If you're in the consulting business, you should expect to travel with most companies, but the level of travel will vary depending on the company and project. I joined as an associate consultant, which is the initial level of my company, and I was eager to reach the consultant level. Additionally, many of the master's degree programs in management I was studying were shorter than usual. To ensure I was promoted, I was very intentional in communicating with my manager and HR business partner. In the typical consulting description or in the “Big Four” firms, consultants work on a project for three to six months or so.
Consulting is truly the art of establishing connections not just in terms of work, but also with people. The typical path that people take in consulting is to work at a large consulting firm for two years and then move on to something else, such as working in a startup company or working internally in a large organization and being on the customer's side. During the previous month, anyone who wanted to apply for a promotion talked to their manager and presented their case. The reason why there is a misconception that consultants are paid to “do nothing” is because they are paid a good amount of money to work on PowerPoints. Kristina Kang, senior change management consultant, shared her experience of working in this field.
Consulting can offer incredible professional experiences and perspectives, but it also requires a significant investment of your time and energy. At its core, a consultant is someone who is an expert in something and helps other people, whether it's a consultant helping an individual or helping an organization. You'll also find people who stay for years and years at their consulting firm and move up the ladder. At consulting firms and on customer sites, you must constantly prove (and demonstrate) that you are and would be a valuable asset to a project. I was able to secure this thanks to the great support of my manager, my peer coach and my HR business partner.
