MBA Degrees Lead to Consulting Opportunities

Consultants assist a wide array of clients in meeting business needs. Your MBA degree can help you qualify for diverse consulting opportunities in your community--or abroad--when you add it to your work experience.

by Karen Lawson
klawson@mba-business-schools.com
MBA Business Schools Columnist

Corporations increasingly rely on consultants to provide expert support in areas from finance to sales and marketing. Your MBA degree can give you a distinct advantage when applying for consulting opportunities. Taking current business training is essential in updating your knowledge of today’s business trends and technological advancements.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that consulting positions in management, technology, and science will increase by 60% between 2004 and 2014. However, these positions are highly competitive due to high salaries and perceived glamour associated with international business or an association with top firms.

A combination of related experience specific to your preferred area of consulting expertise, combined with a graduate degree in business, finance, or computer science can help you land the clientele you’re after. An MBA degree with a concentration in your specialty attests to your expertise in meeting the overall business needs of many firms.

Scientific and technological advances are creating new opportunities for consultants. Security, logistics, and healthcare firms are seeking specialized consultants to help them meet or surpass their goals. Of course, many MBA holders take positions with management consulting firms that are in high demand in providing human resources management, from day-to-day operations to executive recruiting.

Business training and experience, when combined with your personal leadership attributes, can lead to exciting and lucrative consulting assignments. Successful consultants need strong analytical and communication skills, and must be able to work as part of a team. A liberal arts background (including foreign language) is desirable for international placement. You can earn your MBA degree entirely (or in-part) online. Get started today, and prepare for an enjoyable, dynamic consulting career.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Karen Lawson is a freelance writer whose interests include post secondary education and academic ethics. She holds an MA degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Posted on February 21, 2007 at 02:12 PM

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