High School
High school courses that will give you a general preparation for this field include business, psychology, mathematics, and computer science. Take English and speech classes to help develop your oral and written communication skills. Taking a foreign language, such as Spanish, will come in handy if you work with people who do not speak English as a first language.
Postsecondary Education
A bachelor’s degree in human resources, actuarial science, mathematics, business, finance, management information systems, the humanities (English, history, etc.), or the social sciences (psychology, sociology, anthropology, etc.) is the minimum requirement to become an HR consultant. Some large firms—such as McKinsey & Co. and Bain & Co.—prefer to hire consultants with an MBA (especially for strategic HR consulting jobs), or at least a bachelor’s degree and several years of appropriate work experience.
The Society for Human Resource Management offers a directory of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in human resources on its Web site, https://portal.shrm.org/Education/Institution/Directory.aspx.
Colleges that offer degrees and concentrations in consulting include the University of Colorado-Boulder, University of Notre Dame, and the College of William and Mary.
Certification
The Association for Talent Development offers a Consulting Skills Certificate program online and in several U.S. cities. Visit https://www.td.org/education-courses/consulting-skills-certificate for more information.
Georgetown University, University of Southern California, the University of Texas at Dallas, and other colleges and universities offer consulting certificate programs. Contact these schools to learn more.
Other Education or Training
Many professional associations provide continuing-education opportunities to consultants. For example, the Society for Human Resource Management offers seminars, on-site training, and webcasts on topics such as compensation essentials, employee development, current issues in labor relations, and leadership development for HR professionals. The Institute of Management Consultants USA offers a Mastering Management Consulting fundamentals course for those just starting a new consulting practice or re-focusing an existing one. Educational opportunities are also available in face-to-face seminars and online webinars, at its International Consult-Con conference, and through other media.
Other organizations that provide CE resources include the American Staffing Association, National Association of Executive Recruiters, National Association of Personnel Services, National Association of Professional Employer Organizations, and NPAworldwide. Contact these organizations for more information.
- Accountants
- Agricultural Consultants
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- Bank Examiners
- Business Continuity Planners
- Business Development Managers and Directors
- Business Intelligence Analysts
- Business Managers
- Career and Employment Counselors
- Career and Employment Technicians
- Chief Executive Officers
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- Chief Information Officers
- Chief Restructuring Officers
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- Customer Success Managers
- Data Scientists
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- Directors of Volunteers
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- Employment Firm Workers
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