Educational consultants are academic professionals who work for schools or independently with clients. They advise students about career, training and educational problems and opportunities. For example, they may help a student choose a college major or they may help parents locate scholarships. Educational consultants typically have a bachelor’s degree in teaching, education or counseling. Most educational consultants join professional organizations for career development and networking opportunities.
College Educational Consultant
A college educational consultant supports students by applying their specialized expertise and knowledge to help reach goals in the areas of academics, college admission, standardized testing and extracurricular activities. They interface with a caseload of anywhere between 30 to 40 students each week. Their primary responsibility is to assess and advise students regarding their academics in ways that are consistent with industry best practices, external research and college standard operating procedures.
They help students set long-term goals, explore major options and take achievement and performance assessments. They provide individualized academic and extracurricular activity planning for every student. College educational consultants provide college application and admissions guidance, which includes resume editing, essay consulting and application completion. College educational consultants need to have the ability to plan, monitor and control simultaneous projects while properly utilizing administrative resources and achieve program objectives.
Employee Education Consultant
Corporations use employee education consultants to help workers achieve career goals and maintain professional development standards. They design and deliver customized employee education plans and collective campaigns for internal clients. They work with management to schedule, create materials and conduct educational seminars for employees. Based on the current education needs, such as technology training or continuing education requirements, they develop or source appropriate educational materials.
Employee education consultants sometimes are asked to provide skill assessments to identify learning gaps or training opportunities. They provide regular updates to executives regarding employee performances and participation. They must be able to effectively plan for massive training sessions in multiple locations. They must be customer focused with a strong knowledge of the practices that align internal needs with educational standards. Employee education consultants need to understand the value and necessity of accuracy and attention to detail.
Executive Education Consultant
Executive education consultants supervise staff within higher education organizations, according to the Independent Educational Consultants Association. In universities, they may oversee career, admissions and vocational counselors. In addition to developing staff, they maintain a student caseload of individuals with specialized or challenging needs. They mentor education consultants by assisting in on-the-job training, running informative meetings and encouraging new hires to shadow experienced employees. Executive education consultants must take ownership of developing departmental resources and representing the company in PR activities such as seminars and workshops.
They engage in research projects related to college applications, academic counseling and admissions reviews. Executive education consultants will need a master’s degree in educational administrator, leadership or counseling. Employers will expect five to 10 years of collective experience, training and leadership related to college preparation and admission. They must have the ability to manage multiple objectives and projects while making effective judgments regarding prioritization and time allocation.
Related Resource: Curriculum Director
If helping students find their right path for their education, a career as an educational consultant is the right career for you.