After working in a specific role or industry for several years, you may decide to pursue a different role that introduces you to new challenges and experiences. Becoming a consultant can allow you to make a career out of helping others advance in your area of expertise. Understanding the different types of consulting can help you decide whether there’s an opportunity for you to become a consultant.

In this article, we define consulting, discuss the different types of consultants and explain how to choose your specialty.

What is consulting?

Consulting is the process of providing advice to clients to address and resolve specific issues or projects. A consultant may begin by studying current processes to determine where a client may benefit from the implementation of changes.

This way, a client can help their company take a course of action that conserves time, money and effort. To partake in consulting, an individual has at least a few years of experience in a specific industry or role, as this expertise can help them provide valuable, actionable insights for clients to use.

15 different types of consulting

Here are 15 types of consulting in which you may consider working:

1. Strategy consulting

Strategic consultants provide executives and managers with advice about forward-thinking, comprehensive solutions. Overall, strategic consulting is one of the broadest divisions of this scope of work, as this kind of consultant can work for companies in various industries.

Note that there are opportunities to specify the sector or function of this role. For example, strategic consultants can help clients develop a business strategy in specialties such as environmental management and financial strategy.

2. Marketing consulting

Marketing consultants help their clients develop new strategies that allow them to improve their communication with target audiences. They may focus on helping a client improve tasks like content production, email marketing and paid acquisition.

They may evaluate existing marketing strategies to determine what elements are and aren’t successful so they can suggest improvements. Although experience is often more valuable than education in this field, earning a bachelor’s degree in marketing may enhance your employability.

3. Operations consulting

Companies employ operations consultants when they need to streamline operational performance. These employees use research and data to address issues and provide solutions to increase company productivity and reduce spending.

Within this specialty, consultants have a background in business, finance or economics. They also have verifiable records of improving the daily operations and overall supply chain process of companies and organizations.

4. Financial consulting

Organizations often seek the advice of financial consultants to help them maximize and protect their profitability. This is especially prevalent with smaller companies that can’t hire a full-time employee to manage finances.

A big company can also hire someone in this field to help them navigate a particularly challenging financial situation. Consultants can specialize in different roles, such as fundraising consulting, foreclosure consulting or economic consulting.

5. HR consulting

Consultants who specialize in human resources help clients establish techniques for conflict resolution, which can improve team member satisfaction and staff development and training. HR consultants may also have a role in the hiring process, as they can conduct a process analysis to improve how an organization handles the onboarding of new candidates.

6. Compliance consulting

Compliance consulting involves helping a company adhere to local and federal laws and regulations. Compliance consultants can help a company interpret and develop programs to avoid the legal and financial ramifications of failing to abide by established laws. They can also help them remain knowledgeable of current legal changes.

7. IT consulting

Information technology (IT) consultants work for companies to evaluate the productivity of their software and technology. They suggest and implement changes to ensure that all systems are functioning properly.

In addition to software management and implementation, technology consultants can specialize in different areas like cybersecurity, where they’re responsible for securing the systems and network of a company in order to prevent a breach in security. They may also help a company develop customer service procedures so employees can resolve technical issues and help customers use their products without difficulty.

8. Legal consulting

Smaller companies may not have the needs or funds to hire a full-time attorney. Legal consultants often work for companies to provide insight and assistance with particular legal situations.

They may help create a strategic plan for handling elements of a legal issue so the company can maintain its reputation and resume its operations normally. In order to enter this specialty, a candidate must obtain a Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school. 

9. Social media consulting

Social media consultants help clients properly use social media channels in order to reach their target audience. While social media consulting may belong under the category of marketing consulting, some experts see it as a separate entity that belongs in its own category.

This specialty typically values experience over formal education. However, employees in this field can constantly educate themselves on the latest trends and strategies for each social media platform.

10. Sustainability consulting

Sustainability consulting involves helping clients find ways to reduce their impact on the environment. A sustainability consultant can help a company develop and implement more sustainable practices so it can not only improve the environment’s health but also increase its brand image and reputation among the general public.

11. Sales consulting

As an expert in interpersonal relationships and negotiation, sales consultants can help increase a company’s revenue. They do this by evaluating the sales process from the perspective of the customer and developing strategies to incentivize the sales team. As with some other consulting roles, proven sales records and experience can be more valuable than formal education in this industry.

12. Fitness and wellness consulting

Consultants who specialize in health or wellness develop fitness and dietary programs for their clients. This can take the form of health coaching, personal training or nutrition, all of which require certification in the chosen specialty.

13. Growth consulting

Growth consulting is the process of advising a client on how to grow their business. A consultant in this specialty may help a client focus on scaling a company and identify ways to increase the number and quality of new customers it attracts. They may also assist with risk management so they mitigate potential risks and ensure the company is as profitable as possible as it expands into new industries or new markets.

14. Career consulting

Career consultants help their clients identify their skills and passions and handle the various aspects of the interviewing process. A career consultant’s purpose is to guide clients toward careers in which they thrive. Career consultants may help their clients assess their skills, ideals and goals during the consulting process.

15. PR consulting

Public relations consultants aim to improve a brand’s public image or presence. They shape the way that people view a company’s owners, team members, products or services by writing press releases, building campaigns and conducting surveys. Although a bachelor’s degree in public relations is beneficial, your network and experience are oftentimes more valuable in this industry.

How to choose your consulting specialty

Here’s a list of steps on how to choose your consulting specialty:

1. Consider your skills and knowledge

When you’re choosing your consulting specialty, you can first consider your skills and knowledge. Think about the formal education you’ve completed and the certifications and other credentials you’ve acquired.

2. Identify demand in the market

After completing the first step, you might have identified multiple skill sets that you can convert into consulting opportunities. You can further refine your focus by identifying demand in the market. Look for available postings on online job boards.

If you know what company you’d like to work for, look for current opportunities. When you better understand the demand, you may experience more success in finding a long-term position that compensates you fairly for your education and experience.

3. Pursue additional qualifications if necessary

If you want to enter the consulting field, it’s important that you have ample qualifications. This way, you can distinguish yourself from other candidates, and clients can view you as an authoritative individual from whom they can learn valuable information.

If you have the resources, you can consider pursuing additional qualifications to increase your employability as a consultant. For example, you may earn an additional industry certification or return to college to earn a graduate degree in your area of expertise.