How to succeed as a development consultant — if you're really trying

Whether you’re a seasoned global development consultant or someone considering a career pivot into the consulting world, you probably have more questions than ever in today’s unsettled environment — including whether pivoting to consulting is even an option for those without previous consulting experience. “Not everyone who’s hired as a consultant has done exactly that thing before,” Kelsi Kriitmaa, a Geneva-based social impact coach, said during a recent Devex Career event. “You have transferable skills. You know enough about it, and you’re smart enough to figure it out.” However, much depends on other factors, and those with previous experience can use that to their advantage, Kriitmaa added. To help current and aspiring consulting professionals alike put their best foot forward in an increasingly competitive job market, Devex hosted an “ask me anything” digital event featuring insights from Kriitmaa and Jami Johnson Darkoh, an experienced global health and development consultant based in Cape Town, South Africa. They addressed a range of questions from our audience about the current state of development consulting and what can be done to still succeed in the sector. Here are a few key questions that arose during the event, along with the experts’ responses. I’m applying to many roles and getting nowhere. Is it worth trying anymore? Kriitmaa and Darkoh acknowledged the über-competitive job market many development professionals are navigating, but believe there are still gigs to be had for those who take advantage of certain strategies that many consultants tend to overlook. “It’s harder, it’s more competitive, [and] for sure, the sector has contracted … but there are still opportunities there,” Darkoh said, adding that this likely requires flexibility and new mindsets for both the type of work you do and how you target opportunities. This includes diversifying where you consider working and a willingness to engage in conversations with people from new circles, but also utilizing your existing network to uncover new opportunities. “I really cannot emphasize enough how much the networking really, really matters,” said Kriitmaa, who also spoke of her personal experience of landing new consulting work after putting in the effort to connect authentically with those working in her field. These efforts should include genuine attempts at building relationships first, rather than asking immediately about job leads. “Find out information about them, send them messages, send them peer-reviewed journal articles or events,” Kriitmaa said. “Be in their ecosystem, and invite them into yours before you’re asking for something.” Are there emerging skills I should be training in to become more competitive? “I do think that there are some newly emerging areas that need new attention, and I think if people are coming with that expertise, then there are real opportunities there,” Darkoh said, particularly around artificial intelligence. “There aren’t enough people who know how AI works and how to apply it to the development sector.” Relatedly, the broader digitalization of sectors such as global health is another space where more opportunities should emerge for consultants. Kriitmaa spoke of climate roles continuing to be in demand, as are skill sets related to fundraising, grant writing, resource mobilization, and partnership development. These skills have become more essential with organizations looking to alternative sources of capital following the U.S. aid freeze. “Even things like blended finance, impact investing, some of these more financial models of bringing in blended capital to development, which traditionally, maybe a lot of people wouldn't have looked at,” are areas to explore, she said. Can I break into consulting if I just graduated? It’s always been more difficult, but not impossible, to start your development career as a consultant than to become one after building a foundation of skills, experience, and contacts. In the current recruitment climate, the hill is that much steeper to climb. “The reality is, there are a lot of very experienced people who are now looking for work, and so some of the more junior positions are, you know, more limited,” Darkoh said. “Where I’ve seen consultants having the most success is five, seven years minimum experience, because they have that foundation that they’re starting from.” According to Kriitmaa, another challenge for younger aspiring consultants is that they often miss out on the kinds of professional development support that those who start in a staff position are more likely to receive. “If you’re very early on in your career, you learn from your peers, you learn from your colleagues, you learn from your supervisors, and your bosses. If you have clients, not bosses, that’s very, very different,” she said. Kriitmaa added that some kinds of roles may be more attainable for early-career consultants, such as research and data analysis, but in most cases, “the traditional trajectory is to have a bit of work experience before you jump to independent consulting.” Ready to stand out from the crowd and get noticed by the recruiters who matter most? Update your Devex profile and start connecting with top global development recruiters now.