What does a consultant do?

Consultants provide valuable business advice and expertise to clients so they can make smarter business decisions. A successful consultant is regarded by clients as a trusted business advisor who, through their understanding of the client, their industry and business, brings innovative solutions to the client’s business problems.

If you’re interested in learning more about pursuing a career in IBM Consulting, visit our Careers Website, or join our Talent Network and we’ll keep you informed with latest available jobs, upcoming events and learning resources.

In this blog, we explore what a consultant actually does, what skills you need to hone to become one, and the career opportunities available for consultants.

Let’s dive in!

What do consultants do?
Types of consultant roles
- By seniority
- By categories
Skills you need to be a successful consultant
Grow your career in IBM Consulting

1. What do consultants do?

Our consultants are passionate and creative individuals committed to achieving excellence and delivering innovative solutions to clients around the world, helping them transform and modernize the way they use technology.

Check out this video of Shue-Jane, IBM Consulting’s Global Strategic Sales Leader, who shares how she became a consultant and the importance of taking a leap of courage to become a disruptor in the workplace.

According to Paula, an SAP consultant based in the Netherlands, a consultant’s job is like being an enterprise doctor. “You have to analyze the pains that companies have, their strategies, challenges, and then test and translate those needs into solutions.” Read more about our SAP Consultants and what it takes to succeed in the role.

Consultants work on a variety of projects. They collaborate with diverse teams, typically analyzing a client’s current situation, and identify growth opportunities while recommending actionable strategies or improvements.

Cecilia, a Senior Salesforce Consultant from Slovakia, offers a sneak peak into her work to improve customer loyalty with a client in the oil and gas industry. She also highlights another client, a dairy producer, to understand production methods and how products reach the end user.

Consultants are curious and continuous learners. They often seek out opportunities to develop their skills by taking courses and certifications. They may connect with coaches and mentors to expand their knowledge in various areas of work – and that network of supportive partners may help progress their careers.

“I have been fortunate to have mentors who’ve had great influence in shaping who I am today,” says Luis, a Partner and Leader of the IBM Consulting Federal Cloud Migration and Application Modernization team in the US. Read his story to better understand how continuous learning and mentorship have influenced his career, and could do the same for yours.

Consulting career development

2. Types of consultant roles

Whether you are just stepping into a career in consulting, thinking of a career change or you’re a seasoned professional, there are various job roles and paths to consider that may help you advance your consulting career.

Here’s some advice on how to become a successful candidate as an entry level consultant.

2.a. Job roles by seniority

At IBM, you may start your career in consulting as an Associate Consultant or perhaps your level of knowledge allows you to advance your career as a Senior Consultant. There’s no doubt that your experience may help you define the right role for you.

Here’s an example of a career path for an IBM Consultant:

Associate Consultant
Consultant
Senior Consultant
Managing Consultant
Senior Managing Consultant
Associate Partner
Partner

Get inspired by Whitley’s story, who joined IBM as an intern and since has progressed to Senior Consultant. She has been with IBM for several years now, and has worked on projects that span multiple industries including oil and gas, travel and transportation, and financial markets.

Consultant project work

Paul joined IBM in the Philippines as an SAP Business Warehouse Consultant and in this blog, he shares his career journey that led him to join the senior leadership team, where he serves as the Service Line Leader for the Application Management & Consulting group.

2.b. Job roles by job categories

A consultant’s work may vary from strategy consulting, to experience consulting, technology consulting or operations consulting. Ultimately, they’re helping clients accelerate digital transformation across diverse sectors like:

Financial Services
Distribution/supply chain/industrial
Healthcare/life sciences
Oil and gas
Media and entertainment

Watch this video to hear how IBM Consulting makes an impact around the world, pioneering generative AI for top financial firms, boosting telecom AI application scaling, and even delivering sports commentary to 11 million fans at The Masters, one of the most renowned professional golf championships in the world.

Whether you’re and entry level or experienced candidate, IBM has a variety of open jobs in consulting around the world that span various sectors. Explore our Careers Website to find one that best suits your skills and experience.

3. Skills you need to have to become a consultant

Consultants work in diverse teams with clients across the globe. They are specialists in their area of expertise and industry sectors. Consultants are skilled in project management and often knowledgable in Agile and Scrum methodologies to help turn visions into real results.

While a consultant needs a solid understanding of the client’s business and goals, that knowledge isn’t enough. Collaboration is key, and to do that, successful consultants must build strong relationships with their clients and stakeholders. Interpersonal skills can earn trust with those partners, so successful consultants excel in communication, problem solving, and decision-making.

IBMers have a lot to say when it comes to skills they already had when they joined IBM, so watch this video to hear how they learned on the job and continuously developed their skillset:

Here’s a list of free trainings our colleagues have created over time to help you build hard and soft skills:

Hard skills:

Soft skills:

Cristian, an IBM Application Consultant, has relied on both his technical skills and people skills throughout his career to deliver the best results to his clients.

Consultant skills

4. Grow your career in IBM Consulting

A career in IBM Consulting is rooted in long-term relationships and close collaboration with clients across the globe.

Hear from our Associate Consultants about life at IBM, available opportunities for consultants and why they are proud to work for IBM:

Your ability to accelerate impact and make meaningful change for your clients is enabled by our strategic partner ecosystem and our robust technology platforms across the IBM portfolio, including Software and Red Hat.

Curiosity and a constant quest for knowledge serve as the foundation to success in IBM Consulting. In your role, you’ll be encouraged to challenge the norm, investigate ideas outside of your role, and come up with creative solutions resulting in groundbreaking impact for a wide network of clients.

IBM Consulting offers transparent career frameworks for associates, professionals, and executives. These frameworks provide clarity on career pathways and consistent performance and promotion expectations. These are only a few of many reasons consultants choose a career at IBM.

Considering a career with IBM Consulting? Visit our Careers Website and join our Talent Network. Enrolling will keep you informed with available jobs, the latest upcoming events and learning resources.

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