many recruiters now use email as standard, they may call you too. For that reason, you need to include a phone number. Ensure that you can be reached at this number and that the answer phone message is suitable.
• Location. You don’t need to include your full address on your consulting resume. However, you should list both your city and state. If you are willing to travel, or even relocate, for certain contracts, you should also include it here.
• LinkedIn. Many consultants use LinkedIn to find and connect with their audience. If that describes you, you can include a hyperlink to your  LinkedIn profile in your header.

Don’t include

• Date of birth. Highlighting how old you are could lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details. The hiring manager does not need to know your marital status, social security number, or passport number.

Make use of a summary

As a consultant, you’re going to need a way with words. Business leaders expect you to come in with solutions and deliver them in a clear way. Showcase your abilities in the summary section of your resume. This paragraph is your highlight reel. What do you bring to the table?

Use this space wisely. You want to show that you are the perfect professional for the job. With that in mind, make sure that you tailor this part of your resume to meet the business’ needs. Try to understand what the problem is that the company is facing, and explain how you can solve it. 

You can do this by outlining your past wins. Use a selection of hard-hitting action verbs to describe how you have got results for your clients. The more you can show off your value to the hiring manager, the more likely you are to grab their attention and win them over.

Avoid repeating accomplishments that you outline elsewhere on your consulting resume. Instead, give the reader something new to sink their teeth into. Consider what you have done that will wow the hiring manager. You might want to draft a few different options before you come up with the one that you choose to use as your main summary. 

Since this is only a short snapshot, you don’t have a load of words to play with. You want to be selective in the ones that you choose to include and the ones that you omit. One way to save space is to not use any openers such as “I am,” “I have,” or “I did”. These are wasteful. Instead, get right in there with your main points and—as the saying goes—cut to the chase. 

You can find adaptable consulting resume examples summary below:   

Outline your consulting work experience: tell your story

When you have perfected your summary, the next step is to complete your work experience section. This is all about telling your career story: where did you start, where are you now, and what have you learned along the way? To position yourself as a top consultant, you need to weave a narrative that details the history of your countless endeavors and successes.  

Don’t go back any further than 15 years here. Hiring managers spend just seven seconds looking at each new resume that lands on their desk. That means that they don’t have time to read through a never-ending history of your working life. As such, you should make sure that you only include around three to four job positions on your consulting resume. 

One of the biggest mistakes that candidates make here is delivering empty statements. You’re not merely trying to fill a word count. Instead, you want to show the hiring manager that you are bringing true value to their ranks. You can do this by including results-based points in this section. Let’s take a look at some examples of how these bullet points may look: 

• “Boosted departmental efficiency by 25% in the first quarter of the year”
• “Collaborated with business leaders to cut costs by a massive 31%.”
• “Improved overall stakeholder engagement by 16%, by using tried-and-tested business strategies”

In each case, you should tell the hiring manager how your actions had a direct impact on the business. When hiring a consultant, they want to know whether the move will pay off. You need to clearly outline what type of return on investment (ROI) the business can expect when they work with you. The best way to do this is to show them what results you have got in the past.

Let’s take a look at the adaptable resume sample below:

How to write a consulting resume with no experience 

New to the world of consulting? Don’t panic. Plenty of professionals transition from their field of expertise to consultation. If that describes you, simply make sure you draw the hiring manager’s attention to the knowledge and experience you have in your field. You should cover: 

• What you know. What have you learned in your existing career? Start with that and then expand on how this knowledge puts you in a prime position for consulting.
• Your field of expertise. What is your field of expertise? How have you proven yourself to be a leader in this sector? Focus on any papers you’ve published or the big names that you have worked with over the years.
• Transferable skills. Do you have transferable skills that you can use as a consultant? You might be an expert presenter, for example, or have the ability to lead. Whatever the case, you should talk about these skills in your consulting resume.

Emphasizing the above aspects of your professional life may help you land an interview, even with no direct experience on your resume. Let the reader know what you have to offer.

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great consultant

As a consultant, you should have a broad selection of hard and soft skills. Make sure you include a mixture of both when completing your skills section. 

Hard skills apply directly to consultation and your field of expertise. Remember, you need to prove that you are a leader in your given industry to the hiring manager. 

On the other hand, soft skills allow you to communicate and collaborate with other professionals. It should come as no surprise that these skills are pivotal in your overall success. 

When you use our resume builder, the system will offer up a selection of pre-written skills that you can use. Of course, you can also add some of your own, depending on your expertise.

Detail your education & relevant consultant certifications

The education section of a consulting resume is typically in reverse chronological order. You should detail any degrees that you have here, plus additional training, too. The educational feats that are worth mentioning in the application process include the following:

• Bachelor’s degrees. Most of the time, consultants have at least a bachelor’s degree in either business or marketing. However, you may have a degree in a different field, and boast a wealth of industry-level experience instead.
• Master’s degrees. It is not uncommon for consultants to have a master’s degree, such as an MBA. You should mention this accolade on your consulting resume.
• Additional training. Have you undertaken any additional training, such as evening or online courses? If so, you might want to include them on your resume.

Should your education be more impressive than your work experience, you might want to shake things up. Use the functional resume format to highlight your training over your work history.

Pick the right resume layout and design for a consultant resume

You want to make the right impression from the start. To do that, it’s important that you choose the perfect design for your consultant resume. Here are some things you should keep in mind: 

• Keep it simple. You don’t want to overdo it with imagery and graphics. These features can detract from the content of your consulting resume.
• Choose the right font. The font you choose says more than you might expect about how professional you are. Pick a clear typeface that has a formal vibe to it.
• Use color sparingly. Whacking a load of color onto the document is not a smart move. Instead, you need to choose just one or two colors (if you use any at all!).

Want to take all of the hassle out of the design process? Use one of our field-tested resume templates to do all of the hard work for you.

Consultant text-only resume example

Consulting job market and outlook

Looking ahead to the coming decade, the consulting industry is expected to remain strong. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the business services industry—under which you will find consulting—is the second-largest and third-fastest-growing sector within the service-providing industry. By the year 2028, it is expected there will be 1.6 million new jobs.

What type of salary you can expect in consulting

If you are thinking of becoming a consultant, you will want to know how much money you can make. Professionals in this role can expect to earn between $55,603 and $147,576 annually. However, the average salary within the realms of consulting stands at $87,243 per year.

Key takeaways for building a consulting resume

Convincing the hiring manager that you’re the consultant for them is a tall order. Make sure you write a compelling summary, include results-based points, and tailor your resume. Follow the advice that we have outlined in this resume writing guide and you will be on the right track. 

When you’re ready to get started, our online resume builder makes things simple. Just input your career details and watch the whole thing come together in no time.