This can be a stressful experience for people who are not used to being interviewed. Being interviewed is much more than just sitting there answering questions about your work history and why you feel you would be a great asset to the company. Employers want those who are enthusiastic and will enjoy their team. Employers want those who can make smart decisions under strict deadlines and who are able to handle the daily pressures of a consulting job. There are literally dozens of different types of consulting jobs which only those who understand the business of consulting in and out can work.
What is a consulting job? A consultant makes decisions in the best interest of a company by applying their personal knowledge, creativity, and expertise of their chosen field. For example, there are occupational safety consultants, marketing consultants, human resources consultants, logistics consultants, environmental consultants, security consultants, administrative management consultants, and sub-branches of these specific consultant types. While each occupation is a consulting position, they each require skills and knowledge specific to their field. Despite the differences, they also have traits in common.
Many full-time consultants work 35–40 hours a week, or even more, to meet deadlines. They work under constant pressures. Those who seek part-time consulting jobs will work less than the average amount of hours but may not receive the full-time employee benefits such as healthcare and vacation time.
One of the main objectives when you prepare for a consultant job is to know some of the history of the company, such as where it came from, how it started, and where it is going in the future. Write down many questions like these beforehand so you will be able to speak intelligently to the employer and not stumble around. You can even go as far as to anticipate what the employer will ask you and you come up with the responses ahead of time. In most cases the employer will ask you what your strengths and weaknesses are. Since this is a difficult question to answer, write down some of your characteristics beforehand so you can give a detailed response for each answer. Remember that the interview process might vary from the topic of consulting, but keep your answers brief and do not ramble. Answering questions with long, drawn-out responses can make you look nervous; people tend to talk more when they are nervous.
You can also role play with someone to practice for your interview. They can ask you questions to give you an idea of how the interview will proceed. This can also give you an opportunity to make your answers flow.
Another query the employer may venture is, ''Tell me about yourself.'' Tell them why you are interested in the position and what you are capable of, not that you like long walks on the beach and candlelight dinners. If you are applying for a marketing consulting job they could ask you to tell them about the last marketing strategy you implemented. This will give you the opportunity to describe in detail what you have accomplished and why and how your marketing strategy worked.
If you are applying for a security consulting position they might ask you, ''How did you improve the security to prevent theft and vandalism?'' This will give you the opportunity to describe your security strategies to protect your company’s assets. Prepare as many answers as you can think of so you will be able to answer questions thoroughly but briefly.
If you are seeking part-time employment the employer might want to know how well you can serve the company in your limited amount of time. For example, ''What are your short-term goals for our company?''
Many people are qualified for the jobs they are applying for but show poor interviewing skills by behavior such as not making direct eye contact; answering questions with ''I don’t know''; not dressing appropriately; showing a low-level of energy, and so on. Everything you do in an interview matters. Employers want serious candidates who will take their interview seriously and who will not waste their time. Preparing for a consulting job interview can take more than just a few hours, perhaps even days. Your resume should be up to date, obviously, with all the necessary information for your potential employer. If your interview is conducted over the phone have all the information in front of you beforehand so you are prepared.
A well-written, organized resume is only the beginning. The real process begins when you sit down for the interview because this gives the employer the chance to see how you are one-on-one in a real-life environment. Most people look good on resumes and will have the same qualifications as you. The interview process can separate you from the rest of the applicants if you represent yourself in a highly professional, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and dignified manner.
Another resource that can help you with a consulting interview process is the Institute of Management Consultants USA. This institute is designed to help people excel in the management consulting field in such ways as preparing for exams and passing interviews. They also offer certification for those who seek more full-time consulting work.
