Most Important Skills For A Consultant At Boston Consulting Group
Tripp, a Boston Consulting Group consultant, emphasizes analytical skills backed by "evidence, uh, and analytics" as crucial, alongside strong communication to simplify complex analyses for clients. The ability to work independently, demonstrating comfort with ambiguity and proactively managing tasks, is equally vital for success in this fast-paced environment, where managers "won't have time to hold your hand," requiring initiative and efficient task completion.
Analytical Skills, Communication Skills, Problem-Solving Skills, Teamwork Skills, Independence
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tripp Twyman
Consultant
Boston Consulting Group
University of Arizona
University of Southern California | Masters of Accounting
Business & Related, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Accounting
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Consulting
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. Analytical skills are crucial for backing up recommendations with evidence.
2. Strong communication skills are needed to convey complex analyses simply and effectively.
3. Independence and comfort with ambiguity are essential due to the fast-paced nature of consulting and the need for self-direction.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
The skills most important to be a consultant are analytical abilities. We make recommendations to clients, and sometimes we're newer to their space. Many clients have worked in their industries for 10, 20, or 30 years.
If I'm suggesting a change to their business, I need to back it up with evidence and analytics. You also need good communication skills, as the analysis we run is often complex. Clients don't always have time to be in the weeds with it.
You need to take complicated analysis and communicate it simply so people can understand. You also need to be independent and comfortable with ambiguity. This is important because everyone is busy, and managers won't always have time to tell you exactly what to do next.
They trust you know the goal for your piece of the work. You should be able to figure out the next steps and go do them without constant input from your manager. If you can't do this, your work will get done much slower and won't be completed on time.
These are a few of the most important skills. There are also more technical skills, like learning Excel and PowerPoint. It's great if you know Python, SQL, Tableau, or Alteryx, which are analytics and data tools.
You don't necessarily need to know any of these beforehand. I learned Alteryx and Tableau while working, but it's not really necessary. The bare minimum is being able to do analysis in Excel.
Beyond that, it's a lot about communication, teamwork, and leadership. You need to be able to work with the team, clients, and partners to ensure the project is getting done.
Advizer Personal Links
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tripptwyman/, [career coaching site coming soon]