The importance of management consultants to the success of a firm cannot be
understated. Management consultants are at their core problem solvers, the
superheroes of businesses. Your organization is making losses, having a high customer
turnover and damaging the reputation of a firm, companies look to management
consultants also called management analysts to solve those problems.
The business landscape continues to evolve, it can be due to technology, change in
policies or even change in management, organizations look at management consultants
to help them through this change process. For you to become a management
consultant you need to be crafty, creative and good at problem-solving. Like any other
creative job, the job is quite demanding and requires you to keep learning what is new
and trending at the time.

A management consultant is there to offer invaluable advice to management about a
particular problem. A management consultant may specialize in a particular industry it
could be manufacturing, education and even healthcare. On the other hand,
management consultants can specialize according to function like information
technology, human resources and finance.

In this article, we take a look at why management consultants are highly paid and highly
sought-after business experts and how you can be one.

What does a management consultant do?

Management consultant tackle on a lot of various tasks. Management analyst uses their
industry expertise and know-how to aid their clients in improving their business
processes and long-term strategies. A typical project for management consultants
involves first gathering information from financial records, media and databases for
analysis. They also meet up with management, supervisors and subordinates to
understand the problem at hand and formulate solutions and actionable planning.
Below is a brief list of the duties of a management consultant.

• Come up with a solution and alternatives
• Recommend new systems, procedures, or organizational changes
• Make recommendations and commendations to management through conducting
presentations or written reports.
• Get feedback from management and make sure that the proposed solutions are
working
• Research the information about the problem to be solved or the said area or
the process to be improved
• Meeting with employees and make onsite observations to determine the
methods, equipment, and people that will be required to mitigate the issues at
hand
• Examine financial and other data, to look for trends and information that can aid
with the project

What to expect

The work of a management consultant varies from project to project whether they work
for themselves or for a large firm. Some of the projects will need a team with a
specialized focus in their expertise. In other instances, some projects will require the
management consultant to work solo or independently with clients.

In the near future, the demand for management analyst is going to increase
significantly, with those consultants who specialize or focus on IT being in the spotlight.
Due to the rapid evolution or improvement of technology, IT consultants are going to
be in demand thus increasing job opportunities.

Management consultants usually work in an office environment but depending on the
type of industry they are working in it can be different. Management consultants mostly
work under tight deadlines and high expectations. A lot of stress can be experienced as
a result of this factor; hence management consultants need to be well-grounded and firm. Some clients will expect huge results in a tight deadline which will result in
overtime and overload of work.

How to be a management consultant

Management analysts are experts with advanced degrees and years of experience.
Management consultants require at least a bachelor`s degree even though many
recruiters prefer a masters degree in business administration. A few universities offer
consulting programs, so common majors needed to be management consultants include
business management, economics, marketing, accounting and information systems.
Most employers hire consultants with academic excellence and several years of
experience. Having completed your degree finding work as an intern at a management
consultancy firm is needed for you to gain experience for an entry-level position.
Skills and competencies required for the job.

Writing skills

Since management consultants write reports and presentation it is only right if they
have up to par writing skills.

Time Management Skill

Consultants need to pay mind to time. Often, they have tight deadlines hence time
management is needed.

Creativity

Management consultants are faced with different problems, and situations at all times.
The solution that worked for one firm sometimes does not work for another firm even
though it is the same problem. Because of this management consultants need to be
creative with their solutions.

Self-motivation and discipline

Management consultants mostly work on projects away from their supervisors hence
self-motivation and discipline are required. Since you will be working on a tight schedule
a consultant must always be motivated in order to meet deadlines.

Organizational skills

Being organized is one of the most useful skills one can have in their arsenal. Being
organized ensures timekeeping and efficiency. Clients prefer consultants who are
organized and have a clear and defined approach to their job so as to save time and
cost since most consultants charge by the hour.

Analytical, problem solving and critical thinking skills:

The core business of a management consultant is the ability to solve problems facing an
organization. To be a good management analyst, you must be able to solve problems. A
management consultant must be a critical thinker who is able to solve problems on
their feet and in times of pressure. The job requires thorough analysis and
examinations in order to find a problem and solve it.

Communication skills.

The day-to-day life of a business consultant involves communicating with people
gathering information and giving out feedback. Management consultants have to be
good communicators for them to get their point across and be able to interact with the
employees of clients with humility and effective communication.

How much does a management consultant earn?

Management consultants earn a hefty salary package. A management consultant is
expected to earn an average salary of R 665 451 per year in South Africa. Entry-level
management consultants can expect to earn ana average salary of R 300 000. The
salary increases with experience, those consultants with several years of experience
earn an average salary of R 900 000 Per year. Management consultants who work in
the western cape earn the highest salary followed by those in Johannesburg.
Management consultants are problem solvers and if you have a knack for problem
solving this can be the right career for you, however hard work and dedication is
needed like any other job to excel at it.