Introduction to Consulting

Want to become a consultant? Designed by an experienced industry professional who is also an award winning professor

4.40 (658 reviews)
Udemy
platform
English
language
Other
category
instructor
2,607
students
4 hours
content
Dec 2023
last update
$69.99
regular price

What you will learn

You will understand what consulting is, how consulting firms make money, how you are evaluated at a consulting firm, how to write powerful proposals, how to properly budget consulting engagements, and how to run highly effective consulting meetings

Description

This course is based on Dr. Firth's personal experience teaching new consultants for KPMG's national consulting practice for over six years, in addition to over ten years teaching the University of Montana's College of Business undergraduates and graduate students all about consulting. Hundreds of Dr Firth's consulting class students have found very well paid positions with consulting firms locally and nationally. Dr. Firth is recognized nationally by several very well known consulting firms for his role in preparing students for great careers in consulting.

The course is primarily aimed at those wanting to join a consulting firm, rather than start their own consulting firm. This can be college undergraduates, college graduates, or experienced practitioners out in the workforce. That said, all the topics are 100% practically applicable and would help tremendously those starting their own firms.

The course covers critical, practical issues including:

  • First impressions, and how to make them better both during the hiring process, and as a consultant

  • How a consulting firm makes money. Knowing this helps you play your role and be more valued as a result if you work for a firm, or are wanting to work for a consulting firm

  • Why chargeability is the #1 metric for a consultant, how it gets calculated, and how you can change it

  • Why realization is the #1 metric for a consulting firm, how it gets calculated, and your role in it

  • The immutable consulting triangle of scope-cost-schedule

  • All aspects of a real consulting proposal. We work through a detailed example and explain all the parts

  • A real budget for a consulting project. We work through every piece of a real budget for a consulting project, explaining why each part is there and how the parts interact

  • All aspects of a consulting meeting from planning, to where to sit in the meeting room, to how to take notes and ask great questions

  • What to avoid when running a consulting meeting, including poor types of questions and issues such as avoiding social desirability

Content

Introduction

Why this particular course

What is consulting?

What is consulting and why do companies use consultants?
What do consultants provide?
What does being a consultant mean for your salary?
What does it take to be a successful consultant?

First Impressions

Tell me about yourself
Setting yourself up on, and using, LinkedIn
A consulting resume
The cover letter

How Money Is Made By A Consulting Firm and the role you can play

Finders, Minders & Grinders, and the #1 metric for new consultants: Chargeabilty
Chargeability - how you can impact the #1 metric for a consultant
Realization - the #1 metric for managers and partners in a consulting firm
A case example to show how the pieces fit together
A case example - all the pieces put together
A case example - the solution
Partners Salaries
Making more

The Proposal: An actual example of a consulting proposal

The consulting proposal: the cover sheet
The consulting proposal: the table of contents
The consulting proposal: the problem statement
The consulting proposal: Objectives and scope
The consulting proposal: Statement of Work or Approach
The consulting proposal: Statement of Work or Approach (part 2)
The consulting proposal: Project timeline
The consulting proposal: Major assumptions
The consulting proposal: Project staffing
The consulting proposal: Fees
The consulting proposal: Expenses
The consulting proposal: Terms and Conditions
The consulting proposal: References and resumes
The consulting proposal: From a proposal to an engagement

Budgeting a Consulting Engagement

Budgeting a consulting engagement - introduction
Budgeting a consulting engagement - what goes in a budget
Budgeting a consulting engagement - the immutable triangle
Budgeting a consulting engagement - the immutable triangle continued
Budgeting a consulting engagement - the immutable triangle and clients
Budgeting a consulting engagement - the immutable triangle and quality
Budgeting a consulting engagement - the immutable triangle and healthcare
Budgeting a consulting engagement - the timeline for the project
Budgeting a consulting engagement - estimating the size of tasks
Budgeting a consulting engagement - tips for budgeting well
Budgeting a consulting engagement - can you charge for learning?
Budgeting a consulting engagement - charging for administrative expenses
Budgeting a consulting engagement - the critical path of a project
Budgeting a consulting engagement - doing what you promised
Budgeting a consulting engagement - walkthrough of an actual budget spreadsheet
Budgeting a consulting engagement - admin expenses on the spreadsheet
Budgeting a consulting engagement - the project itself on the spreadsheet
Budgeting a consulting engagement - Fees at standard on the spreadsheet
Budgeting a consulting engagement - Fees at ERP on the spreadsheet

Handling a consulting meeting

An introduction to handling a consulting meeting
Handling a consulting meeting - collecting information
Handling a consulting meeting - why is it important?
Handling a consulting meeting - structured and unstructured meetings
Handling a consulting meeting - what types of questions to ask
Handling a consulting meeting - prescriptions for success
Handling a consulting meeting - asking the wrong questions
Handling a consulting meeting - three steps to a successful meeting
Handling a consulting meeting - planning the meeting - part 1
Handling a consulting meeting - planning the meeting - part 2
Handling a consulting meeting - planning the meeting - part 3
Handling a consulting meeting - right before the meeting - part 1
Handling a consulting meeting - right before the meeting - part 2
Handling a consulting meeting - right before the meeting - part 3
Handling a consulting meeting - right before the meeting - part 4
Handling a consulting meeting - right before the meeting actually starts
Handling a consulting meeting - the meeting space
Handling a consulting meeting - Business cards
Handling a consulting meeting - In the meeting - Establishing rapport
Handling a consulting meeting - In the meeting - Cellphone off
Handling a consulting meeting - Confirming the purpose of the meeting
Handling a consulting meeting - gathering current information
Handling a consulting meeting - conducting the meeting
Handling a consulting meeting - drawing out information
Handling a consulting meeting - clarifying
Handling a consulting meeting - working with documents
Handling a consulting meeting - recording client responses
Handling a consulting meeting - ending the meeting properly
Handling a consulting meeting - social desirability
Handling a consulting meeting - listening and understanding
Handling a consulting meeting - losing control of the meeting
Handling a consulting meeting - asking for documents
Handling a consulting meeting - filing

Screenshots

Introduction to Consulting - Screenshot_01Introduction to Consulting - Screenshot_02Introduction to Consulting - Screenshot_03Introduction to Consulting - Screenshot_04

Reviews

Joseph
July 25, 2023
I find dr. Firth easy to understand and excellent in presenting the material in a clear and concise manner. enjoyable so far.
Donald
June 23, 2023
the course gave me a great insight into the role and valuable tips on the day to day work of a consultant
Janet
May 2, 2023
For an "introduction, it had a lot more information than I was expecting. And some of it was probably not in the scope of my current job, but good to know as my career advances.
Miguel
April 15, 2023
Not a major input has been made in the aesthetics of this course (video feels a bit as a zoom call, not great sound, no document attachments). We are not talking about professional video editing but better background choice and perhaps better resolution camera would help including resolving the issue of the microphone which sounds higher or lower depending on the lesson. The attachment of a redacted document with course content and key notes was probably even easier to provide given that I would have though that this was prepared prior to proceeding with the recording of the course. That being said I admit that the concepts come across clear and that's why I provide 4 stars however.
Stephanie
March 17, 2023
Conversational Competence. We should all learn more about this skill as it seems to be an art form that is going away especially in this digital age.
Charles
February 15, 2023
This is easily one of the most thorough and helpful courses I have ever taken. One of the most important aspects was the global focus it took toward the clients, including their behaviors, tendencies, and norms. I will definitely be referencing this course going forward. Thank you for your efforts.
Clarence
November 4, 2022
if You're serious about Consulting, take this course. This course teaches the do's and don't of consulting. I learn a lot, I appreciate this course. Great course.
Herve
September 14, 2018
Creative approach to teaching ! No beating around the bush. Practical experiences. Fully recommend this.
Zak
August 15, 2018
Dr. Firth's real world experience as a consultant allows him to highlight relevant skills and practices, while his career as a distinguished professor gives him the ability to convey this knowledge in an interesting and engaging manner. This results in an interesting and unique course that helped me land a position at a major consulting firm and provided me with the tools to help me succeed in a high paced environment. I would highly recommend this course for anyone interested in joining the world of consulting. The students of Dr. Firth have an extensive track record of landing high quality jobs, and this course is a major reason why.
Devyn
August 13, 2018
Dr. David Firth is one of the best instructors I've ever had the pleasure of studying under and I am very glad that he has recorded this course. I first took this course in-person with Dr. Firth and it was by far one of the most beneficial I've ever taken. Dr. Firth has a way of engaging every student and moving quickly through material while still ensuring each topic is well understood. The material covered in this course had the single greatest impact on my time in the consulting field (both with Big 4 - PwC and smaller firms). I can still hear Dr. Firth's voice in my head every time I prepare for a meeting, work on my to-do list, and (most importantly) mingle through a room of clients and potential clients.
Michael
August 8, 2018
I have always been skeptical of online courses but a coworker recommended this class to me and I quickly understood why. It is evident that David's material was developed over a fast pace career of real world experience. Touching on everything from reading body language to making sure you get paid. The practical applications are far further reaching than just consulting work. In terms of quality of presentation, David presents his information better than most professors working at a 4 year university. Both an engaging speaker and expert teacher the material is presented in logical segments that build on each other without leaving the student in the dark. Use of both informational graphics and recorded presentation make this feel more like an actual seminar than an online classroom. All in all, this is the best online learning experience I have had so far. Only part way through the class but I will be following this professor's future publications on Udemy.
Taylor
August 8, 2018
I’ve been a consultant for 5 years and I must say this course sums the profession up splendidly! I find this information to be fundamental to the success of a career consultant and hope this helps individuals realize the potential impact they can create in this wonderful (but often misunderstood) profession!
Terrence
August 8, 2018
This course was incredibly helpful. David gives very accurate and important advice on how to succeed in consulting. Would recommend to anyone in the consulting field.
Laurinda
August 8, 2018
I have learned a lot already, this is VERY useful! This class has real world examples and should be taken by anyone seeking a professional career. I hope to see more classes like this by David Firth!
Jordan
August 8, 2018
The breadth of real world applicable skills that David covers in this course is invaluable. He has an uncanny ability to breakdown various consulting attributes into finite details that are easy to digest and apply to your daily life. This course helped me gain a true understanding of the value these skill provide and how they help consultants find success. Ultimately, David taught me how to take advantage of these skills and utilize them to thrive as a consultant. I highly recommend this course.

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1811600
udemy ID
7/21/2018
course created date
2/16/2022
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