Types of Consultants
As one of the most diversified marketplaces in the professional services business, the consultation industry has a broad range of consultants. As a result, anybody may call oneself a strategy, management, business, finance, HR, or IT consultant. Given the vast range of fields a consultant might operate in and the diversity of work sites they can access, the number of independent consultants has risen in recent years. Due to the industry’s growth, it’s harder to define a ‘consultant.’
Branch-specific groups and analysts have created numerous categories to classify consultants throughout the years. Their technique is based on six categories of consultants in the industry:
Strategists
Strategists are top-tier consultants who specialize in business and organizational strategy, economic policy, government policy, and functional strategy. Strategy consultants work for Chief executives, directors, and senior management. Strategy consultants have a distinct profile than their counterparts due to the nature of strategy consulting. Their job description focuses more on delivering recommendations than managing execution.
Consultant-manager
Management consultants, sometimes called business consultants or organizational counselors, concentrate on organizational challenges from strategy to management features. In Kennedy’s and Consultancy.org’s approach, Management Consulting includes Strategy Consulting, Operations Consulting, and HR Consulting. More than half of all advisers are management consultants.
Consultant-Operations
Operations consultants enhance customers’ operations. This section offers advice services and hands-on implementation help for both main (Sales, Marketing, Production, etc.) and secondary operations (e.g. Finance, HR, Supply Chain, ICT, Legal, etc.). Operations Consultants are the biggest part of the consulting branch, and most work in one of numerous operations areas. Active operations consultants generally collaborate alongside professionals from the company’s strategy and technology departments.
Consultant Financial
Financial Advisory consultants focus on a company’s financial and analytical skills. M&A, corporate finance, risk management, tax, restructuring, and real estate consultants are also active in this market. Financial Advisory includes forensic research and dispute consultants. Most financial consultants work for big accounting-consulting companies or specialty advice offices.
Recruiter
HR consultants aid clients with human capital issues and HR department performance. Organizational changes, change management, employment terms, learning & development, talent management, and retirement are key to HR consultants’ jobs. HR consultants are also hired to assist modify an organization’s corporate culture or HR department, including design, procedures, and systems. HR consulting and strategy consulting are the two smallest components of the consulting business, hence fewer consultants work in these areas.
IT Consultants
IT, ICT, or digital consultants assist customers develop and apply IT in their organization. IT consultants concentrate on transitions (projects) in the ICT-landscape, whereas typical IT-employees work on ‘business as usual’ tasks. Most ICT-consultants work on installation projects, such as ERP system applications, where their job may be project management, process management, or system integration. Digital, data analytics, cyber security, and IT forensics are IT consulting’s fastest-growing sectors.