Crafting a CV that convincingly showcases your strategic impact and influence can be a perplexing challenge for you as a strategy consultant. Our guide demystifies the process, providing you with tailored tips and examples to enhance your narrative and spotlight your consulting prowess effectively.
Structure, write, and edit your strategy consultant CV to land the role of your dreams with our exclusive guide on how to:
- Create an attention-grabbing header that integrates keywords and includes all vital information;
- Add strong action verbs and skills in your experience section, and get inspired by real-world professionals;
- List your education and relevant certification to fill in the gaps in your career history;
- Integrate both hard and soft skills all through your CV.
Discover more industry-specific guides to help you apply for any role in the links below:
- Business Analyst CV Example
- Supervisor CV Example
- Business Development Executive CV Example
- Category Manager CV Example
- Business Development CV Example
- Investment Manager CV Example
- Business Intelligence CV Example
- Management Consultant CV Example
- Senior Business Analyst CV Example
- Business Owner CV Example
How to ensure your profile stands out with your strategy consultant CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your strategy consultant CV to stand out amongst a pile of candidate profiles, yet you don't want it to be too over the top that it's unreadable. Where is the perfect balance between your CV format simple, while using it to shift the focus to what matters most. That is - your expertise. When creating your strategy consultant CV:- list your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your latest roles;
- include a header with your professional contact information and - optionally - your photograph;
- organise vital and relevant CV sections - e.g. your experience, skills, summary/ objective, education - closer to the top;
- use no more than two pages to illustrate your professional expertise;
- format your information using plenty of white space and standard (2.54 cm) margins, with colours to accent key information.
Once you've completed your information, export your strategy consultant CV in PDF, as this format is more likely to stay intact when read by the Applicant Tracker System or the ATS. A few words of advice about the ATS - or the software used to assess your profile:
- Generic fonts, e.g. Arial and Times New Roman, are ATS-compliant, yet many candidates stick with these safe choices. Ensure your CV stands out by using a more modern, and simple, fonts like Lato, Exo 2, Volkhov;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are ATS-friendly. Avoid the likes of fancy decorative or script typography, as this may render your information to be illegible;
- Both single- and double-column formatted CVs could be assessed by the ATS;
- Integrating simple infographics, icons, and charts across your CV won't hurt your chances during the ATS assessment.
PRO TIP
Use bold or italics sparingly to draw attention to key points, such as job titles, company names, or significant achievements. Overusing these formatting options can dilute their impact.
The top sections on a strategy consultant CV
- Professional Summary showcases strategic expertise and should be included to provide a quick overview of the candidate's key strengths and strategic achievements.
- Core Competencies highlight the consultant's specific skillset and are essential for demonstrating relevant strategic tools and methodologies.
- Professional Experience details work history which is vital for showing a track record of implementing successful strategies.
- Key Achievements focus on measurable impacts made in previous roles, proving the candidate can deliver results.
- Education & Certifications display academic credentials, necessary to establish the candidate's foundation in business and strategy.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your analytical skills by providing examples of complex problems you have solved or strategic initiatives you've contributed to, showcasing your ability to think critically and provide valuable insights.
- Detail your experience with data analysis and modelling, illustrating your proficiency with relevant tools and methodologies essential for a strategy consultant's role.
- Emphasise your communication and interpersonal skills by mentioning any experience with stakeholder management, presentations, and workshops, as these are crucial for articulating strategic proposals and facilitating collaboration.
- Include specific instances where you have driven change or innovation, as strategy consultants must often champion new ideas and persuade organisations to adopt new strategic directions.
- Reference your sector-specific knowledge or expertise if applicable, as strategy consulting can be niche; demonstrating awareness of industry-specific challenges and trends will make your CV stand out.
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Our checklist for the must-have information in your strategy consultant CV header
Right at the very top of your strategy consultant CV is where you'd find the header section or the space for your contact details, headline, and professional photo. Wondering how to present your the name of the city you live in and the country abbreviation as your address;
- are tailored to the role you're applying for by integrating key job skills and requirements;
- showcase what your unique value is, most often in the form of your most noteworthy accomplishment;
- select your relevant qualifications, skills, or current role to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Still not sure how to write your CV headline? Our examples below showcase best practices on creating effective headlines:
Examples of good CV headlines for strategy consultant:
- Strategy Consultant | FMCG Sector Specialist | MBA | 5+ Years of Market Expansion Expertise
- Senior Strategy Analyst | Digital Transformation | Data-Driven Decision Making | Chartered Strategist | 10 Years Experience
- Lead Strategy Advisor | Healthcare Innovation | Policy Analysis | CIMA Qualified | 15+ Years Industry Insight
- Associate Strategy Consultant | Tech Start-Up Focus | Agile Methodologies | PMP Certified | 3 Years Consultancy
- Principal Strategy Architect | Financial Services Expert | Risk Management | CFA Charterholder | 20+ Years Leadership
- Strategy Development Manager | Sustainability & CSR Initiatives | Stakeholder Engagement | 7 Years Strategic Planning
Opting between a strategy consultant CV summary or objective
Within the top one third of your strategy consultant CV, you have the opportunity to briefly summarise your best achievements or present your professional goals and dreams. Those two functions are met by either the CV summary or the objective.
- The summary is three-to-five sentences long and should narrate your best successes, while answering key requirements for the role. Select up to three skills which you can feature in your summary. Always aim to present what the actual outcomes were of using your particular skill set. The summary is an excellent choice for more experienced professionals.
- The objective is more focused on showcasing your unique value as a candidate and defining your dreams and ambitions. Think about highlighting how this current opportunity would answer your career vision. Also, about how you could help your potential employers grow. The objective matches the needs of less experienced candidates, who need to prove their skill set and, in particular, their soft skills.
Still not sure about how to write your CV opening statement? Use some best industry examples as inspiration:
CV summaries for a strategy consultant job:
How to meet job requirements with your strategy consultant CV experience
We've now reached the essence of your actual CV - your experience section. This is the space where you can list your career roles and on-the-job successes. Many candidates tend to underestimate just how much time and effort they should put into writing this CV section. Your experience shouldn't be a random list of your responsibilities, but instead:
- Match the job description with your skills, values, and accomplishments;
- Start each bullet with a strong action verb, followed up with one key skill and your outcome of applying this skill;
- Spotlight parts of your career history that are relevant to the job you're applying for.
Before we move on, make sure to check out some professional CV experience sections.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Analysed client business processes and conducted gap analyses to identify improvement opportunities, successfully enhancing operational efficiency by up to 20%.
- Designed and executed market entry strategies for three clients, incorporating competitive analysis and financial modelling to support successful launches into new markets.
- Facilitated strategic planning workshops for senior management teams, leading to the development of actionable long-term business plans aligned with company goals.
- Led cross-functional project teams of up to 10 members, driving collaboration and ensuring the timely delivery of client solutions within budget constraints.
- Utilised advanced data analytics tools to inform strategic decision-making, presenting complex findings to stakeholders in an accessible format for effective strategy formulation.
- Managed the client relationship during strategy implementation phases, acting as the key point of contact and ensuring sustained alignment with strategic objectives.
- Authored thought leadership papers on industry trends and strategic management, reinforcing personal and firm expertise in the consulting domain.
- Conducted rigorous financial analyses and modelling to support M&A activities, contributing to successful negotiations and transactions for high-profile clients.
- Developed tailored training programmes for client teams to build internal capacities in strategic thinking and implementation, resulting in improved long-term autonomy and performance.
Work Experience
Senior Strategy Consultant
Accenture
01/2019-12/2021
- Led a cross-functional team to design and implement a comprehensive business strategy for entering new markets, boosting market penetration by 25% within the first year.
- Spearheaded the development of a data analytics platform to enhance decision-making processes, which decreased operational costs by 17% through the identification of inefficiencies.
- Collaborated on a large-scale digital transformation project, involving the integration of AI and ML technologies, that improved client service delivery and increased overall customer satisfaction by 30%.
Work Experience
Business Strategy Consultant
Boston Consulting Group
06/2015-05/2018
- Facilitated the alignment of business operations with strategic goals, leading to a 15% rise in organizational efficiency over a 3-year period.
- Directed the market research initiative for a high-profile client, providing insights that led to the launch of a groundbreaking new product line.
- Managed the strategic partnership program which generated an additional revenue stream of $5M by forging alliances with key industry players.
Work Experience
Strategy and Operations Consultant
Deloitte Consulting
11/2013-10/2014
- Conducted in-depth competitive analysis for a struggling product, repositioned it in the market, and achieved a 20% sales increase year-over-year.
- Performed a critical role in a task force that redesigned the client’s cost structure, reducing their overhead by 10% without compromising on output quality.
- Orchestrated a customer experience optimization strategy that resulted in a 40% improvement in customer retention for a leading retail brand.
Work Experience
Lead Strategy Advisor
McKinsey & Company
08/2020-Ongoing
- Currently leading a team that is executing a comprehensive sustainability strategy, aligning with ESG standards and achieving a 35% reduction in the company's carbon footprint.
- Designing an agile business framework to respond to rapid market changes, which has led to a 50% faster time-to-market for new product developments.
- Implementing a knowledge management system to enhance internal collaboration, resulting in a 25% boost in project delivery efficiency.
Work Experience
Corporate Strategy Consultant
KPMG Advisory
03/2012-02/2015
- Developed and executed a turnaround strategy for a mid-sized B2B company, leading to a 30% increase in profitability within two years.
- Initiated a strategic review and rationalization of the product portfolio, which led to the discontinuation of unprofitable lines and refocused R&D investment.
- Designed a bespoke market entry strategy for a technology startup, securing its position and enabling a successful launch in a highly competitive market.
Work Experience
Strategic Business Advisor
EY (Ernst & Young)
07/2018-06/2020
- Drove a strategic project aiming to diversify the client’s revenue streams, which expanded their services into three new verticals.
- Played a pivotal role in a $2B merger, conducting due diligence and synergy analysis that underpinned negotiation tactics and post-merger integration planning.
- Crafted and executed a cost-optimization strategy that reduced supply chain expenses by 22%, mainly by renegotiating vendor contracts and optimizing logistics.
Work Experience
Innovation Strategy Consultant
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC)
09/2016-07/2018
- Responsibility for a digital readiness assessment for a Fortune 500 company led to a company-wide digital skill enhancement program affecting 10,000+ employees.
- Authored a white paper on the impact of blockchain technology on supply chains, subsequently adopted by several industry leaders to guide innovation.
- Collaborated with a team that developed a proprietary predictive analytics tool, contributing to a 15% improvement in decision-making speed across the client's divisions.
Work Experience
Strategic Management Consultant
Bain & Company
04/2009-10/2011
- Contributed to the strategic rebranding initiative of a global retail chain, directly influencing a 20% increase in brand recognition metrics.
- Managed vendor negotiations during a major IT infrastructure overhaul that saved the client $1.2M in capital expenses.
- Designed an international expansion plan for an education provider, resulting in their growth into four new countries and a 50% increase in overseas student enrollment.
Work Experience
Strategic Planning Consultant
Oliver Wyman
02/2011-03/2013
- Optimized a company-wide risk management framework, effectively diminishing business risks by 24% and enhancing operational resilience.
- Played a key role in formulating a pricing strategy that increased margins by 18%, effectively balancing competitiveness with profitability.
- Led a project for transforming the supply chain to a lean model, cutting down inventory holding costs by 30% while maintaining service levels for clients.
Work Experience
Consultant for Strategic Growth
A.T. Kearney
05/2013-07/2015
- Directed a comprehensive study on consumer behavior changes, guiding a retail client to remodel their product strategy and realize a 15% boost in sales.
- Engineered a strategic alliance between a healthcare provider and a tech startup, which resulted in the development of a cutting-edge patient care application.
- Implemented a balanced scorecard approach to align business activities with the vision and strategy of the company, improving performance by aligning employees with key objectives.
Swapping your professional experience (when you have none) with skills and more
Never underestimate the importance of relevancе when it comes to your strategy consultant CV. Even if you don't happen to have much or any standard (full-time contract) professional experience, this doesn't mean you shouldn't apply for the role. Instead of a bespoke CV experience section:
- Showcase more prominently any internships, part-time roles, and volunteer experience that are applicable to the role and have taught you job-crucial skills;
- Feature a strengths or achievements section with your transferrable skills or talents you've obtained thanks to your work or life experience;
- Write an objective statement that clearly outlines your values as a candidate and defines your career ambitions;
- List your education or certificates that match the job profile closer to the top of your CV.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Describe how each job helped you grow or learn something new, showing a continuous development path in your career.
The CV skills' divide: between hard and soft skills
Of course, you may have read the job requirements plenty of times now, but it's key to note that there is a difference between technical and personal skills. Both are equally relevant to your job application. When writing about your skill set, ensure you've copy-pasted the precise skill from the job requirement. This would not only help you ensure you have the correct spelling, but also pass any Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessments.
- Hard skills show your technological capabilities. Or whether you'll be a good technical fit to the organisation. Ensure you've spotlighted your hard skills in various sections of your CV (e.g. skills section, projects, experience) by including the technology and what you've attained;
- Soft skills pinpoint your personality and people or communication skills, hinting at if you'll easily accomodate into the team or organisation. Quantify your soft skills in your CV achievements, strengths, summary/objective, and experience sections. Always support your soft skills with how they've helped you grow as a professional.
Top skills for your strategy consultant CV:
HARD SKILLS
Business Strategy Development
Market Analysis
Data Analysis
Financial Modelling
Project Management
Competitive Analysis
Strategic Planning
Consulting Frameworks
Business Process Improvement
Change Management
SOFT SKILLS
Problem-Solving
Critical Thinking
Leadership
Communication
Interpersonal Skills
Adaptability
Collaboration
Innovation
Time Management
Persuasion
PRO TIP
If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
Your university degree and certificates: an integral part of your strategy consultant CV
Let's take you back to your uni days and decide what information will be relevant for your strategy consultant CV. Once more, when discussing your higher education, select only information that is pertinent to the job (e.g. degrees and projects in the same industry, etc.). Ultimately, you should:
- List only your higher education degrees, alongside start and graduation dates, and the university name;
- Include that you obtained a first degree for diplomas that are relevant to the role, and you believe will impress recruiters;
- Showcase relevant coursework, projects, or publications, if you happen to have less experience or will need to fill in gaps in your professional history.
PRO TIP
Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
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Key takeaways
Here are five things you need to remember about writing your strategy consultant CV for success:
- Sort your experience based on the reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent career items, to showcase how you've grown your career;
- Include within your CV header your relevant contact details, a headline that could spotlight your unique value, and a photo - if you're applying for roles outside the UK or US;
- Decide to use the CV summary, if you happen to have more professional experience, and an objective, if you want to showcase your career goals;
- Within the experience section, write your bullets using action verbs, skills, and success, instead of just merely listing your on-the-job responsibilities;
- Prove your technical skills, using your education and certificates, and your soft skills, with your achievements and strengths sections.
