Job outlook for program consultants in the United States

What general advice would you give to a Program Consultant?

Katie Horowitz: With the rise of artificial intelligence, soft skills like interpersonal communication, conflict management, and critical thinking will become more important than ever before. These are assets that can’t be outsourced to AI, and they are fundamental to the work that Gender & Sexuality Studies majors do in college.

What Program Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Katie Horowitz: Some research shows that women and members of marginalized racial groups are less likely to negotiate their salaries than their white male counterparts. When you get a job offer, don’t forgo the opportunity to advocate for a higher salary.

What will help Program Consultants increase their earning potential?

Katie Horowitz: Don’t limit yourself. I’ve seen Gender & Sexuality Studies students land jobs in business consulting, nonprofit, medicine, law, and more. The beauty of this interdisciplinary field is that it intersects with virtually every sphere of human existence. You can bring your GSS skills to bear on any line of work that interests you.

What will help Program Consultants increase their earning potential?

Dr. Haris Alibašić Ph.D., MPA: "In the next 3-5 years, specific skills are poised to become increasingly important in business: Data Literacy, Digital Proficiency, Emotional Intelligence, Sustainability, Resilience, and Social Responsibility. However, the most necessary lasting skill that benefited my career is Effective Communication. Being able to communicate effectively is an indispensable skill."

What skills will help Program Consultants earn the most?

Jenny Scott: -Emotional Intelligence
-Relevant industry experience (expertise)
-Written and oral presentation communication
-Ability to relate and connect . . .the best strategy in the world will live on paper only if the leader is not able to relate to their people (all stakeholder groups) and connect. Leadership involves three key elements: People - Influence - Goals. The most effective leaders are able to ethically influence their followers for the purpose of attaining the organization's mission and goals.

What skills stand out on Program Consultant resumes?

Michael Munger: Political science is an ancient career synergy, one that explores the connections between ethical considerations and engineering policy that works. Someone who majors in Political Science is able to make arguments about the questions that have plagued philosophers for thousands of years while using the latest data techniques to scrape online sources of information on social media. So political science instructors have to combine ethics, knowledge of esoteric procedures and laws, and statistics!

What soft skills should all Program Consultants possess?

Michael Munger: Working in groups. And that's hard to teach. The best teacher is experience. Often, students learn the most when their group fails or the other members don't pull their weight. The ability to work in unstructured environments and still achieve group success is a big part of many jobs. And Political Science teaches that.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Program Consultants?

Michael Munger: Political Science students should take at least one Computer Science class, be able to run a spreadsheet with skill, and be able to write crisp prose that gets to the point.

What skills will help Program Consultants earn the most?

Michael Munger: The ability to lead a group by example and to get other people to feel that they are part of something larger than themselves. At its best, Political Science is like an entire little liberal arts curriculum. It's the perfect preparation for leadership, either in government or the private sector!

What soft skills should all Program Consultants possess?

Mike Halloran: -Leadership

-Working well with others

-Oral and written communication

- Thinking analytically, creatively, and strategically

-Leadership

-Time management

- Motivation and drive

What skills stand out on Program Consultant resumes?

Sourav Batabyal Ph.D.: Problem-solving, Creative thinking, Data Analytics, Competitive Strategies, Communication, Leadership and Team Building, Decision making.

What soft skills should all Program Consultants possess?

C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.: While advancements in technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and data analytics occupy center stage in many areas of management practice, soft skills continue to be seen as equally or even more important skills for success in the field of management. Soft skills are typically described as personal attributes, qualities, and characteristics that enable us to interact more effectively with others. In most fields of management, our ability to communicate, work with, and interact with other people constitutes a significant portion of the work we do. Consequently, employers are focused on identifying candidates who possess strong skills are areas of communication (verbal, written, and non-verbal), leadership and followership, collaboration, an ability to work in teams, intellectual curiosity, adaptability, conflict management, problem-solving, creativity.

What hard/technical skills are most important for Program Consultants?

C. Darren Brooks Ph.D.: As stated earlier, the field of management is broad and encompasses all industries and sectors. Consequently, the technical skills necessary to succeed will vary according to the specific knowledge and experiences required to understand the nuances of an organization. Accordingly, graduates who have business acumen and technical competency in a particular discipline or industry would be better positioned for employment opportunities. As a result, I always place emphasis on gaining internships and work experience concurrently with academic study. These experiences will provide a real-world understanding of the type of skills necessary to succeed in organizations as well as offer industry-specific knowledge. However, for many graduates, their practical skills are limited. In this case, it is important to ensure you have more generalizable skills that are applicable across industries, such as building digital fluency, analytical fluency, writing skills, and strong Excel skills. When speaking with consulting firms and industry employers, they repeatedly reference the need for graduates to demonstrate more advanced Excel skills.

What skills stand out on Program Consultant resumes?

Jim McClenahan: Most importantly, skills that are customized for the job you are applying. Someone could work in a restaurant and have great customer management skills that would work well in a bank. The key is identifying "transferrable skills"-how what you did is relevant for the job you are applying. The applicant has to articulate that-don't expect the committee, screener, or HR Recruiter to make the connections. For business majors, the skills that differentiate applicants are technical skills when they are relevant to the job. Data analysis, coding, SQL are often looked for by employers that have a tech focus as preferred skills.

What skills will help Program Consultants earn the most?

Neil Boyd Ph.D.: A combination of hard and soft skills, but at the end of the day, soft skills are critical to truly helping clients. And, for sure, they can be learned. This is a challenge for management education, but places like the Freeman College of Management at Bucknell work hard to develop soft skills in students primarily through coaching, experiential and community-based pedagogies, and professional development programming.

What Program Consultant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Eleni Barbieri: I would highly recommend that they work to improve their communication skills. I suggest working to improve all aspects of their communication skills, verbal, nonverbal, and written. The current generation of entry-level employees is already lacking in when it comes to the communication skill set required, due to the advent of texting, emails, and all other forms of indirect communication. The ability to communicate clearly will be an invaluable asset no matter the profession they decide to pursue. While they are working on their communication skills, they should also focus on their abilities to accurately receive communications. Being able to actively listen will garner a better understanding of the message the speaker is trying to convey and the environment in which they find themselves immersed.

Additionally, they need to remain current regarding changes, updates, or trends in their chosen field. They need to remain plugged into data sources that can provide them with the vital information that they require to maintain their proficiency levels in order to successfully return to the academic environment after their gap year.

What general advice would you give to a Program Consultant?

Eleni Barbieri: Take advantage of every opportunity to intern, observe, or volunteer in the area of your chosen profession. Gather as much information as possible to assist you in making sure that the profession that you chose is the one that you really wantd. There are many different professions in the legal services field. Go in with an open mind and with your eyes wide open; sample all the ones you're interested in so that you can get on track to your ultimate career goal as soon as possible. Do your research to ensure that you pick the organization that best suits your ideals and your vision of an environment that inspires and motivates you to succeed.
Remember that you never stop learning. Stay informed. You will work with numerous people. Try to emulate the ones that you feel are the most successful and professional. Focus is everything. Have a short-term plan, a five-year plan, and a long-term plan. It's alright to adjust your plan as long as you keep your ultimate goals in sight.

What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Program Consultant job market given the pandemic?

Ron Aubé Ph.D.: Covid-19 raised awareness about the importance of trust and flexibility in the workplace. Organizations have been forced to explore options beyond traditional office solutions and learned to adapt for different tasks and projects while maintaining employee morale and productivity. Remote work and entrusting employees is not only possible, but necessary, as well as profitable. Companies found that employees can remain effective and productive, while enjoying increased job satisfaction and progressive organizations look for opportunities to arrange talent-sharing partnerships with other organizations.

Remote work has in some ways dehumanized employees and much remains to be done to prioritize the well-being of employees, treating them as people first and workers second. Personal factors promoting physical health and emotional well-being are trendy. Gartner (2020) finds that 32 percent of organizations are replacing full-time employees with contingent workers as a cost-saving measure. The workforce will be increasingly distributed requiring new forms of management and leadership at the top and ways to enhance job satisfaction. Furthermore, the cross-generational workforce curve is being reshaped as many workers aged over 65 are retiring due to infection concerns. While young workers are currently more likely to be in jobs impacted by the crisis, this exodus of older workers opens the door for them to step in.

Unlike typical recessions where the consumption of goods collapses while services remain largely stable, this pandemic has created the opposite. The service industries (entertainment, travel, lodging, full-service restaurants, elective healthcare, and childcare) have been the most adversely affected driven by the impact of social distancing (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Employment opportunities in production, transportation, storage, and selling of goods (excluding retail) are therefore expected to rise. Fueled by the new realities of social distancing and the increased need for digital collaborations in the workforce, fields related to artificial intelligence are growing at an accelerated pace.

Migration away from large urban centers is becoming noticeable as fewer people come to work and spend money in the city. As a result, the most significant drop in hiring has occurred in large metropolitan areas, while outside the cities, hiring is on the rise.

What general advice would you give to a Program Consultant?

Ron Aubé Ph.D.: Be humble and coachable. Get several mentors and absorb all the knowledge you can from them. Learn from experienced workers and share your own knowledge. Older generations are not always as savvy with technology and reverse mentoring has proven productive whereas older experienced workers can teach the younger cohorts about how to navigate organizational and decision-making issues. Remote work has made this a bit more challenging but not impossible. Build your network. Get involved in everything and anything related to your field of expertise. Be seen. Share your knowledge. Be confident, yet humble and open to new ideas.

As the workplace is still undergoing significant behavior change forced by Covid-19, probably the best advice I could give to a graduate beginning her/his career is to be adaptable and seek to work for an organization with a culture of agility and innovation. Organizations refusing to change and adapt are doomed to fail ultimately. As a young graduate with the knowledge of technology, you have an enormous advantage over workers not possessing the ability to navigate the digital world so easily. Take advantage of it.

What skills stand out on Program Consultant resumes?

Brooke Buffington: Skills that standout are often position specific, but there are always skills that a wide-variety of employers seek. These skills align with the competencies developed by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), which include skills in critical thinking/problem solving, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work-ethic, career management, and global/intercultural fluency.

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Program Consultants to find work opportunities?

Marta Diaz:
-Larger metropolitan areas would most likely have the largest number of opportunities; however, there will be more remote work opportunities without living in these metro areas.
-A new job opportunity for the future is the CRO (Chief Remote Officer), responsible for managing remote workers.

Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Program Consultants?

Theresa Earenfight Ph.D.: As a historian of the European Middle Ages, I'm struck by how students this past year have acquired something scarce: historical empathy. The past can seem so remote, so very different from our lived experiences today, and this can make history seem irrelevant. But this fall, I was teaching a section on the bubonic plague, which historians of medicine now know was a global pandemic, not just an epidemic in Europe. Usually, students are fascinated by the gruesome medical details, but not this group.

They did not need or want to look death in the eyes. They wanted to know how did people react? How did they get back to normal? When we ticked off the list of reactions--fear, distrust of science (such as it was in 1348), xenophobia, scapegoating, economic collapse, hoarding supplies, turn to religion, gallows humor about worms crawling about corpses--they got it. When we talked about the aftermath--eat, drink, be merry, and protest the inequality--they got it. That is historical empathy, and I'm sad that this was how it had to be learned, but it will give them broader compassion that can encompass people alive today.

Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Program Consultants?

Dr. Frederick Gordon Ph.D.: Graduate students will need to refocus on the changing institutional role, being both remote and in-person, and impacting agency goals and performance.

What general advice would you give to a Program Consultant?

Angela Grotto Ph.D.:

1. 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.
   
2. 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.
   
3. 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.
   
4. 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.
   

What type of skills will young Program Consultants need?

Hilary Walrod: Creative problem-solving, collaboration, and communication have always been essential skill sets, and they look to be increasingly important now and shortly. By applying these skill sets, fine arts graduates will be well-equipped to contribute to various professional settings. Developing the wherewithal to learn new skills and the latest best practices can enable graduates to situate themselves for adaptation and growth.

How do you envision technology impacting Program Consultants in the next 5 years?

Hilary Walrod: I envision that continual technological development - and widespread use of digital technology - will yield increasing opportunities to apply art and design skills in the field of interactive design.

What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Program Consultant job market given the pandemic?

Tammy Bosley Ph.D.: I think that many employees will continue to work from home post-pandemic. During COVID-19, people worked effectively at home, and in many instances, were more productive than when they were physically at the office. Employers will likely consider if they should pay for office space when their employees can do their jobs at home. If the traditional office space does become obsolete, employees will have to reimagine their home offices to promote a professional environment for digital platforms. They'll also have to work harder at making connections with others. High tech requires high touch. In other words, when we rely on computer-mediated communication, we need to interact more to establish relationships. Improving and maintaining digital communication skills will be essential as employees navigate their post-pandemic careers.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Program Consultants in the next 3-5 years?

Tammy Bosley Ph.D.: I think we'll continue to use digital platforms such as Zoom, WebEx, and Teams. We'll likely see improved options in these platforms, such as enhanced breakout rooms, better file-sharing capabilities, and synchronous document creation/editing. If we continue to work from home, these platforms will also need to do well on smartphones.

Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Program Consultants in the next 5 years?

Tammy Bosley Ph.D.: The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted that communication jobs would increase at the same rate as other professions. Communication is a general degree. Students who major in the discipline usually choose a specialty such as public relations, health communication, international communication, etc. to navigate employment opportunities successfully. Given the challenges everyone is facing in today's culture, communication graduates will be essential to meet the demands of a post COVID society.

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Program Consultants to find work opportunities?

Anthony Civitano: Beauty is a worldwide necessity. Our graduates will always be in demand and never have their career of choice outsourced. Covid-19 has proven that Beauty professionals ARE ESSENTIAL WORKERS! We change people's lives by making them feel better about themselves, which has a fantastic effect on people.

How do you envision technology impacting Program Consultants in the next 5 years?

Anthony Civitano: Education will be the largest affected. For many years the schools have wanted to have the ability to have distance education, or a hybrid at least, to teach our courses. The shut down of schools forced States Education Departments, US Department of Education, and Accreditors to allow Distance Education for our programs. It has exceeded our expectations and is being proven to be an effective means of delivering a large part of our programs.

What type of skills will young Program Consultants need?

Anthony Civitano: #1 is soft skills; younger generations are less and less equipped with these essential skills. Corona-19 will undoubtedly have an impact as social distancing has become the necessary norm, inhibiting person-to-person interaction. #2 Basic financial literacy and life/work balance. #3 The technical skills evolve over the years, and our schools stay connected with the industry's pulse and adjust their curriculum accordingly.

What type of skills will young Program Consultants need?

Dr. Anthony Stanowski: To be successful, graduates of healthcare management programs need to bring to market the following: skills and character.

In terms of skills, they need to have strong technical and analytical skills, especially at the start of their career. These skills will morph over a job to encompass an interpretation of the data to lead others to action. And that is where communication skills and project management capabilities come in.

Indeed, young graduates need to understand the healthcare system, how it has changed, and why it has changed. This knowledge needs to be deeper than the sound bites heard on the news or from pundits. They need a foundational understanding of the key subjects taught in class.

Most importantly, they need to develop character. Note that I say develope, because some believe character is innate. They can be learned, and they must be exercised. Character includes the ability to approach work in new and breakthrough ways, innovate, and transform. They have to lead by having a strong sense of empathy by understanding that you show only when you help others succeed. They have to do whatever it takes to make things better, which means more than a 9 to 5 job. If you want a 9 to 5 job, there are better places to go than healthcare management.

Those are among the skills and characterize young graduates need. For more, I would suggest taking a look at the competencies for leadership as developed by organizations such as the National Center for Healthcare Leadership https://www.nchl.org/page?page=272, the American College of Healthcare Executives https://www.ache.org/about-ache/resources-and-links/healthcare-leadership-competencies, the International Hospital Federation https://www.ihf-fih.org/resources/pdf/Leadership_Competencies_for_Healthcare_Services_Managers.pdf, Saint Louis University https://www.slu.edu/public-health-social-justice/pdfs/slu_mha_competencymodel_reviewedfall2016.pdf the National Association for Healthcare Quality https://nahq.org/education/nahq-healthcare-quality-competency-framework/, and many others. When evaluating a program to attend, ask about the competency model, they use to develop their curriculum. Does that competency model match what you want to learn? If the program does not know what a competency model is, politely thank them and go elsewhere.

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Program Consultants to find work opportunities?

Dr. Anthony Stanowski: Yes, the right places to look at are the places where you think you can make a difference. Where is your passion? Is it in inner-city areas, struggling to meet the needs of the poor and disenfranchised? Is it in rural areas where the challenges are how to knit together limited resources to provide to communities that are spread out to meet critical healthcare needs? Is it in sizeable academic health systems where the challenge lies in forming internal and external constituencies' coalitions to succeed?

Is it in integrated delivery systems that are national in scope, working to transform healthcare by knitting together insurance, pharmaceuticals, and patient care but are struggling against regulatory roadblocks and the established ways of doing things? Is your passion in the growing informatics sector, where you can help organizations use data more accurately? Is it in telemedicine? Health policy? Physician practice management? Know yourself and what you believe in. Work to make a difference. Healthcare is the noblest of fields, and I hope that people choosing to enter healthcare stay faithful to its calling.

Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Program Consultants?

Dr. Anthony Stanowski: Many projections show that the impact of COVID-19 will continue into 2022, even with a vaccine and therapeutics. The "new normal" will not return to 2019 but will incorporate technology and management methods developed to adjust to unforeseen challenges. The pandemic has made us all aware of the importance of healthcare delivery and the need to have dedicated people working to ensure our community's health. Healthcare executives will need to have critical competencies to succeed, including leadership, innovation, and a core understanding of healthcare delivery methods. Those entering the profession must rise to the challenge and accept that something will work, and others will not. They will need to be comfortable at a higher level of uncertainty than ever.