I am looking into the area of Business Consulting after I leave the service and wanted to gather any advice I can possibly receive about working for a consulting firm (recruiting, interviews, what they look for, etc.) I have always had a passion for solving complex problems at each organization I have served at. I am currently serving on one of the Zumwalt class destroyers, which is very intriguing but challenging when working with different problem sets.
I am beginning to network outside the Navy to gain more valuable experience from different industries to understand their processes and how everything works. I recently completed my degree obtaining my MBA, and gaining knowledge from other's experiences can provide a great path forward. All advice is greatly appreciated.
Answers
Christopher,
I made a similar transition 9 years ago and can share some insights. Generally speaking, there are ways to get to your target and maybe even surpass your objectives. The uphill battle you are fighting is that while you may have similar, translatable experiences, the consulting industry is driven by billable hours revenue. Clients want someone with industry experience. The “easier” way but not easy in learning curve is learning business applications. This offsets your initial industry experience and focuses more on your soft skills, leadership (influence) and technical acumen. You can go from associate to senior or higher in 5 years depending on business application - ERP (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics).
If you would like to discuss more, feel free to contact me at robertsawyeratl@gmail.com
Best regards,
Robert
Hi Chris, I have a friend who has been in consulting for quite some time, email me at mike@tendon.com and I'll make the introduction... thanks for your service
Mike
Christopher... foremost, "thank you" for your service.
I'm surprised to see zero answers to your request; there's no shortage of business consultants out there! One suggestion I would make to perhaps generate response is to be more specific about what sort of 'business' assistance you're seeking, i.e.: starting a business or looking to join a mature one? functional skills like accounting, H.R.? industry categories like food & beverage, travel, manufacturing? This will help both your search and those that choose to respond.
To get started, I'd look into the San Diego Chapter of SCORE.org https://sandiego.score.org They provide free business advice, low-cost workshops, and other resources, including face-to-face guidance in one of their mentoring locations -- or you can connect with one of their online mentors.
Best wishes for success!
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