Business Consultant Certifications

Several kinds of credentials can verify a business consultant’s knowledge, skills, and accomplishments. Potential employers consider these credentials to estimate a consultant’s competence and ability to produce significant improvements. Possible credentials include educational degrees, training certificates, work history, references, portfolio projects, and professional certifications. Of these, certifications are often the most impressive and quickly verifiable credentials. Many certifications represent multiple relevant criteria, including work experience, education, and demonstrated skills, as verified by a professional organization that includes active workers and experts. Certifications must also be maintained and updated. In both these ways, certificates differ from certificates, which only confirm the completion of a single training program.

What is a Business Consultant?

Few business owners possess every skill required to operate and grow their business. The same is true even for many large companies. A business consultant is a knowledgeable professional who provides the missing expertise and services that client businesses need. Their guidance and assistance might be employed to solve problems, remove obstacles, support a company through a crisis or expansion, help their client find and add new customers, or improve the efficiency of a company’s internal operations. Most often, a business consultant is hired to start or expand a business or to facilitate a major transition.

Business consultants may specialize in particular kinds of services, such as information technology, human resources, or legal compliance. Consultants may also specialize in particular industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing, or transportation. Some ‘business’ consultants tailor their services to non-commercial operations like education or government. 

Business consultants can be independent contractors, employees of a consulting firm, or direct hires of the businesses they improve. In some cases, a business consultant acts as a temporary employee, filling a gap for an empty or not-yet-hired position. Depending on their tasks and terms of service, business consultants may be paid on a salaried or contract basis, hired at an hourly or per diem rate, or paid according to their Return On Investment (ROI), the increase in sales a business observes after the consultant improves their operations. 

Studying can improve a worker’s understanding of business consulting practices, make them a better advisor and assistant to client businesses, and teach them how to run a successful consulting practice. However, the best business consultants are more than scholars, teachers, or aides; they possess experience running or participating in a successful enterprise. Such work experience proves their knowledge and skills but also teaches a consultant practical lessons about effective and ineffective business practices. 

Do I Need a Degree to Become a Business Consultant?

Clients expect a consultant to be a knowledgeable resource, not only well-versed in business operations but also skilled in observation, analysis, and communications. However, these abilities do not have to be gained through formal education or proven with a specific degree. A degree program is just one way to build and prove ability. Other routes include individual study, training programs, certifications, and work experience. 

A degree can certainly help to reassure clients or employers that a consultant has studied appropriate subjects and trained useful skills. In particular, a degree from a general business administration course or a related field like project management can provide a significant academic background in business operations. A Masters in Business Administration (MBA) confirms extensive knowledge in this area. However, consultants can gain comparable business knowledge while working as an executive, administrator, or manager in a business environment. Successfully starting and growing a small business also teaches lessons that can be conveyed later as a consultant. When discussing your credentials with a potential client or employer, relevant work experience is more impressive than any degree. 

Before working, some background study may be necessary, but here again, options exist outside of formal degree programs. For example, business training is available through textbooks, websites, and video tutorials. Professional training programs from non-college schools are even better than self-guided lessons. They provide most of the same information faster and for a lower cost than a degree, plus they include portfolio-building projects, career guidance, and support services to get novices started in their first job. Certificates provided by training schools may not have the reputation of a formal degree, but they do prove the completion of a valid course of study. 

Studying other related subjects can also demonstrate useful knowledge and skills. For example, a business consultant specializing in software development will benefit from a degree program in computer science, software engineering, or a related discipline like information technology. Once again, consultants can gain these abilities through other routes, including working as a software developer, self-guided study, or a training program. 

To be successful, consultants also need various other skills, including communication, data analysis, resource management, and marketing. While a college student might pursue a minor in business consulting, major degree programs for this specific career are rare. Some of a consultant’s necessary skills can be gained on the job, especially for novices climbing through a consulting firm. However, some starting ability is necessary to qualify for such jobs, and a freelance consultant needs adequate expertise right away to serve clients on their own. Here, non-college training programs have the most to offer. Students can take individual courses on skills like public speaking and data analysis, and some training providers do offer specific courses on business consulting, explaining the career and teaching its necessary subskills. 

Finally, another way to prepare for a consulting career and demonstrate one’s abilities is an official consulting certification. Successfully completing a certification provides as much proof of one’s competence as a degree, if not more, due to its specific requirements.

Do Certifications Matter for Business Consultants?

Business consultants are not legally required to hold a certification, nor is a certification necessary for employment or self-employment as a consultant. However, a consulting certification provides many benefits. A relevant certification is a strong credential when applying for a business consulting job or advertising consulting services to clients. Junior employees at a consulting firm may be expected to obtain certification as part of their preparation for promotion. A certified consultant can also earn more through a higher salary or fees.

The best certification for a business consultant will depend on the expertise and services they offer. Different consulting certifications focus on areas like general management, project management, risk management, accounting, information technology, human resources, sales, or marketing; particular industries like education, advertising, or agriculture; or business types like small businesses or nonprofits. A consultant may want more than one certification if their expertise covers multiple categories.

Certifying organizations provide further benefits to their applicants and awardees. A consultant can use the educational and testing requirements of a certification program to guide their training plans. Joining a certifying body can create new professional contacts, which are particularly valuable to business consultants, generating future business leads and mentoring opportunities.

Certifications vs. Certificates: What’s the Difference?

A certificate is a document issued by a school or other educational provider, similar to a diploma, that verifies the completion of a class or training program. Attaining a certificate may require a student to pass one or more examinations, but these tests are specific to the awarding school and course. 

A certification, by contrast, is an official designation, awarded by a certifying organization, that confirms that a professional has demonstrated a broad set of skills meeting that organization’s requirements. Many professionals cite their certifications as part of their title, such as ‘Certified Management Consultant’ or ‘CMC’. Certifications can include education and work experience requirements, but almost all certifications require their awardees to pass a standardized examination. Certification standards are established and maintained by a national or international organization that includes experts and experienced workers. Their requirements are regularly updated to reflect new information and standards. Some awardees must periodically retake certification exams to maintain their status. Other certifications require awardees to perform professional development activities like taking or teaching classes to refresh or update their knowledge. Thus, a certification confirms a professional’s active competence, backed by the reputation of its awarding organization. 

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How to Get Certified as a Business Consultant

The first step to becoming certified as a consultant is to research different certifications and their awarding organizations. A candidate should identify which certifications best match their professional goals: either to 1) accurately represent their expertise and the consulting services they will offer or 2) to match the preferred credentials for a particular employer or position. While researching each certification, a candidate should note its requirements. They will need to fulfill each requirement, making plans to complete any criteria they do not already meet.

For educational requirements, a certification may require a relevant degree, may be satisfied by equivalent coursework through any training method, or may have no specific educational demand other than provable skills. Some certification providers offer their own training courses, and a few organizations require applicants to complete their training program as part of the certification process. Certain certifications require only these training programs.

Required work experience also varies between certification programs. Some certifications do not require any work experience. For those that do, at least two or three years of active, full-time consulting work is expected. Some certifications ask only for signed reference statements from employers to validate this work experience, while others want summaries of completed projects or even signed references from clients. 

Nearly every certification requires some type of standardized test to confirm an applicant’s relevant abilities. These tests typically include a written examination including short questions, essays, or both. Some certifications also require an oral examination, which can include verbal question-and-answer sessions, discussions about complex topics, a sample presentation as if delivered to a client, or a simulated client interview. 

Finally, certification programs may have other requirements, such as membership in the awarding organization, fees for application and continued certification, periodic re-assessment exams, continuing education requirements, or other expectations of professional conduct and development. In most cases, membership in the awarding organization is not required but grants discounts on application and other fees plus networking opportunities, access to and discounts on training classes, and other perks.

Top Certifications & Certificates for Business Consulting 

Experience-based Certifications

Certified Management Consultant (CMC)

Maintained by the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC), CMC is the primary recommended certification for business consultants, especially those who offer management consultation. Management consultants typically work with executives and other senior staff to resolve major projects and decisions. As such, they must understand all aspects of business operations and management, including strategy, planning, problem-solving, and leadership. 

A CMC candidate must first provide enough client references to obtain five satisfactory evaluations. They must then choose three of these clients and write summaries of their work with those clients. Third, a candidate must answer 15 written questions to confirm their basic knowledge. After these preliminary requirements, there are three application tracks for CMC certification candidates — Basic, Experienced, and Management — with differing requirements depending on work experience:

• Work Experience: The minimum requirement for a Basic application is at least three years of full-time consulting work. An Experienced applicant has at least 10 years of consulting work experience, while a Management applicant has at least 20 years of experience including three years of management consulting.
• Education: A Basic applicant with minimal experience must have a Bachelor’s degree. With five years’ experience and significant professional training, no degree is required. Candidates waiving the degree requirement must show sufficient evidence of professional development, which can include IMC’s training program, other professional training programs, or the candidate teaching courses on relevant topics.
• Examinations: The tests for CMC certification include two one-hour written examinations on Ethics and Consulting Competency, plus a multi-part oral examination including a spontaneous client presentation and question-and-answer sessions about client engagement, ethical concerns, and consulting topics. 

In addition to the initial application fees, there is an annual charge to maintain CMC certification, plus a recertification fee every three years for evaluation of the certificate holder’s continued professional development. 

Project Management Professional (PMP)

PMP certification, awarded by the Project Management Institute (PMI), is another highly recommended certification for business consultants. Project management involves planning, executing, and evaluating business projects, which may include new product design, production setup, marketing campaigns, customer service programs, expansions, or even downsizing and shutdown tasks. A business consultant may assist any part of a project: guiding its managers, training workers, assessing and improving procedures, or even acting as a project manager themselves. 

The PMP application process has three requirement sets, divided by education level. Applicants must document their educational and work background and describe several projects they have completed for clients. 

• Education: The minimum application requirement is a high school degree. A Bachelor’s degree reduces the work experience requirement, and a Bachelor’s degree from certain accredited programs further reduces the work requirement. Candidates must also have completed 35 hours of project management education or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification, a related but less stringent certification program also awarded by PMI.
• Work experience: An applicant with an accredited Bachelor’s degree must still have a minimum of two years of project management work experience in the past eight years. For any other B.A. or B.S. holder, this requirement is three years, and for those with only a high school degree, five years of work experience is required.
• Examinations: After their application is accepted, candidates must take a 180-question, 230-minute comprehensive exam, half addressing predictive project management approaches and half covering agile or hybrid approaches. 

In addition to a triennial renewal fee, PMP certification holders must demonstrate a commitment to professional development by logging a required number of Professional Development Units from coursework, teaching, professional presentations, content creation, and volunteer work. 

Certified Security Consultant (CSC)

The International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC) includes consultants in multiple aspects of security, such as physical security, information security, risk assessment, security operations, and security training. For business consultants, the information security and risk assessment aspects are most directly relevant, but some client businesses may have concerns about the protection of their facilities, inventory, personnel, or customers. IAPSC certification demonstrates knowledge, experience, professionalism, and reliability that reassures clients seeking security consulting services or clients seeking a business consultant with awareness of security concerns.

In addition to the experience, education, and examination requirements below, a CSC applicant must be an independent agent, with no conflicts of interest from other security-related employment, personal business, or endorsement work. They must also have a clean criminal record, with no felony convictions. Finally, they must have demonstrated at least three significant contributions to the security industry in the previous five years, including public speaking, publication, teaching, or service in a security industry association.

• Work experience: CSC applicants must have at least three years of documented security consulting experience or verified summaries of completed security projects for five clients. 
• Education: The IAPSC prefers a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. If not, a candidate may substitute eight years of security management experience or a combination of fewer years of work experience with one or more acceptable security industry certifications.
• Examinations: Candidates must pass an online, 100-question multiple-choice exam. 

Certification holders must recertify every three years, which requires a recertification fee and accumulation of a required number of recertification credits. Credits can be claimed from attending classes or presentations, public speaking or publishing on security topics, or serving in the leadership of a security industry association. 

Professional Risk Manager (PRM)

Risk management involves identifying possible hazards such as physical dangers, legal liabilities, security gaps, public relations failures, management errors, or financial difficulties; preparing to avoid or minimize these risks; and reducing the impact of unavoidable mishaps. The Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA) maintains global PRM certification to recognize experienced, skilled risk managers, including risk management consultants. Applicants must already hold a PRMIA membership, which requires payment of annual dues, but they receive multiple benefits from this membership, including networking and risk library access, training courses, publishing and mentoring opportunities, job search assistance, and discounts on business products and services. 

• Education: Applicants should ideally have a graduate-level degree, such as an MBA or similar Master’s program, or be a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Alternatively, an applicant may have a Bachelor’s degree with additional work experience, or waive the educational requirement with sufficient additional experience.
• Work Experience: No work experience is required for graduate degree or CFA holders. Bachelor’s degree holders should have two years of full-time experience working in financial services or risk management. With no degree, four years of work experience is required.
• Examination: The PRM certification requires multiple examinations, which must be completed within two years after application. Some of these exams may be exempted for applicants who have graduated from degree programs with PRMIA accreditation.

Training-based Certifications

Certified Risk Manager (CRM)

The Risk and Insurance Education Alliance (RIEA) offers multiple certifications in risk management and insurance counseling, but their CRM certification is most often recommended for business consultants, especially those whose practice specializes in risk assessment and management. To obtain this certification, applicants must complete five online courses, each lasting two days, and pass each course’s final examination. While not required, RIEA recommends that applicants have at least two years of full-time experience in risk management to best understand and complete the coursework and examinations. A single membership fee provides access to all courses offered by RIEA; passing the CRM course awards its certification. Certificants must also complete an annual update either by retaking the CRM course or another RIEA course or by attending a related seminar and paying an annual fee. 

Digital Marketing Pro/Expert

Marketing consultants address multiple aspects of businesses’ marketing strategies, including product design, advertising, sales, and customer retention. An increasing proportion of marketing involves digital content, social media, and other online interactions. Some business consultants can specialize entirely in digital marketing, helping clients create and shape their online presence. 

The Digital Marketing Pro certification program awards two certifications from a single application process: PCM Digital Marketing, maintained by the American Marketing Association (AMA), and Certified Digital Marketing Professional, from the Digital Marketing Institute (DMI). This certification’s application and testing process is also offered entirely online and is continually updated with new information, most recently incorporating generative AI. Applicants must first complete a 30-hour self-paced online course, which also awards a dual certificate of completion, and then schedule and pass an online exam. The certification’s application fee covers membership in both organizations, the testing fee, and access to all online courses. Members also get access to digital marketing templates and tools, several AI tools, the DMI professional network, and continuous professional development courses. 

For more experienced digital marketing consultants, AMA and DMI also offer a Digital Marketing Expert course and certification, including a 120-hour certificate/certification preparation course. The examination for the Expert certification requires two 5000-word writing assignments that comprise a full digital marketing campaign: a digital marketing research paper and a digital marketing strategy document.

Six Sigma Global Institute (SSGI) Business Consultant Certification

SSGI is a training and certification provider for business consultants that is also authorized for training and recertification with the Project Management Institute (PMI), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Their certification program requires only the completion of an online, self-paced course, which takes about one or two weeks, and passing their Business Consultant Certification exam, an online, timed, multiple-choice test. The course and exam cover all aspects of business consulting work, and their study program can be especially useful for experienced workers considering a transition to a business consulting career. This certification requires no membership or recertification fees. It does, however, count toward the professional development requirements needed to maintain PMI certifications.

Accredited Small Business Consultant (ASBC)

For consultants whose practice primarily assists small businesses, the Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants (AASBC) awards ASBC certification to its U.S. members. AASBC also provides training in small business consulting and recommends its video lecture series and training book to prepare for the certification exam. The only requirements for certification are an application and membership fee, with an annual renewal fee, and successful completion of an online certification exam. Members can request a printed version of AASBC’s training book, SEMP Approach: Simplified Examination to Maximize Profit, and retain access to the 40-hour lecture series.

Talent Optimization Consultant (TOC)

Talent optimization consulting covers the human aspects of business operations: hiring, individual and team development, leadership training, employee engagement, and talent management. The Predictive Index (PI) offers both an organizational platform for talent optimization tasks, including human resources software for assessment and training, plus a certification program that trains consultants to use this platform. This certification requires only the completion of five self-paced courses. Certificate holders also have the option of becoming a PI Certified Partner, a membership with no financial cost but additional training and promotional requirements.

Certificate Programs

Noble Desktop’s “MBA” Business Certificate course covers a full range of professional business skills, including useful tools and information on project management, leadership, finance, marketing, data analysis, generative AI, hiring, and legal concerns. While not a full MBA degree program, this certificate course was developed by experienced professionals to cover the core elements of a business education. In addition, this class’ certificate is licensed by the New York State Department of Education. The primary course runs for about five weeks, including both live class sessions and study projects. In addition to reinforcing class lessons, these projects will generate work samples for a starting portfolio. In addition to the primary course, students can select up to 60 hours of elective classes including programming languages, business software, financial tools, and digital marketing. The course also includes eight 1-on-1 mentoring sessions allowing students to work directly with a mentor to address individual goals, review difficult lessons, improve their portfolios and resumes, and refine their career plans.

Noble Desktop offers multiple types of data analytics training. Their Data Analytics Certificate is their most general and comprehensive program. This certificate program can be completed in under two months on a full-time schedule but offers several alternate scheduling options if needed. The course covers eight units of instruction, starting with a short course on Microsoft Excel to give students a commonly used tool for data collection, organization, analysis, and visualization. The course then covers data analytics in more depth, addressing its foundational concepts, utility for decision-making, and applications in business. Subsequent units teach specific coding and visualization tools, including Python (a general-purpose programming language), SQL (a programming language specialized for data collection and management), and Tableau (a popular data visualization program). The course also addresses machine learning algorithms and their interactions with data analysis. This certificate course includes eight 1-on-1 mentoring sessions and a New York State licensed certificate of completion.

Noble Desktop’s Business Analyst Certificate covers several data analysis tools used in business operations. This certificate program takes students from introductory lessons to advanced skills with Microsoft Excel, SQL, Tableau, and Microsoft PowerPoint. Each application’s section is the equivalent of an individual bootcamp, including fundamental skills training, specific methods used for data analysis and/or reporting, and advanced techniques to add more utility and improve efficiency. This course lasts about six weeks on a full-time schedule, with part-time scheduling also available. Completing this course awards students with a New York State licensed certificate.

Two certificate courses at Noble Desktop address modern, online marketing methods in more depth. The Digital Marketing Certificate program is a New York State-licensed certificate course that covers a complete range of digital marketing methods and considerations, from website creation and web advertising to email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and social media sites and campaigns. Students learn not only how to establish an appealing online presence but also how to manage online activity to excite customers, hold their interest, and avoid mistakes. This course can be completed in about one month on a full-time schedule. A shorter course, but also a State-licensed certificate, the Social Media Marketing Certificate program is a subset of the Digital Marketing Certificate program that focuses more specifically on social media use and marketing strategies.