What is a strategy consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Angela Grotto Ph.D.,

David Miller

A strategy consultant is an individual who advises businesses on how to improve performance and achieve goals. They analyze a company's strengths and weaknesses, market trends, and competition to develop strategies that help the business grow. They also provide guidance on organizational structure, management practices, and technology adoption. A strategy consultant must possess excellent analytical and communication skills. They often work in consulting firms but may work independently as freelancers or consultants for large corporations.

What general advice would you give to a strategy 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.

ScoreStrategy ConsultantUS Average

Salary

8.0

Avg. Salary $115,244

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.8

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 14.47%

Black or African American 7.50%

Hispanic or Latino 8.50%

Unknown 4.45%

White 64.91%

Gender

female 36.91%

male 63.09%

Age - 43

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 - 43

Stress level

6.8

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

2.2

Work life balance is very poor

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a strategy consultant?

Pros

Exposure to a variety of industries and business problems
Opportunities for rapid career advancement
High earning potential and competitive compensation packages
Developing valuable analytical and problem-solving skills
Constant learning and development through on-the-job training and mentorship programs

Cons

Long hours, often with tight deadlines and high pressure to perform
Steep learning curve with a steep initial ramp-up period
Heavy reliance on client relationships, which can be unpredictable and difficult to manage
High expectations for performance and deliverables, with little room for error
Constant need to stay up-to-date with industry trends and emerging technologies

Key steps to become a strategy consultant

Explore strategy consultant education requirements

Most common strategy consultant degrees

Bachelor's

66.4 %

Master's

28.8 %

Doctorate

1.8 %

Start to develop specific strategy consultant skills

Skills	Percentages
Healthcare	6.66%
Project Management	5.92%
Develop Recommendations	5.72%
Client Facing	5.15%
Market Research	4.78%

Complete relevant strategy consultant training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New strategy 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 strategy consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real strategy consultant resumes.

Research strategy consultant duties and responsibilities

Lead project to ensure integration of CMS and other regulations (HIPAA etc . )
Achieve SOX compliance requirements across organization.
Manage the remediation process using SDLC methodology.
Develop and manage all front-of-house operations / logistics including guest control planning, security, celebrity appearances and executive presentations.

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