Pursuing a career as a Business Consultant requires a multidisciplinary approach. Business Consultants need to be skilled in data analytics, business administration, data visualization, finance, project management, and marketing. They also need to be strong communicators, leaders, problem solvers, and creative thinkers. Courses in data analytics and visualization, leadership and management, project management, business administration, and marketing all have the potential to enrich a Business Consultant’s skill set.
What is a Business Consultant?
A Business Consultant is someone who works with business owners to help them reach their business goals and improve their performance and efficiency through careful analysis. They are skilled professionals with a wide range of skills. They leverage a combination of objectivity, education, and experience to provide expert advice, creative solutions, and relevant insights. Oftentimes, they will choose a specialty to better serve their clients. Some of these specialties include strategy and management, operations, finances, human resources, and marketing. A Business Consultant can help a business identify and address challenges and offer objective recommendations based on their industry knowledge.
The typical workday varies according to the client, the project, and the industry; however, some of the more common duties of Business Consultants include meeting with clients to understand their needs and hardships, performing SWOT analyses, designing business plans that are customized to their clients, advising or managing project implementation, and assess the efficacy of implemented strategies. While many work for consulting firms, you’ll find that a great many experienced Business Consultants are self-employed, and just as many hold specialist roles within larger companies. Business Consultants often work as part of a team that can include a range of individuals based on the project goals. Many times they have to liaise between teams to evaluate and implement solutions effectively.
When working for a firm, there is an opportunity for growth through professional development classes and activities. Workshops, seminars, and courses are ways of continuing education that help Business Consultants stay abreast of current and cutting-edge business strategies, business technologies, and other helpful resources. The more knowledgeable they are, the more effective they are. Continuous learning is essential to progress in this career, as is networking and staying current. Certification opportunities and other helpful resources are available through professional associations like the Institute of Management Consultants USA.
What Skills Will I Need to Learn to Become a Business Consultant?
In such a multidisciplinary field, there are many skills, techniques, and software to learn. Some business classes only focus on one skill or software like Microsoft Excel, while other courses take on a range of topics that are key to becoming a successful Business Consultant, including data analytics, project management, marketing, and business finances among other key skills.
Data Analytics
A comprehensive class covers the fundamentals of data analytics and statistics, how data analytics are used in business processes, and how to use data for forecasting and decision-making. To ensure that business operations are heading in the right direction, you’ll need to interpret data and make decisions based on what you learn from it. You’ll often learn to use Microsoft Excel, Tableau, or Power BI for data analytics and visualization. Data analytics software can be the difference between a personalized business solution and an unnecessary shot in the dark.
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Project Management
Working in business settings requires skills in managing time, people, and projects. Beyond foundational project management concepts and the five phases of project management, you’ll also need to understand risk management, Agile frameworks, and resource management. It all plays a major role in seeing a project through from start to finish, allowing you to be more organized and purposeful in implementing solutions for your clients.
Business Finances
While it can be complex, every Business Consultant needs to have a basic understanding of how business finances operate. Profits and losses are a critical part of any business. You’ll need to know business accounting fundamentals like cash versus accrual accounting, how the various financial statements work together, and how to manage intercompany investments as a Business Consultant to offer a well-rounded service to your clients whether you specialize in business finance consulting or not.
Marketing
Every business needs exposure of some kind through marketing. That’s why a Business Consultant must have a basic understanding of marketing. Understanding fundamental marketing principles and how to conduct market research, create marketing plans, and measure marketing efforts are key to leveraging marketing strategies in business. If you want to specialize in marketing, you’ll need a deep understanding of digital marketing, social media marketing, design, and content management systems.
What Courses Should I Enroll in to Become a Business Consultant?
You will find a wide range of courses that can help you build the skills that you need to be a Business Consultant. Whether you’re looking to get started in this field or looking for professional development opportunities, courses like the ones listed here can be instrumental in getting you on this career path.
“MBA” Business Certificate
The “MBA” Business Certificate course is a great start for those who are interested in becoming a business professional without a degree in business. In this 132-hour class, you’ll learn the fundamental skills and concepts needed to help you and the organizations you consult thrive in a competitive business world. Although this is a business class, it is not an MBA degree program. It is a comprehensive business certificate program that covers project management, financial processes, marketing strategies, data analysis, and practical applications of generative AI. In addition to the live online or in-person curriculum, there is a self-paced module devoted to business law, employment law, and business insurance.
Students will also choose 60 hours of electives. The choices include Python for data science, SQL, stock market investing, Figma, and other business focuses. Electives will help you hone your skills in a niche area to make you a more marketable Business Consultant. Ideally, students will choose electives in a single concentration, like marketing, data science, or finance. Taking whatever electives are interesting to you may help you choose a niche in the future or make you a more well-rounded Business Consultant.
This is a beginner-friendly course with no prerequisites. Whether you choose to enroll in the in-person sessions or live online format, you’ll enjoy the project-based approach to learning and hands-on exercises. Because class sizes are kept small, every student can expect a level of individualized instruction and 1-on-1 mentoring outside of class. If you choose to take this MBA-style course live online, you may need to purchase some software to participate in the course like Excel or Power BI.
Project Management Bootcamp
The Project Management Bootcamp offered by NYIM Training is designed to help students understand the five phases of project management, create project proposals and business cases, and discover strategies and tools for working with a team. Topics covered in this class include identifying and selecting projects, project planning, float and resource management, project budgeting, risk management, communication, and documentation. Students who are already familiar with project management and are looking to prepare for a certification exam may want to consider enrolling in the PMP Certification Bootcamp or CAPM Certification Bootcamp.
This course is designed for beginners with no prior experience with project management, but all students should be comfortable using a computer unassisted. Students enrolled in this two-day, project-based course will learn from expert instructors live online or in person in New York City. All classes are recorded and students are offered a free course retake.
Excel for Data Analytics
When you enroll in this Excel for Data Analytics course from Noble Desktop, you’ll learn how to improve your data analytics skills with essential Microsoft Excel functions, formulas, and advanced techniques like Pivot Tables. Industry professionals and expert instructors will guide you through learning common database and statistical functions, sorting and filtering data, basic macro creation, and lookup functions. This class moves beyond Excel and helps you apply it to data analytics. As a Business Consultant, data analytics can help you assess the needs of an organization, make data-driven recommendations, and uncover more useful and targeted solutions.
This is an 18-hour class with multiple scheduling options to meet a variety of student needs. Students can attend live online or in person in New York City. Class sessions are recorded, and one free retake is available within one year. Class sizes are small, instructors offer guided assistance, and students will learn with hands-on exercises to help them become fluent Excel users.
Financial Statement Analysis and Accounting
During this Training the Street bootcamp, students will learn how to interpret financial statements, advanced accounting, and accounting complexities. This bootcamp aims to demystify business finances and create well-rounded financial professionals. Students will learn with hands-on exercises and lectures from financial experts. With real-world, practical applications and critical thinking, students will learn how to interpret a company’s financial landscape. This is a relevant skill for Business Consultants because it helps them to provide the right solutions to organizations needing help in that area.
This three-day course can be taken live online or in-person, but it does include a self-paced component that includes relevant material such as the time value of money and sources of public information. In addition to the course, students will also be given one-year access to the Training the Street Portal, course materials, related self-study courses, and the full accounting video library. Students will need a laptop with Microsoft Excel, a calculator, and a PDF reader. Although this course is best suited to those who already have some experience with accounting and finance, it is beginner-friendly.
Learn the Skills to Become a Business Consultant at Noble Desktop
If you’re seriously considering becoming a Business Consultant, there are several options for learning the necessary skills. Noble Desktop offers classes that can help you achieve your dream of becoming a consultant. Many Noble Desktop business-related courses include one free retake, 1-on-1 mentoring or bonus training outside of class, and flexible scheduling options.
Enrolling in a Business Analyst Certificate course will teach you the essential skills you need to start a career as a Business Analyst or deepen your knowledge as a Business Consultant. This course will help you master industry-standard software like Excel, Tableau, and PowerPoint while also building your expertise in data analysis and visualization. SQL is also included in the curriculum to give you a foundational understanding of business analysis, so you can be a more effective Business Consultant, providing data-driven solutions and recommendations. You can enroll in this beginner-friendly 63-hour live course on a part-time or full-time schedule and attend classes live online or in person.
A Data Analytics Certificate course will give you practical skills in data visualization, data analysis, and statistical analysis. Data analysis is a key part of business consulting because it allows you to make the most of a client’s or project’s data and make data-driven recommendations and strategies to achieve various goals. Earning this certificate will give you an in-demand skill that can be applied in any industry in many career paths. Data analytics is a hands-on course with projects based on real-world challenges that explore both predictive and prescriptive analytics. Topics covered in this beginner-friendly certificate program include data analytics foundations, Excel, Tableau, Python machine learning, and SQL. There are no prerequisites.
Marketing is a critical component of business consulting. There’s even a subset of Business Consultants who specialize in marketing. To help a company or client get their marketing strategy in order, you have to understand how to optimize it. This Digital Marketing Certificate course can boost your confidence in addressing digital marketing issues and help you learn when and why to make certain marketing recommendations. You’ll learn SEO, social media marketing, paid search, and analytics tracking to help your clients increase their ROI in today’s competitive markets. Course topics will include digital marketing strategies, YouTube, content, and email marketing, Google Analytics, and website optimization. This course is great for current professionals who need to expand their marketing skill set, business owners interested in learning how to market their business, and individuals who want to get started in digital marketing.