Consulting is a broad field that encompasses many different types of roles, skills, and industries. However, communicating your consulting experience clearly on a resume or LinkedIn profile can be challenging. When describing consulting roles, it’s important to provide context about the type of consulting you did, the clients you worked with, the objectives you were tasked with, and the results you achieved.
Some key things to consider when describing consulting experience on LinkedIn include:
Specify your area of consulting
Consulting comes in many forms – strategy, operations, technology, human resources, and more. Be specific about your niche area of consulting to signal to readers the skills and capabilities you bring. For example, put “Strategy Consultant” rather than just “Consultant”.
Explain your role
Elaborate on what you actually did as a consultant. Did you manage client relationships and projects? Lead workshops and training? Conduct research and analysis? Design solutions and processes? Specifying the work you did day-to-day provides more insight.
Namedrop clients
Mentioning impressive client names you’ve worked with can help establish credibility. Be sure not to violate any confidentiality agreements, but calling out recognizable brands and organizations can catch a recruiter’s eye.
Highlight business impact
Quantify your accomplishments and contributions as a consultant. Use metrics, percentages, or monetary values to demonstrate the tangible impact your work delivered for clients. This proves the value you brought.
List project details
Briefly summarize key consulting projects, including the client, project objectives, your role, and the final results achieved. This structure shows how you successfully completed assignments.
Specify methodologies
If applicable, namedrop recognized consulting frameworks or methodologies you are skilled in. Familiarity with practices like Lean, Six Sigma, Agile, or Design Thinking is attractive to employers.
Keeping these tips in mind can help you craft a consulting profile on LinkedIn that gets noticed. Now let’s dive deeper into examples and templates for showcasing your best consultant experiences.
Highlight Strategic Planning Projects
For strategy consultants, your LinkedIn profile should spotlight occasions when you helped a client with strategic planning and decision making. Think through a prominent enterprise planning project from your career and include details like:
– Client name and industry
– Scope and objective of the strategic planning engagement
– Specific analysis, research, or assessment activities you completed to inform the strategy
– Overall strategic recommendations you provided to the client leadership team
– Final strategic plan or roadmap delivered to the client
For example:
Developed 3-year growth strategy for Acme Retail Company, a national retail chain. Activities included: competitor benchmarking, customer and market analysis, financial forecasting, and stakeholder interviews. Recommended omnichannel expansion strategy focused on eCommerce, loyalty program development, and new store openings in high-potential markets.
This example demonstrates specialized skills in strategic analysis and planning while quantifying your impact on the client’s business trajectory.
Showcase Operations Consulting Achievements
For consultants focused on operations, process improvement, or organizational change management, highlight concrete ways you helped clients achieve operational excellence. Communicate improvements you implemented across metrics like:
– Cost reduction
– Increased efficiency
– Shortened product development cycles
– Reduced defect rates
– Higher customer satisfaction
– Faster turnaround times
Where possible, include numeric details around the improvements. For example:
– “Reduced operating costs by 15% through streamlining supply chain workflows.”
– “Cut new product development time in half through implementing Agile methodologies.”
– “Improved customer satisfaction scores from 67% to 91% by optimizing call center operations.”
This quantifies your ability to drive operational improvements that translated to bottom line and customer experience gains.
Feature Your Technical Expertise
For consultants specializing in technology, systems, or digital transformation, highlight your hands-on work implementing solutions. Ways to feature your technical consulting chops include:
– Detailing the platforms, software, or programming languages used in client engagements
– Describing the systems integration, implementation, or migration work completed
– Calling out complex enterprise technology deployments you led
– Listing compliance issues or challenges you mitigated
– Quantifying application performance improvements or system uptime gains
For example:
“Implemented cloud-based CRM solution achieving 99.9% uptime and 300% increase in case management throughput for client.”
This establishes specialized expertise in deploying technology to solve business challenges.
Demonstrate Subject Matter Expertise
Some consultants build careers as experts around niche subject matter like regulatory compliance, sustainability, accessibility, or diversity & inclusion. For these professionals, provide context around:
– Your specialty subject matter area
– Initiatives, policies, and programs you’ve designed based on latest best practices in your field
– Compliance issues you’ve helped organizations address
– Ways your guidance has advanced organizational maturity on your topic of expertise
For example:
“Advised client executive leadership on diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. Developed 5-year DEI roadmap based on industry benchmarks that increased diverse representation in leadership 30%.”
This positions you as a trusted expert in your niche area of consulting.
Boost Credibility with Education & Certifications
Advanced education and professional certifications can greatly boost your credibility as a consultant. Be sure to highlight:
– Relevant master’s or PhD degrees and academic concentrations
– Professional certifications like the PMP, Six Sigma Green Belt, CFA, PHR, CISSP, CPA, etc.
– Specialized training or accreditations in prized consulting methodologies
Noting your investment to continually build your skills and expertise reassures employers you operate at the highest standard as a consultant.
Show Off Consulting Skills & Values
Beyond listing your project experience, also summarize the skills, mindsets, and values that make you a successful consultant. Highlight competencies like:
Communication skills
Presenting, public speaking, writing, listening, and facilitating dialogue
Analytic skills
Research, data analysis, business intelligence, financial modeling
Interpersonal skills
Building rapport, emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, influencing others
Leadership skills
Coaching, mentoring, setting direction, driving change
Problem-solving
Systems thinking, creativity, continuous improvement, design thinking
Values
Ethics, integrity, accountability, commitment to diversity & inclusion
Tying these professional strengths back to concrete examples of how you’ve applied them can demonstrate you’ve got what it takes to excel in consulting engagements.
Use Visuals That Complement Your Brand
Visuals help bring your consulting profile to life. Consider adding:
– A professional headshot that shows you looking sharp and personable
– Infographics displaying impressive stats and data points from your projects
– Graphs or charts quantifying the business impact of your work
– Images of you presenting at events, running workshops, or collaborating with teams
Relevant photos and visuals make your profile more engaging while also strengthening your brand as a consultant. But be careful not to include anything too casual. You want to reinforce your executive presence.
Curate Recommendations from Clients & Leaders
Testimonials that sing your praises from former clients carry immense weight. Gather recommendations that describe:
– Key projects you collaborated on together
– Specific attributes that make you an excellent consultant
– Business impacts you drove for the client’s organization
– An eagerness to work with you again based on past success
Recommendations from executives, managers, or team leaders can also validate your effectiveness. The more seniority your endorser has, the better.
Connect with Other Consultants
Grow your consulting network on LinkedIn by connecting with others in the field, joining relevant Groups, and following leading consulting firms. This demonstrates alignment with the profession while expanding your learning and visibility.
You can search for consultants on LinkedIn by:
– Title keywords like “consultant,” “advisor,” “strategist”
– Skills like “Business Strategy,” “Organizational Change,” “Process Improvement”
– Employers such as top consulting firms
Commenting on and liking fellow consultants’ posts can help build camaraderie and engagement too.
Follow Industry Thought Leaders
Expand your digital presence by following leading minds in management, business, and consulting. This shows you’re tuned into respected authorities that shape your practice.
Some top figures to follow include:
– Popular business authors like Simon Sinek, Daniel Pink, Malcolm Gladwell
– Recognized management thinkers like Gary Hamel, Peter Drucker, Jim Collins
– Thought leaders at premiere consulting firms like McKinsey, Bain, BCG
– Leading publications focused on business strategy and consulting
Citing these influencers’ content and insights further displays your consulting acumen.
Join Relevant LinkedIn Groups
LinkedIn Groups provide a way to connect and engage with other professionals in your field. Look for active Groups centered around consulting or your specialty like:
– Management Consulting Connection
– Strategy & Management Consultants Worldwide
– Change Management Consulting and Strategy
– Technology Consultants Network
– Consulting Case Interviews
Participating in discussions and asking questions establishes you as an engaged community member giving back.
Publish Your Own Long-form Content
Publishing original long-form posts on LinkedIn not only builds your brand as a thought leader, but also serves as a content showcase. Consider writing posts that demonstrate your expertise like:
– An analysis of emerging issues and trends in your consulting domain
– Tips, guides, or listicles with advice based on your experience
– Case studies exploring a client engagement
– Reflections on lessons learned in your consulting career so far
Adding visuals, infographics, and multimedia elements can further amplify your content’s impact.
Advertise Your Services with a LinkedIn Ad
Running LinkedIn ads that promote your consulting services enables you to reach and connect with potential new clients at scale. Consider targeted initiatives like:
– Sponsored content to get your consulting thought leadership content in front of more audiences
– Sponsored InMail to proactively reach promising prospects
– Text ads highlighting your consulting services and expertise to professionals in your target industries
LinkedIn’s extensive targeting and analytics help optimize your spend and results.
Livestream Video Q&As or Panel Discussions
Broadcasting video presentations on LinkedIn Live allows you to share your expertise and engage audiences in real-time. Potential ideas include:
– A Q&A where you answer common consulting FAQs
– An “Ask Me Anything” session focused on your specialty
– A panel discussion with other experts in your consulting domain
Post event recordings on your profile too so anyone can watch. This showcases your on-camera presence and communication skills.
Conclusion
With the right profile optimization strategies, LinkedIn offers a powerful platform for consultants to demonstrate expertise, establish credibility, connect with clients, and build brand influence. Focus your profile on communicating the business value you deliver through measurable consulting achievements. Showcasing specialty skills, thought leadership, professional development, and engaging multimedia content can further make you stand out as a top-tier consulting talent worth hiring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sections should I include in my LinkedIn profile as a consultant?
Key sections for consultants on LinkedIn include:
– Summary – Highlight your consulting specialties, skills, experience, and achievements
– Experience – Feature client projects demonstrating business impact
– Education – List relevant degrees, certifications, and training
– Skills – Include consulting competencies plus subject matter expertise
– Recommendations – Secure client and colleague endorsements
– Accomplishments – Showcase publications, speaking engagements, awards
How should consultants customize their LinkedIn URL?
A customized LinkedIn URL can optimize your branding and SEO. Consider options like:
– www.linkedin.com/in/FirstNameLastNameConsultant
– www.linkedin.com/in/FirstNameLastNameStrategicConsultant
– www.linkedin.com/in/FirstNameLastName[Industry]Consultant
Incorporate your full name and keywords related to your consulting focus in the URL.
What’s the best way for consultants to expand their network on LinkedIn?
Smart ways for consultants to grow their LinkedIn network include:
– Connecting with past clients and colleagues
– Following leading consulting firms and industry influencers
– Joining relevant LinkedIn Groups and actively participating
– Commenting on other consultants’ posts to build camaraderie
Engage meaningfully to build relationships, not just add connections.
Should consultants keep their LinkedIn profiles private or public?
Consultants should keep their profile public so it can be readily discovered by prospective clients searching LinkedIn. However, you can adjust privacy settings for individual sections like recommendations or media visibility.
What’s the ideal LinkedIn profile photo for a consultant?
A LinkedIn profile photo for consultants should be formal, high-quality, and portray you as approachable and professional. Some tips:
– Business formal attire like a suit jacket
– Warm smile that makes you seem personable
– Solid neutral background
– High resolution image
– Well-lit with minimal shadows
– Looking directly at the camera
Your photo’s first impression can impact prospects.
How regularly should consultants add new content to their LinkedIn profiles?
It’s a good practice for consultants to add fresh content to their LinkedIn profiles about 1-2 times per month. This could include:
– New projects and accomplishments
– Published articles or content
– Multimedia like videos or presentations
– Event participation or speaking engagements
– Awards and recognition
New content will keep your profile dynamic and engaging.
| Section | Best Practices |
|---|---|
| Summary | – Spotlight consulting specialties, skills, and achievements – Use key keywords related to your experience |
| Experience | – Quantify positive business impact of consulting projects – Include metrics demonstrating results achieved |
| Education | – List degrees and professional certifications – Note specialized training completed |
| Skills | – Include both “hard” and “soft” skills – Think niche domain expertise too |
| Recommendations | – Get endorsements from clients and leaders – Ask for recommendations highlighting business impacts |
| Accomplishments | – Showcase speaking engagements, publications, awards – Demonstrates your industry leadership |
What metrics should consultants include when describing achievements?
Quantifiable metrics that resonate for showcasing consulting achievements include:
– Percentage increases in efficiency or productivity
– Reduced costs, operational expenses, or budget savings
– Higher revenue, sales, or profits achieved
– Faster turnaround or development times
– Improved customer satisfaction scores
– Shorter case resolution or response times
– Increased system uptime or availability
– Higher employee retention rates
– Reduced compliance violations or defects
Hard numbers demonstrate tangible consulting outcomes.
Key Takeaways
To recap, vital tips for consultants to maximize their LinkedIn profile include:
– Spotlight specialized skills, capabilities, and achievements from past projects
– Quantify scope and specific business impacts delivered for clients
– Demonstrate thought leadership on industry trends and best practices
– Showcase credentials and top-tier education like certifications
– Highlight competencies critical to delivering successful engagements
– Curate recommendations from senior client executives
– Engage with other professionals to expand your network
– Consistently add new and compelling content
With the right mix of showcasing your past success and capabilities, promoting your expertise, and making connections, LinkedIn can elevate your personal brand and open doors to new consulting opportunities.