The first thing that you must do in order to be eligible for these consulting jobs is join a professional organization within the industry. While this is not essential for gaining employment within the industry, it is a good way to build your network contacts list and will also look great on your resume. Joining one of these groups will show that you are serious about this as a career and that you are recognized by others within the industry as a professional in your field.
Many people who have experience with statistics are inexperienced when it comes to consulting, so you will want to begin by joining a consulting firm. At first, you will likely work in the statistical department and help the active consultants to do their jobs. While you are there, however, you will learn much about the industry and you will eventually be able to move up as you learn how to apply your mathematical know how into real world situations. Remember that statistical consulting involves explaining things to people in regular terms once you have figure out the problems mathematically, so you will have to develop your customer service skills as you learn the ropes.
Another thing that you can do if you lack the experience to apply for real consulting jobs is take a position within a university. As you work on the statistical side of things, it would be a good time to go back to school and take a few business courses. You will likely be able to pick up all of the courses that you need over a semester or two and it will be well worth this additional time if this is your desired career path. In addition, the university, or wherever you start out, might be able to recommend you to consulting firms as you develop the needed experience, which will surely help you out in the future.
One way that people are now getting involved with statistical consulting is by freelancing, as many smaller companies do not want to hire a firm or employee full time. If you are able to build up a solid client list using this method, you should be able to make some pretty good money right out of university. This is also a good way to learn how the customer service aspect of things work, as you will likely be dealing with people one on one, which is much easier than dealing with a large company.
Once you have completed a few consulting jobs by freelancing, you should be ready to apply for a larger firm that will give you a steadier wage. Remember to include absolutely everything that you do on your resume because any experience that you have is much better than nothing at all. Since this is a diverse career, there are many different aspects that you can include on your resume. If you search online, you should be able to find a list of the various duties that statistical consulting firms will ask of you, which should make the jobs search run much more smoothly.
These consulting jobs are in much higher demand than ever before, so you should be able to find a job if you are truly committed to making it happen. Remember that searching online is usually the best way to go if you want one of these positions, as companies are extremely likely to post their job openings online in this industry. There is really no shortage of work in this industry, although it might be difficult to break in, so take the time to build up your resume before you begin applying. Your mathematical skills are a great thing to possess and this career will allow you to use them to their full potential.
