Many experienced accounting and finance professionals prefer business consultant jobs for their inherent flexibility, but another attraction is how this career path can lead to interesting opportunities. If you have a strong accounting and finance background, you have a head start when it comes to exploring business consultant jobs. Why not put those data analysis and critical thinking skills you earned as an accountant, controller, financial analyst or compliance specialist to good use in a new environment?
Compliance
As regulations evolve, the landscape keeps changing for professionals pursuing business consultant jobs that focus on fraud, compliance and risk. According to research from Robert Half Management Resources, the compliance burden is growing at most companies. For public companies, big money may be at stake if they are unable to comply with all the regulations and directives that apply. Can you apply your skills to helping businesses comply with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and similar regulations?
Fraud and risk
Cybersecurity breaches and natural disasters rank high on the list of potential issues facing companies. Some businesses are hiring forensic accountants as consultants to keep a closer watch against embezzlement or other fraudulent activities by employees. If you have strong analytical skills or experience in criminal justice or law enforcement, you might consider pursuing business consultant jobs in the forensic accounting arena.
Even among companies that aren't publicly traded, many are grappling with what some perceive as growing risks to business. If you have a background in accounting, business administration, economics or mathematics, you could be a natural to move into risk management consulting. A variety of risk management trade associations and specialized websites are available to help you learn more about risk management trends if you're considering this avenue.
Business systems
Financial, business and business systems analysts are all in strong demand. Firms are relying on these professionals for guidance as they seek to upgrade and expand their operations. Professionals with a solid accounting or finance background along with specialized technology expertise, such as experience in enterprise resource planning (ERP) packages and related software, are now in particular demand as business systems analysts.
Wringing the most out of existing information systems and designing new ones that optimize major business processes are key ways organizations are attempting to operate more efficiently. Business analyst openings vary widely, but they typically require a solid understanding of business functional areas, business management issues, data analysis and the ability to evaluate cost.
Healthcare
With more than 7 million people signed up for health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act, it's no surprise that business consultant jobs exist in this wide-ranging field. Organizations are seeking financial and business analysts in particular. Healthcare organizations also continue to look for finance professionals for help in completing operational assessments and determining financing for the implementation and upgrade of electronic medical records systems. Also spurring demand in the healthcare arena is the adoption of the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), the standard diagnostic tool for epidemiology, health management and clinical purposes maintained by the World Health Organization.
Sports and entertainment
Imagine working for your favorite sports team or Hollywood studio. It's not as far-fetched as you may think. Leveraging your knowledge of copyright law and royalties, combined with a background in accounting, for example, may help you land jobs with production companies, film studios, radio stations, television networks and other organizations in the entertainment industry. Entertainment brands are often looking for analysts, cost accounting managers and compliance or fraud specialists.
