Consultant Resume Examples and Template

Consultants are professionals who apply their skills and knowledge to help professionals improve processes related to areas like IT, manufacturing, management, strategies and operations. You can review a consultant job description to learn more about the skills, experience and education necessary for being successful in the role. If you're applying for consulting positions, learning to detail your skills and achievements in your resume can help you separate yourself from other candidates and enhance your application materials. In this article, we detail the steps you can follow to write an effective consultant resume and provide two resume samples you can use for reference when writing your own. After preparing your application materials, you can upload a resume file or build an Indeed Resume to apply for consultant positions. To upload the template into Google Docs, go to File > Open > and select the correct downloaded file.

How to write an effective consultant resume

These are some steps you can follow to write a consultant resume:

1. Format the document

The first step to writing an effective consultant resume is formatting your document. To create a professional look, you can use 1-inch margins, a font like Times New Roman and single-spacing. If you don't want to format the document yourself, you can often choose from a template library in your chosen word processing program. Avoid adding graphics or other visual elements, as they may distract from your professional information. Related: How To Make a Resume (With Examples)

2. List your contact information

It's important to list your accurate contact information on your resume because the hiring manager may use it to schedule an interview with you. Include your full name, phone number, professional email address and current location. Avoid including your full street address to help maintain your privacy. Instead, you can list the city and state in which you live. Related: How To Write Contact Information That Gets Your Resume Noticed

3. Write your professional summary

Your professional summary is a brief description of who you are, what your professional value is and what you're looking for in a workplace. You can customize your professional summary to include the most relevant information about your unique strengths and attributes. For example, you may detail your abilities, mention an award or explain why you chose to apply to a position with that specific organization or company. Related: How To Write a Resume Summary Plus 5 Strong Examples [Video + Transcript]

4. Detail your education

As a consultant, having a degree in the subject you consult on can help show that you're legitimate and knowledgeable. In this section, you can list the name of the institution and which degree you obtained. List your educational information in reverse chronological order. For example, if you have a bachelor's and a master's degree, list the master's degree first on your resume. Related: How To List Education on a Resume

5. Describe your work experience

A hiring manager may review your work experience to better understand if you have the knowledge and abilities required for the role. In this section, detail where you worked, how long you were in the position and your job title. You can also detail the specific tasks you managed and the positive effect they had. Try to include specific figures to demonstrate your specific accomplishments in each role. Related: How To Write Work Experience on a Resume

6. Emphasize your skills

List your consulting skills in this section of your resume. Depending on your consulting specialty, you're likely to have a variety of differing skills. Review the job listing to determine which of your abilities are most relevant to the specific role. Related: 8 Key Consulting Skills Valued by Employers and Clients

7. Highlight your certifications

Consultants can earn certifications to validate their abilities and knowledge. Certifications can also be a useful tool for showing that you stay up-to-date on industry changes and research. In this section of your resume, list the name of the certification and when you earned or renewed it. Related: What Are Certifications? Definition, Benefits, Types of Certifications and Examples

8. Edit and proofread

Prior to submitting your resume, be sure to edit and proofread it thoroughly. Consider using online spelling and grammar programs to identify and remedy small mistakes. When editing, assess your word choice and recognize where you may change the language to be stronger or more optimized for the keywords in the job listing. You can ask a friend or family member to read through your resume and check for mistakes or potential improvements. Related: 27 Proofreading Tips That Will Improve Your Resume Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.