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What is a developer/consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Frank McCown Ph.D.,
Kevin Treu Ph.D.
introduction image

Consultants are experts in issues relating to their field. They identify the causes of problems and present solutions to the corporations and individuals. They work in consulting firms or as self-employed individuals. Likewise, they review relevant information about their employers to develop growth plans. Besides that, they may be responsible for overseeing the completion of training initiatives, marketing campaigns, brand development, or other strategies to ensure success. Additionally, they perform periodic evaluations and implement changes when needed. Also, they develop plans to implement recommendations and overcome objections.

A bachelor's degree in business, economics, accounting, or a related field is the basic academic requirement for this job. Having relevant certifications is a plus. Essential skills include listening, problem-solving, analytical, leadership, organization, communication, and research skills. You must be conversant with data analysis, business software, and IT systems. These experts earn an average salary of $85,599 yearly. It varies between $58,000 and $127,000.

What general advice would you give to a developer/consultant?

Frank McCown Ph.D.Frank McCown Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Harding University

The market is stable for software developers, despite the economic challenges created by the pandemic. Before accepting a job offer, talk to the company's employees through online meetings or email, and see what they think of the company. Do they enjoy their work? Are there opportunities to learn new technologies? How does the company treat their employees? There's a good chance you will be working remotely in your first job, so you will need to exercise a lot of self-discipline, be punctual for online meetings, do the work you've been assigned, and know when to ask questions when you get stuck. Expect a steeper-than-normal learning curve if you are working remotely instead of in an office.
ScoreDeveloper/ConsultantUS Average
Salary
7.6

Avg. Salary $98,508

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.0

Growth rate 21%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 29.80%

Black or African American 4.59%

Hispanic or Latino 8.36%

Unknown 4.85%

White 52.24%

Gender

female 41.45%

male 58.55%

Age - 38
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 38
Stress level
4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Developer/consultant career paths

Key steps to become a developer/consultant

  1. Explore developer/consultant education requirements

    Most common developer/consultant degrees

    Bachelor's

    67.1 %

    Master's

    21.5 %

    Associate

    5.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific developer/consultant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Java8.06%
    Project Management5.83%
    JavaScript5.64%
    HR5.53%
    Microservices4.34%
  3. Complete relevant developer/consultant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New developer/consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a developer/consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real developer/consultant resumes.
  4. Research developer/consultant duties and responsibilities

    • Manage SDLC development including analysis, writing technical documentation, design, coding, testing.
    • Lead the project, development and architecture of an innovative SharePoint contract warehouse, including designing several process improvements.
    • Interpret, develop, and enhance graphic, visual & interaction designs in HTML, CSS and JavaScript.
    • Work with other web technologies such as AJAX, jQuery, and PHP throughout this redesign.
  5. Prepare your developer/consultant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your developer/consultant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a developer/consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable developer/consultant resume templates

    Build a professional developer/consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your developer/consultant resume.
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  6. Apply for developer/consultant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a developer/consultant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first developer/consultant job

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Average developer/consultant salary

The average developer/consultant salary in the United States is $98,508 per year or $47 per hour. Developer/consultant salaries range between $71,000 and $135,000 per year.

Average developer/consultant salary
$98,508 Yearly
$47.36 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do developer/consultants rate their job?

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Developer/consultant reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2023
Pros

Problem solving and cutting edge technology - always learning and evolving my skill set

Cons

Still have to deal with people :)


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2023
Cons

A wide variety of topics are covered under GIS Developer, and so knowledge of several tools, and many years experience is needed to be successful in this role.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

As it seeks to solve problems in innovative way

Cons

It needs more patience to apply the true solution and satisfy your client


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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