Consultant Resume Examples & Tips that Work in 2024

There’s a reason why writing a resume for consultant jobs is hard. It’s because there are so many others like you struggling for the job.

How can you prove you’re different? It’s all in how you tweak the sections of your consultant resume. Mention the right skills and consulting “wins,” and they’ll know you’re best-of-breed.

In this guide:

• A consultant resume example better than most.
• How to write a consulting resume that passes the smell test.
• Expert consulting resume examples to copy and use.
• Why you can’t just list consultant skills (and what to do instead).

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Most consultants have a full complement of management skills. If that’s you, don’t limit yourself to consultant jobs alone. See these guides:

• Accounting Manager Resume Sample
• Actuary Resume Sample
• Chief Financial Officer / CFO Resume Sample
• Deloitte Resume Sample
• Executive Resume Sample
• Finance Resume Sample
• HR Coordinator Resume Sample
• HR Director Resume Sample
• Manager Resume Sample
• Management Consultant Resume Sample
• Operations Manager Resume Sample
• Product Manager Resume Sample
• Tax Preparer Resume Sample

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Samples.

Now, a consulting resume sample for you to gain inspiration:

Consultant Resume Example

Here’s how to write a consultant resume with bandwidth:

1. Select the Best Consultant Resume Format

Let’s take a bottoms-up approach. For the best chance they’ll notice you, use a professional resume format. In most cases that’s the reverse-chronological resume type. Use these tips to flesh it out:

Consultant Resume Format

• Set 1-inch resume margins.
• Use a resume font like 10–12pt Times New Roman or Arial.
• Write these resume sections: Heading, Summary, History, Education, and Skills.
• Make it eye-friendly with added white space.
• Make a 1–2 page resume length depending on your experience level.
• Send a PDF resume. They travel better than Gary Hamel.

Expert Hint: According to The Trusted Advisor by David Maister, the first job of a consultant is to earn the trust of clients. Show feats of communication and persuasion in your business or leasing consultant resume.

2. Engage Employers with a Consultant Resume Summary or Objective

The consulting world is dog-eat-dog. How can you be dog #1? By starting your consultant resume right. That means writing a working resume profile (in the form of a resume summary or resume objective) up top.

Write it with:

1. An adjective (efficient, results-oriented)
2. “consultant”
3. Years of experience (2+, 7+)
4. Who/how you’ll help (raise earnings for clients at Scarecrow & Williams)
5. Best consultant moments (raised revenue $3M a year...)

Write it last to make it flow. See these management consultant resume examples:

Consultant Resume Summary—Example

Efficient business consultant with 7+ years of experience creating process improvements. Seeking to raise quality and earnings for clients at Scarecrow & Williams Consulting. At LYC, worked with 100+ clients to raise revenue up to $3M a year.

Experienced consultant, skilled in CRM and process improvement. A strong leader who finds inefficiencies and missed opportunities, counseling clients and employers to increase revenue and lower costs. Expert at redesigning business strategy and with a track record of training trainers.

Whoops. The second of those business consultant resume samples says you can help raise revenue. The first example shows you have.

“But I haven’t raised revenue by $3 million!”

In a resume for consultants with no experience, flaunt what you’ve got. See this entry-level resume for consultants sample:

Entry-Level Consultant Resume Objective

Results-oriented consultant, skilled in process improvements and business process redesign. As administrative assistant at Hartigan & Gulch Consulting, assisted with development of IT strategy that led to 18% fewer support tickets. Streamlined office systems and facilitated 15% increase in client base through needs analyses.

Entry-level consultant, expert in CRM and organizational redesign. A fast learner and a team player who can see the big picture and who works to find efficiencies for clients. Skilled in training and process improvement. Can start immediately.

The second of those entry-level consultant resume examples isn’t actionable. The first shows you’ve already got your feet wet in the job.

Expert Hint: A white paper by Robin Fincham of the University of Stirling argues that the client-consultant relationship should be equal and relaxed. Have you built great relationships with clients? List wins like that in your resume for consultant jobs.

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3. Write a Compelling Consultant Job Description and Skills Section

As a consultant, you know perfectly how to support individuals and businesses in their daily operations. But how to present it on your resume to leave no doubt you excel at this area?

What consultant skills work best on resumes? Here’s a brief list:

Consultant Skills for Resumes

Hard Skills	Soft Skills
Process Improvement	Interpersonal Skills
Business Analysis	Communication
Data Visualization	Teamwork
Cash Flow Management	Problem Solving
Marketing & Sales	Organization
Lean Methodology	Time Management
Project Management	Leadership
Manufacturing	Analytical Thinking
IT	Creativity
Training	Attention to Detail

But here’s the thing. Your dream job may not want those. List too many and you’ll boil the ocean. It may need specific skills to put on a resume and achievements we haven’t mentioned.

Those skills are your resume keywords. Find them in the job ad, then write a tailored resume. See these sample consultant resume work experience sections below:

The ad lists these consultant job requirements: raising profitability, business strategy development, value stream mapping, developing CRM roadmaps, and training.

Consultant Job Description for a Resume [Sample]

Experience

Management Consultant

Ladd & Young Consulting, Miami, FL

2014–2019

• Worked with cross-functional teams in 100+ client organizations to gather requirements and raise profitability an average of 25%.
• Created new business strategies that raised revenue by $3M.
• Created value stream maps that identified recurring waste and saved an average of $50K per department per year.
• Developed CRM roadmaps that increased productivity 20%+.
• Created train-the-trainer content for CRM applications creating 30% less user error and a 15% increase in client satisfaction.

• Worked with multiple client organizations on projects to identify waste and raise profitability while lowering costs.
• Identified and removed recurring waste from business processes.
• Regularly drafted client contracts to comply with HR department needs.
• Tasked with working on projects that increased client profits.

What’s the big difference? Well, the first of those management consultant resume examples is buttoned down. It’s got all five skills from the posting.

But what if you’re not that legendary? In entry-level resumes, circle back to your core competencies. See these IT consulting resume examples with no experience:

The job needs consultant skills like developing IT strategies, presenting, streamlining processes, and needs analysis.

Entry-Level Consultant Resume Job Description [Sample]

Administrative Assistant

Hartigan & Gulch Consulting, Miami, FL

2012–2014

• Assisted with development of IT strategies leading to 18% fewer support tickets.
• Delivered 5 presentations to clients and senior management.
• Facilitated streamlining of 4 client processes in production and office systems.
• Helped generate 15% increase in client base through needs analysis.

Administrative Assistant

Hartigan & Gulch Consulting, Miami, FL

2012–2014

• Answered phones and set up meetings.
• Managed office supplies and inventory.
• Responded to client emails and helped write correspondences.

Both IT consultant resume examples come from an administrative assistant. But the first gets buy-in with consulting accomplishments. That’s critical path.

Expert Tip: In Peter Block’s Flawless Consulting, the author argues that the virtual world presents new challenges to today’s consultants. Certifications in virtual risk management or systems auditing look great in entry-level consultant resumes.

4. Gain Traction with Your Education Section

The best consultants know there’s more than one way to get clients. Referrals, outreach, partnerships...

The same goes for resumes for consulting resumes. The education section of your resume can be one more way to leverage your skills. This marketing consultant resume sample shows how:

Consultant Resume Example—Education

Education

EMBA, Northwestern University

2010–2012

• Excelled in strategy and critical analysis classes.
• Master's thesis on regression analysis published in Herding Cats.

BA Business Administration, University of Miami

2007–2010

GPA 3.8

That’s no run-of-the-mill education section. It adds three skills your next employer has been looking for.

5. List Additional Activities in Your Consultant Resume

You’re almost to the finish line. But in the consulting world, races are won by fractions of a second. Give your consulting resume a boost—with extra resume categories. Try one of these:

• Associations (IMCUSA, SPC, AASBC...)
• Certifications (CMC, PMP, Six Sigma, CISSP...)
• Volunteer work
• Freelance work
• Publications
• Media Appearances
• Languages
• Additional activities
• Sports

See these sales consultant resume examples:

Consultant Resume—Extra Sections

Certifications

2017 - Certified Management Consultant - IMCUSA

Volunteer Fundraiser, 78th Street Animal Shelter

• Raise over $40,000 per year for animal welfare.
• Conduct 50+ meetings per year with donors.

Additional Activities

• Chess boxing
• Charity fundraising

It’s all in picking the right details.

Expert Hint: Write a cover letter for your sales or information technology consultant resume. Don’t make it about you, but about the business, it’s needs, and why your past wins will fulfill them.

Haven't written a cover letter yet? See:

• Consultant Cover Letter Examples
• McKinsey Cover Letter Examples

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Key Points

Here’s how to write a consultant resume:

• Start with our consultant resume sample and examples up top. Add value from your best consulting career moments.
• Include consultant skills like CRM or change management. Point out results you got with both.
• Create a consulting resume summary at the top. It’s your elevator speech.
• Add “other” resume sections to show you’re the rockstar they need.
• Complement your resume with a matching Consulting Cover Letter.
   

Got questions on how to write great resumes for consultant jobs? Not sure how to put consultant on a resume? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply! 

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