6 Business Consultant Certification Programmes And Benefits

Updated 21 August 2023

Business consultants provide advice and recommendations to companies to help them improve their performance and overall revenue. Organisations from the human resources, finance, business and management sectors often hire certified business consultants. Learning about relevant certifications can help you develop new skills and advance your career as a business consultant. In this article, we explore the meaning of a business consultant certification, provide a list of business consultant certification programmes you can pursue, explain the benefits of earning them and review the skills you can gain.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

What Is A Business Consultant Certification?

A business consultant certification is a course you can pursue to gain skills and knowledge relating to business consultancy. Pursuing a relevant qualification can differentiate you from other candidates and demonstrate specific skills during your job search. Many candidates earn credentials covering project management, financial management, marketing, management consulting and strategy development. By adding a certificate to your portfolio, you can present yourself as a skilled and certified business consultant.

6 Business Consultant Certifications

Business consultants require different skill sets to understand clients' business objectives and recommend effective strategies to achieve them. Enrolling in recognised courses can help improve these abilities and add professional credibility to your portfolio. Here are some business consultancy certifications you can pursue:

1. Certified Management Consultant (CMC)

This certification helps you to learn the tools and skills that business consultants require in the workplace. The CMC course introduces you to business consultancy and provides tools and tips for approaching consulting, strategy building, finance and marketing. It can help improve your problem-solving abilities and teach you how to evaluate business prospects and goals. It is a globally recognised qualification and represents the highest standards of commitment to and expertise in business consultancy. In this programme, you also learn about corporate finance, strategies for planning company budgets and how to provide the right investment recommendations.

2. Certified Management Accountant (CMA)

This is a programme by the Institute of Cost Accountants of India that certifies your expertise in the field of finance and business consultancy. This course teaches you about accounting, corporate laws, decision-making, risk management and taxation. The qualification also assists your professional development, as it allows you to practise important business consultancy skills. Candidates with a CMA accreditation can apply for better job opportunities in various sectors, such as health care, manufacturing, government and financial services. You can enroll in the CMA programme after completing your 10+2 or bachelor's degree with a minimum score of 50%.

3. Sales Management Certification (SMC)

Acquiring an SMC qualification can help improve your sales management skills. The SMC course covers sales planning, customer relationship building, strategising, forecasting and managing sales performance. Adding this certification to your resume allows you to demonstrate your knowledge in sales management and business consultancy. When applying for a business consultant job, the certificate can show your commitment, competency and credibility in the field to hiring managers. Many candidates earn an SMC credential to explore better job prospects and achieve a higher earning potential.

4. Project Management Professional (PMP)

When applying for a business consultant job, a PMP certification can show your knowledge and experience in managing projects. During the course issued by the Project Management Institute, you learn about predictive, Agile and hybrid methods of managing different types of projects. The programme covers various topics, such as leading a project management team, negotiating agreements, communicating with technical and non-technical clients, managing conflict and improving the overall growth of a business. Candidates with a bachelor's degree and at least three years of project management experience can apply for this qualification.

5. Advanced Certificate Programme in Business Consulting

This certification suits individuals who want to become highly skilled and trained business consultants. You can learn about the basic concepts of business consulting, client management, professional practices and emerging areas in the field. Candidates with a postgraduate degree from a recognised university can pursue this qualification. Another requirement to enroll in this course is a minimum work experience of five years.

Find business consultant jobs

6. Aspiring Minds Computer Adaptive Test Business Consultant Certification

This certification issues by Aspiring Minds is a great option to enhance your decision-making and planning skills. You can earn this qualification by taking an online assessment. In this course, you learn about business analysis, customer orientation, expectation management and critical reasoning.

Benefits Of Pursuing A Business Consulting Certification

Pursuing a qualification in business consultancy can help you find better job opportunities. When applying for a role, mentioning your extra certifications or courses on your resume or cover letter can be a great way to demonstrate your skills and knowledge. Here are a few benefits of earning a certificate in business consulting:

Improves credibility

A certification can improve your credibility by demonstrating your industry expertise and validating your business consulting skills. It can help you gain confidence in your abilities and differentiate you from other candidates during your job search. Obtaining a certificate can also show that you are an expert in business consulting. As many employers prefer hiring consultants with more experience, a qualification can present you as a credible and professional candidate for the role.

Promotes professional development

Earning a relevant certification allows you to develop your knowledge and advance your career in consulting. During the certification course, the programme providers assign educational requirements and training to complete. This may enhance your existing abilities and enable you to gain new skills to deliver better client services.

Increases job opportunities

A consulting qualification allows you to expand your professional network and explore new job opportunities. It can be a great way to qualify yourself for higher-salaried roles. Clients often prefer seeking professional business advice from certified consultants. A certification can help you provide consulting services according to their standards.

Skills You Can Learn From A Business Consulting Certification

Here are some skills you can learn and improve by pursuing a certification course in business consulting:

Business and data analysis

By undertaking a relevant course, you can improve your business and data analysis abilities. It can help you improve your knowledge of corporate laws and business operations and provide effective business consulting services to clients. Business consultants often require a good subject matter understanding to perform their duties. Effective data analysis allows them to make informed decisions and recommendations. If you want to improve your business and data analysis skills, you can earn an Entry Certificate in Business Analysis and a Certified Business Analysis Professional designation from the International Institute of Business Analysis.

Project management

Business consultants may also require project management skills, irrespective of their field. You can improve these abilities by pursuing a certification course in project management. It can help you learn how to manage multiple projects effectively and finish them before their deadlines. You can improve your capacity to study a situation and build a strategic plan to address clients' needs. Consider pursuing a PMP certification to develop your ability to handle different projects simultaneously.

Financial management

Another ability you can develop by gaining a certification is financial management. Improving your finance skills can allow you to assess financial situations more clearly and provide the right advice to clients. You can learn about capital markets, financial analysis, corporate accounting and financial planning. You can pursue a CMA certification to improve your financial management skills.