Consulting Resume Sample

At the highest levels, consulting is a high-paying career. Yet finding a stable role as a consultant can be challenging. Employers are seeking consultants who have extensive work experience and expertise in their field.

In such a competitive industry, you need to make sure your resume is unique. Make your consulting resume stand out by following these three tips:

1. Highlight your consulting resume skills

Knowing what to include in your resume skills section is important for consulting jobs because the roles tend to be highly specialized. Hiring managers scan resumes to find specific consulting skills. If they can’t find them on your resume, you won’t be called in for an interview.

Employers are looking for proof that you have the know-how and technical ability to add value to their business.

Consulting is a niche career: include any industry-specific skills that improve how you appear to recruiters.

Emphasize these common consulting skills (if you have them) on your resume so employers can see your strengths. Here are some of the many skills you can include on a consulting resume:

• SQL
• Microsoft Access
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Business monitoring systems (Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle E-Business Suite)
• Data analytics
• Report writing
• System development expertise
• Trend forecasting
• Database management/design
• Leadership skills
• Collaboration
• Communication skills
• Problem-solving
• Critical thinking

Including the right mix of hard and soft skills on your consulting resume shows hiring managers that you’re a well-rounded applicant.

2. Include consulting-related keywords in your resume

Companies that receive a high volume of applicants use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to scan resumes and shortlist candidates. They look for specific skills and industry-related keywords. If your resume is missing vital keywords, the ATS won’t forward it to the hiring manager.

To make sure your resume makes it past the ATS, add relevant resume keywords to your consulting resume. Keywords can be found in the job posting. Job ad keywords include desired skills, required certifications, and the duties of the role.

Here are some examples of consulting-related keywords:

• Troubleshoot
• System design
• Growth rate
• Solutions
• Analyze
• Client-focused
• Measure
• Streamline
• Advice
• Expertise
• Hands-on
• Optimize
• Implement
• Database management
• Business intelligence

Because consulting involves many skills and takes place throughout various industries, be specific and research your sector’s related keywords. Listing the keywords found in the consulting job posting ensures your resume will get past the ATS and shows employers you customized your resume to meet their needs.

3. Add hard numbers to your achievements

Consulting is competitive, and businesses want results. Hard numbers are how your results are measured and communicated to companies.

Add hard numbers to your resume to describe your achievements. You can include things like:

• the percentage you increased something good
• the percentage you reduced something bad
• how many dollars you saved
• how many people you supervised

Here’s an example of how to add numbers to a work experience bullet point and prove you make a positive impact in your work:

Developed a business intelligence tool that saved 7% on average quarterly spending.

By adding accomplishments to your resume, employers will see what you can do for them, making it more likely they’ll want you on their team.