Table of Contents
Introduction
Building a strong resume requires both excellent content and structure in equal measures. In this consultant resume template for Word, we include essentials on how to bring your experience and talents front and center for hiring managers to notice. You can refer to this visual example for extra help while you’re composing your own resume. Learn how to craft a professional document the adheres to formatting standards with these tips for your summary statement, skills, work history and education sections.
Writing Your Summary Statement
Your summary statement is the first thing hiring managers will see when they peruse your resume, but you should think of it as more than just an introduction. As illustrated in this consultant resume template for Word, it’s your opportunity to pitch yourself as a professional problem-solver who’s the perfect fit for the job. Along with mentioning skills and keywords from the job posting, it’s vital to make this section relevant and focused. Aim for three phrases or bullet points and include the following information:
• Your job title and experience
• Your two or three most industry-relevant skills
• Pertinent personality traits, expertise or accomplishments
You might find these example summary statements helpful as you write your own:
Example 1
Consultant with six years’ experience crafting solutions for complex business problems. Skilled project management professional delivering results on time and within budget constraints. Expertise in Scrum and Agile methodologies and deployment in Windows, MacOS and Linux environments.
Example 2
Consultant:
• 10 years of experience
• Excellent problem solver, communicator and negotiator
• Experience upgrading accounting systems for multinational corporate clients
Example 3
Consultant with over a decade of experience crafting marketing strategies for independent publishing companies. Skilled in campaign creation, social media leveraging and brand development. Results-oriented professional focused on helping organizations achieve increased sales and long-term customer relationships.
Example 4
• Consultant with 15 years of experience creating strategies for successful political campaigns
• Skilled in event planning, demographic research, statistical analysis and media relations
• Dedicated professional with strong oral, written and interpersonal communication abilities
Writing Your Skills Section
Consultants are a diverse breed of experts who specialize in providing a vast range of services in nearly every industry. Because of this, your skills section should continue to tell the story you began in the summary statement. You need to make it clear to recruiters that you have the qualifications they seek. As you consult our consultant resume template for Word and write your own skills section, you might find the following advice indispensable:
• Incorporate six to eight skills that match requirements from the job posting
• Write in bullet points using short phrases without periods
• Mention the most critical skills first
Although experience can vary by industry, you’ll usually find these talents listed in the resume of a consultant:
• Excellent at problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity
• Adept at research, data collection and analysis
• Exceptional communication skills
• Self-motivation, planning and time management
• Expert knowledge and dedication to continuous learning
• Collaboration, teamwork and cooperation
• Resource and budget management
Writing Your Work History Section
In your work history section, your objective is to prove the earlier claims you made in the summary statement and skills segments. In this consultant resume template for Word, you’ll see a few examples of how to leverage your own experience to hold a recruiter’s interest and increase your chances of getting to the interview stage. To do that, you should focus on your pertinent career accomplishments. In addition, observing these best practices will help you write a stellar work history section:
• Mention each job’s title, duration and location
• Include between five and eight bullet points for each job position
• Incorporate key terminology from the job description
• Add quantifiable metrics to underscore your achievements
• Begin each statement with a strong action verb
You might find content similar to the examples below in a consultant work history section:
• Configured and deployed Populi college management software for a seminary with an average annual enrollment of 250 students
• Exceeded projected election vote targets by 15%, securing a win for a mayoral candidate
• Improved salon’s total revenues on all services by 25% within a three-month period
• Developed plan to transfer client’s paper records to secure digital cloud storage
Writing Your Education Section
Depending on your industry, showcasing your educational background can aid in emphasizing your credibility as a job candidate. The hints and examples in our consultant resume template for Word should serve as a useful guide in formatting and writing. As you create your own education section, follow these important tips:
• Begin with your most recent education and continue in reverse chronological order
• Mention degrees, coursework and certifications relevant to your field
• Unless you are a recent college graduate, do not mention your GPA
Example 1
Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) – 2015
Master of Business Administration – 2013
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, MI
Bachelor of Science: Computer Science – 2008
Bowling Green State University – Bowling Green, OH
Example 2
Master of Arts: Political Science – 2014
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, NC
Bachelor of Arts: Public Policy – 2012
University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, MI
