A Step By Step Guide On How To Become A Business Consultant
Business consultants help start-ups and smaller organizations establish a presence in their respective industries and guide them through the many challenges of the entrepreneurial journey.
In Dubai, these consultancy firms have grown immensely popular as more and more budding entrepreneurs move to the city in hopes of starting their own dream businesses and profiting from the UAE’s seemingly ever-increasing economy and world-class infrastructure.
It’s a profession that certainly on the rise, and there are great opportunities available if you’re planning on joining the already prestigious list of professional business consultants in Dubai.
To help you in this venture, we’ve prepared this article which should guide you through the basic education you’ll need to attain, the certifications you should achieve, and the personality traits you’ll need to develop in order to build a successful career in this industry.
The education
1. Start early
Consider taking up business subjects as early as possible during your pre-university days, preferably starting at high school (college) level.
A lot of good institutions also have societies and clubs dedicated to different subjects, such as the literature club or the art club. See if you can find like-minded people in your class/batch and start up your own club of entrepreneurs (if it doesn’t already exist).
2. The bachelor’s degree
If you’ve decided to work as a business consultant, you might as well get a relevant degree in the field and prepare yourself for life ahead.
While a lot of global companies will hire you without a degree if you’ve built up an impressive resume, most professional business consultants in Dubai will ask for at least a bachelor’s degree in business administration or management. Some might even have an MBA-only hiring policy, so a degree isn’t something you want to skip on.
3. Specializations
Eventually, you’ll be offered the choice to specialize in one of the many diverse fields of business, such as accounting, marketing, finance, HR, or sales.
Your choice here will depend on what kind of consultancy services you plan on offering in the future. If you aim to join a large firm, it’s also worthwhile to see what kind of jobs they regularly post. This will give you a good idea of which professionals are in-demand.
4. Internships
During your semesters at university, you should apply for as many consulting internships as you can. This is a field where field experience often means more to employers than simple qualifications (even for fresh grads), and your aim should be to build up a strong profile.
These consulting internships will also give you a much better idea of what it’s like to work as a consultant, some of the challenges faced by the industry, and help you prepare for professional life.
Remember: this kind of experience is vital if you plan on applying to consultancy firms that work with Fortune 500 companies after you graduate.
Certifications
5. Find certifications in your speciality
In the business consultancy industry, several internationally recognized certifications are offered for each kind of speciality.
If you’d like to learn more about on the matter, we highly recommend getting in touch with a professional consultant near you.
6. Complete your profile
Certain certifications have a criterion for minimum work experience that must be completed before you can apply.
For example, the ICBC (Institute of Certified Business Consultants) requires that professionals have at least 3 years of experience before they can get certified.
The required skills
7. Learn to micromanage
Micromanagement is one of the most important skills a business consultant needs to learn before they start working with high-level clients.
Business consultancy firms or individuals are brought in by companies because they want to optimise their work process, streamline their workflow, increase profits, and decrease operational costs. It can also be because they require access to specialised skills which in-house employees aren’t providing.
Whatever the case may be, all of these tasks require excellent knowledge of human and resource management as well as an extremely calm head.
8. Learn to communicate effectively
Communication skills are important in almost every industry around the world, but they become especially vital for consultants who need to deal with business owners and other high-level clients on an almost daily basis.
This skill also plays an essential part when you’re trying to sell your services to potential clients.
Remember: There are hundreds of consultancies clients can choose between. You’ll often only have a few minutes to convince them why their crucial business assets would be safest in your hands.
9. Learn to take responsibility
Taking responsibility doesn’t just mean that you complete your tasks at work and head home. It also relates to you a person and a professional. Can you work under strict deadlines, could you lead the team in case the boss was on leave one day? Are you always willing to learn?
These are all major questions that end up playing a huge a role in a consultant’s potential success or failure. It’s a cutthroat world out there, and you’ll always need to stay on top of your game if you want to survive and succeed.