How To Become A Manager And Consultant: What It Is and Career Path

What is a manager and consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Angela Grotto Ph.D.

Managers and consultants are responsible for providing valuable insights regarding various aspects of the company. They offer multiple solutions to reform and improve the business operations of clients. They also assess and identify new opportunities for growth in current and prospective markets, earning a median sum of $108,000 annually or $52 per hour.

Managers and consultants are primarily tasked with the responsibility of communicating with and meeting the client's needs. They collect as much information as possible about the client through extensive research using shadowing, interviews, surveys, reading reports, etc. They also oversee a team's progress, providing guidance and leading the project team to success.

Managers and consultants typically have a bachelor's or Master's degree in business or a similar role from an accredited university. They are expected to possess some years of experience in a management position with outstanding leadership and analytical skills. Some employers also prefer managers and consultants with in-depth knowledge of the latest business policies and regulations.

What general advice would you give to a manager and consultant?

Angela Grotto Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Management, Manhattan College

When job searching, be active and persistent - Network by setting up Zoom informational calls with professionals (alumni, people with whom your family work) to learn about jobs that you are interested in or to learn about organizations where you would like to work and then follow up with them; have someone you trust who is a professional review your resume and social media profile pages; carve out time every day to apply to jobs; use Handshake and LinkedIn as a resource; keep sending out applications; while job searching, volunteer or start your business project that showcases your skillset and then discuss it during your interviews.
When interviewing, be creative - Use experiences from your academic career to demonstrate your capabilities. There are many skills you learn in class that are transferrable to the professional world. For example, as a student, you likely had to pivot to full remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than seeing this as a disadvantage, discuss how the new learning format has prepared you to work remotely as an employee, how small group projects have primed you to collaborate on a virtual team, and how small classes have equipped you to use technology such as Zoom.
When deciding on a job offer, be open-minded - Your first job may not be the one you had imagined or hoped for upon graduation. Still, it may be a stepping stone to your ideal career or a way to build your network of professional connections. You create meaningful and valuable relationships with others who may one day help you get the job you want.
When you land the job, be flexible - Show your employer or your boss that you're willing to step outside your comfort zone and do tasks that you were not necessarily trained for or are unrelated to your degree. Also, when circumstances at work change, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, show that you are willing to step up and do a different job, do someone else's job, or work on another project or team. This flexibility will demonstrate your versatility and how you can adapt to new and unpredictable situations. Lastly, embrace the "gig" economy - be willing to start as a temporary or contract worker with a company to get your foot in the door and build more professional connections.

ScoreManager And ConsultantUS Average

Salary

7.9

Avg. Salary $112,992

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.5

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%

Asian 8.15%

Black or African American 3.04%

Hispanic or Latino 8.67%

Unknown 5.32%

White 74.58%

Gender

female 32.39%

male 67.61%

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

7.5

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a manager and consultant

Explore manager and consultant education requirements

Most common manager and consultant degrees

Bachelor's

68.4 %

Master's

18.9 %

Associate

7.4 %

Start to develop specific manager and consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
Project Management	11.47%
Business Development	8.22%
Client Facing	6.45%
Healthcare	5.71%
ERP	4.88%

Complete relevant manager and consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New managers and consultant 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 manager and consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real manager and consultant resumes.

Research manager and consultant duties and responsibilities

Manage UAT, resolve issues and provide post production support after go live.
Manage application quality assurance process for ERP roll-out.
Lead client Storage/Server teams in the implementation of Linux servers for application management processes.
Develop and manage all front-of-house operations / logistics including guest control planning, security, celebrity appearances and executive presentations.

Prepare your manager and consultant resume

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