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Jobs in consultancy are about checking for and solving problems within companies. Usually, a small team of consultants work within a particular firm for a period of time that can vary from two weeks to a year. They aim to solve complex business problems to improve the company's bottom line.

Most consultants work across several industries. They offer advice to some of the largest companies in the world, covering sectors such as energy and industrial, consumer and retail or banking and financial services.

Consultants advise on a number of financial services issues, such as developing a growth strategy, portfolio management, enhancing capital ratios or risk management and regulatory solutions, improvements to technology or operational and HR issues.

Consultants often deal mainly with process improvement or business process engineering. This may be process modeling and mapping, Six Sigma and business process transformation. Banks also tend to hire consultants for assistance with implementing technological improvements, so IT consultants with experience and knowledge of financial services' IT systems like Murex and Calypso are often sought after.

Consultants that deal with risk and regulatory solutions usually give firms advice on their relationship with the local financial services regulator on issues like capital planning and capital efficient structures. They take into account new regulations that specify increased capital requirements for banks globally.

Consulting career paths within the big consultancy firms tend to be very structured. Newly qualified consultants begin their careers as analysts, before moving up to junior (or associate) consultant, consultant, then case team leader, manager, principal and finally, partner.

Many consultants have previous experience working in the same field they choose to consult in. Many consultants hold an MBA, although this is not required. In many cases, larger consulting firms like Bain &Company, Boston Consulting and McKinsey &Co. will pay for employees to study for an MBA.

Junior consulting positions include a lot of quantitative work, while senior positions are focused on working with clients and selling further consultancy services. Consultants usually work in small teams in the offices of clients.

If you're looking to get a job as a consultant in the finance sector, your skill set should include a talent for teamwork, analytical and statistical aptitude, the ability to develop and maintain client relationships and powerful reasoning skills.