A strategy consultant is a professional who helps organizations identify, analyze, and solve complex issues related to strategy and operations. On LinkedIn, strategy consultants represent a significant presence, using the platform to network, market themselves, and share insights.
Who Are Strategy Consultants on LinkedIn?
Strategy consultants on LinkedIn typically have backgrounds working for major management consulting firms like McKinsey, Bain, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Accenture Strategy, Deloitte Consulting, PwC Advisory, KPMG Advisory, EY Advisory, and Roland Berger. They advise on areas like:
- Corporate strategy
- Business unit strategy
- Marketing strategy
- Digital transformation
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Operations and supply chain optimization
- Organizational change management
- Technology implementation
- Risk management
In addition to consultants from large, established firms, independent strategy consultants and boutique firms are also active on LinkedIn. These include ex-partners and directors from big firms who have struck out on their own.
Across the board, strategy consultants on LinkedIn share a few common characteristics:
- Advanced degrees – MBAs from top business schools are most common.
- Prestigious early career pedigrees – Many started off in investment banking, management consulting, or other selective roles.
- Strong strategic problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and storytelling abilities.
- Deep expertise within specific industries like healthcare, financial services, retail, technology, energy, and public sector.
- Extensive experience managing complex client engagements.
- Broad international exposure – Most have worked on projects across the globe.
Why Are Strategy Consultants on LinkedIn?
As LinkedIn has evolved into the world’s largest professional social network, it has become an indispensable platform for strategy consultants for several reasons:
- Networking – LinkedIn provides access to extensive professional networks. Consultants connect with former colleagues, clients, industry experts, and new contacts.
- Thought leadership – Consultants regularly publish long-form posts to share their insights on strategy, leadership, innovation, and more. This positions them as subject matter experts.
- Marketing – Detailed LinkedIn profiles help consultants promote their skills, experience, and thought leadership. Profiles are often tightly optimized for SEO.
- Recruiting – LinkedIn is a key channel for talent acquisition. Consultancies search LinkedIn to find professionals to hire for open positions.
- Client development – LinkedIn supports business development efforts. Consultants identify and connect with promising sales leads.
- Research – Consultants use LinkedIn for market research and competitive intelligence gathering prior to pitches and projects.
How Are Strategy Consultants Using LinkedIn?
While their motivations vary, strategy consultants tend to use LinkedIn in the following ways:
Profiles
- Highlight consulting background with current and past positions at firms like McKinsey, BCG, etc.
- Summarize experience, skills, credentials (CPA, MBA, CFA, etc.) in the profile summary.
- List key clients, project experience, and industry expertise.
- Use rich media like photos and SlideShare presentations.
- Include recommendations from colleagues, clients, and business school professors.
Activity
- Send connection requests to coworkers, clients, industry experts, and promising sales leads.
- Engage with other users through liking, commenting, and sharing updates.
- Publish regular long-form posts and articles focused on their niches.
- Share insights from consulting projects as long-form case studies.
- Promote reports, white papers, and other thought leadership content.
- Comment on industry trends and current events.
- Join and participate actively in relevant LinkedIn groups and conversations.
Services
- Utilize LinkedIn’s premium job seeking services.
- Leverage advertising platforms like LinkedIn Sponsored Updates for branding and lead generation.
- Use LinkedIn Learning for hard skills training (financial modeling, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.).
- Access LinkedIn newsletters and content curation features.
- Leverage LinkedIn’s platform capabilities for corporate recruiting and market research.
What Do Strategy Consultant Profiles on LinkedIn Typically Look Like?
While every profile is unique, strategy consultant profiles often share the following attributes:
Profile Section | Common Contents |
---|---|
Photo | Professional headshot or executive portrait showing friendly, approachable facial expression. |
Headline | Current strategy consulting role and firm. Alternatively, lists multiple areas of expertise. |
About summary | Overview of consulting background, credentials like MBA, project experience, methodologies, and industry expertise. |
Background | Education showcasing prestigious undergraduate institution and MBA program. Experience features current and past roles at top consultancies and clients. |
Skills | Both hard and soft skills like Strategic Planning, Business Strategy, Market Research, Project Management, Team Leadership, Presentation Skills, Client Relationship Management, etc. |
Recommendations | Written recommendations from colleagues, clients, business school professors, emphasizing strategic thinking, leadership, communication, and client service. |
Posts | Thought leadership content focused on latest trends in industries and consulting specialties. |
Why Do Strategy Consultants Have Such Strong LinkedIn Presences?
There are several strategic reasons why LinkedIn is so ubiquitously leveraged among strategy consultants:
- Business development – LinkedIn supports lead generation through profiling, content sharing, and targeted advertising.
- Thought leadership – Long-form posts allow consultants to position themselves as subject matter experts.
- Credibility – A polished, comprehensive LinkedIn presence lends credibility with prospective clients.
- Industry analysis – LinkedIn provides access to networks of professionals from which consultants can gain unique industry insights.
- Talent pipeline – Consultancies use LinkedIn to source qualified candidates for open consulting positions.
- Alumni networks – LinkedIn allows consultants to stay connected with alumni from firms, MBA programs, and past projects.
- Personal branding – A strong personal brand on LinkedIn can lead to new business opportunities, speaking engagements, advisory roles, etc.
In summary, LinkedIn supports many strategic imperatives for consulting professionals. It serves as a versatile platform that enables networking, thought leadership, marketing, talent recruitment, and overall career advancement.
What Types of Content Do Strategy Consultants Share on LinkedIn?
Strategy consultants commonly share the following types of content via long-form LinkedIn posts, SlideShare presentations, and other media:
- Industry overviews – e.g. “State of the Banking Industry 2022”
- Annual thought leadership reports – e.g. “Digital Trends for Media Companies”
- Growth strategy frameworks – e.g. “Keys to Unlocking Growth in Industrial Manufacturing”
- Case studies – e.g. “How We Helped a Retailer Revamp Its Supply Chain”
- Expert interviews – e.g. “A Conversation with the CEO of Company X”
- Leadership perspectives – e.g. “What COVID Has Taught Us About Change Management”
- Opinion and analysis – e.g. “3 Ways Regulation Could Impact Fintech Innovators”
- Event overviews – e.g. “Key Takeaways from the WEF Annual Meeting”
- Firm thought leadership – e.g. “McKinsey on Healthcare Trends”
- Conference recaps – e.g. “Highlights from the Forbes CMO Summit”
This type of high-quality, industry-specific content positions consultants as trusted subject matter experts while also serving as “soft” marketing for their services.
How Should Aspiring Strategy Consultants Use LinkedIn?
For those aspiring to enter the strategy consulting profession, here are some tips for using LinkedIn:
- Showcase work experience at name brand companies like investment banks, Fortune 500 firms, top tech companies, etc.
- Highlight leadership experience in college clubs, sports teams, volunteer work.
- List relevant coursework, projects, and certifications.
- Obtain recommendations from managers, professors, academic advisors.
- Follow leading consultancies and thought leaders within target specialties.
- Join relevant industry and alumni LinkedIn groups.
- Attend virtual LinkedIn events to network and learn.
- Complete LinkedIn Learning courses to build hard and soft skills.
- Follow company pages to stay on top of firm news, initiatives, open positions.
- message strategy consultants to get advice and learn about their career paths.
With a polished, detailed profile and active engagement, LinkedIn can help aspiring consultants land consulting jobs, internships, and other opportunities.
Conclusion
For today’s strategy consultants, establishing a strong presence on LinkedIn is a career imperative. The platform enables networking, thought leadership, personal branding, client development, and recruiting. Top consultants craft detailed profiles highlighting their credentials, experience, and expertise. They also publish insights and analysis to position themselves as trusted advisors. For aspiring consultants, actively engaging on LinkedIn can open doors to exciting career opportunities.