Introduction
Before taking the entrepreneurial leap as owner of AppraiseItNow, I worked as an Associate Consultant at Bain & Company, a leading private equity and strategy consulting firm. The role was exciting and constantly kept me on my toes, and I had the opportunity to learn from incredible people. Inherently, the job as a strategy consultant at a company like Bain is challenging given the wide range of skills needed to conduct analysis and communicate insights to leadership, your team, or clients.
Thankfully, I invested heavily in learning skills like Excel, PowerPoint, and AI tools before starting at Bain that gave me a major advantage in the day to day work. This article will walk through what I think some of the most important skills are and where the training in consulting might not be as helpful.
What is Strategy Consulting?
“Strategy” can often get thrown around as a buzzword, but my time at Bain showed me what it really means in practice. At its core, strategy consulting is about helping companies solve their most complex business challenges – whether that's entering new markets, improving profitability, or completely reimagining their business model.
What made my experience at Bain particularly unique was the variety of work. On my first case, I was consulting for a major Aerospace & Defense contractor, helping them redesign their business development function. Next, I was working with a pharma company on the launches of new drugs. This shift between industries and problems is both the most challenging and rewarding aspect of strategy consulting.
The work itself typically follows a structured approach, though every project is different. We'd start by defining the real problem behind the client's challenge – often what they initially think is the issue isn't the root cause. Then we'd dive into rigorous analysis, combining data from the client's internal systems, market research, and competitor intelligence. Finally, we'd synthesize all this information into clear, actionable recommendations for the client's leadership team.
Strategy cases at Bain typically culminated in creating an integrated roadmap for our clients. While the analysis and recommendations were crucial, the real value came from mapping out exactly how to bring these insights to life. We'd develop detailed implementation plans that outlined key initiatives, timing, resource requirements, and critical success factors. This wasn't just a high-level strategy document – it was a practical blueprint that helped clients understand not just the "what" but the "how," complete with clear metrics to track progress. This focus on actionable implementation planning is something I've carried forward into my own business ventures.
Day in the life of a Consultant
A typical day as a consultant at Bain was both structured and unpredictable – which kept things interesting. Most mornings started with team meetings to align on priorities and tackle any roadblocks. From there, the day could take various directions depending on what stage of the project we were at. I might spend hours conducting market research and synthesizing findings, scheduling calls with industry experts to gather insights, or diving deep into internal client data to uncover trends.
A significant portion of time was dedicated to preparing client presentations – transforming complex analyses into clear, compelling stories that would resonate with VP-level or C-suite executives. We'd usually reconvene as a team toward the end of the day to discuss progress and align on next steps.
Fridays at Bain created an opportunity to connect with the broader office, team, and meet new people over informal coffee chats; this was one of my favorite parts about working at Bain.
Top Skills Needed as a Strategy Consultant
Success as a strategy consultant comes down to mastering a core set of skills that I found myself using daily at Bain. Data analysis was the foundation of everything we did – being able to quickly analyze complex datasets in Excel, identify meaningful patterns, and draw actionable insights was crucial. This went beyond just knowing formulas; it was about structuring analysis well and making it easy to follow the logic of a model.
Equally important was the ability to craft compelling presentations in PowerPoint. Nearly all of our analysis landed on slides to present or keep as backup for client presentations. This meant transforming complex findings into clear, visually appealing slides that could tell a story and drive decision-making at the executive level.
Client communication was a crucial skill that required constant refinement at Bain. Each interaction demanded clear delivery of complex findings, whether presenting to C-suite executives or presenting internally. Success meant knowing when to dive deep into the analysis versus staying high-level, anticipating questions before they arose, and building credibility through both formal presentations and day-to-day interactions. This skill proved especially valuable when delivering challenging messages or seeking buy-in for major strategic changes.
Finally, there's the critical skill of work planning and team coordination. Projects at Bain often involved multiple workstreams running simultaneously, with team members working on different analyses and deliverables. Learning to break down complex projects into manageable pieces, set realistic timelines, and keep everyone aligned was essential for delivering high-quality work on schedule. This meant not just managing your own tasks but understanding how your work fit into the broader project objectives.
What do they teach you when starting your consulting role?
When you start at Bain, the training covers essential tools and frameworks you'll use daily. Excel training moves quickly from basics to advanced analysis techniques and Bain-specific approaches to analysis. PowerPoint sessions focus on the firm's proven approaches to creating impactful presentations, including proprietary tools that maintain consistency across global teams.
The curriculum has evolved to include AI tools and prompting techniques, showing how consulting continues to adapt to new technologies. Strategic training rounds out the experience, where you learn core consulting frameworks through real case studies from Bain's project history. What makes the training particularly effective is how it continues throughout your time at the firm – whether through formal sessions, mentorship, or project work, you're constantly building on these foundational skills.
What don’t they teach you when starting your consulting role?
While the training is great for business strategy and learning how to work as a Bain consultant, the training on technical skills was more surface-level and left many consultant’s in the position of needing to learn important skills on the job.
Skills You Will Learn on the Job in Strategy Consulting
The real skill development in strategy consulting happens on the job, as each project presents new challenges and learning opportunities. While the initial training gives you a foundation in Excel and PowerPoint, you'll quickly find yourself learning advanced techniques through real project work. I found myself doing complex Excel modeling when projects demanded it. Similarly, my PowerPoint skills evolved far beyond basic presentations – you learn to create sophisticated data visualizations and develop an eye for designing slides that effectively communicate at the executive level.
As you take on different workstreams, you're also exposed to various specialized tools and technologies. Depending on the project, you might work with expert call or project management tools related to your case work.
Top Courses to Prepare Yourself for a Strategy Consulting Role
Excel
Based on my experience at Bain, I highly recommend Career Center's Excel Bootcamp as a starting point. This 3-day intensive course covers exactly what you need – from fundamental calculations to advanced functions like VLOOKUP and Pivot Tables. What makes this bootcamp particularly valuable for aspiring consultants is how it progresses from basics to advanced database functions and What-If Analysis, which are tools you can use frequently in consulting work. The hands-on training approach mirrors how you'll actually use Excel in consulting projects.
PowerPoint
PowerPoint skills can make or break your effectiveness as a consultant, and Career Center's PowerPoint Bootcamp provides a solid foundation. Their 2-day course is particularly relevant for consulting work as it focuses on creating professional, consistent presentations – a crucial skill when you're preparing client deliverables. You'll learn everything from basic layouts to advanced features like custom themes and managing large presentations, which is exactly what you need when working on complex consulting decks.
Other
With AI tools becoming increasingly important in consulting, I'd recommend Career Center’s AI for Workplace Productivity course covering ChatGPT and Copilot. This training is particularly relevant as firms are actively incorporating AI tools into their workflow. The course's focus on prompt engineering and Microsoft Office integration aligns perfectly with the modern consultant's toolkit. Understanding how to leverage AI effectively can give you a significant advantage, especially when it comes to accelerating research and analysis tasks that are common in consulting.
Conclusion
While the learning curve in consulting can be steep, investing in the right skills before you start – particularly in areas like Excel, PowerPoint, and emerging technologies – can give you a significant head start. The consulting toolkit you'll develop, from data analysis to client communication, provides a foundation that proves valuable whether you stay in consulting or venture into other business areas.
About Career Centers
NYC Career Centers is a premier provider of professional development and corporate training in New York City, helping individuals and organizations achieve their career goals since its founding. Known for its personalized approach, the center offers a wide range of hands-on courses in essential skills like Microsoft Office, data analytics, business communication, and project management.
With a commitment to empowering professionals at every stage of their journey, NYC Career Centers provides both in-person and live online training options, catering to diverse learning preferences. Their expert instructors bring real-world experience to the classroom, ensuring practical, actionable learning.
Whether you're an individual seeking to upskill or a business aiming to improve employee productivity, NYC Career Centers provides tailored solutions designed to meet your unique needs.
About the Author
Joe Kattan is Owner and CEO of AppraiseItNow, an online marketplace service for appraisals of real estate, personal property, equipment, and businesses for any type of intended use. As operator of AppraiseItNow, Joe brings technology, automation, and AI into all functions of the company. Prior to his role at AppraiseItNow, Joe was a consultant at Bain & Company where he worked with major corporations in industrials, aerospace & defense, and healthcare on growth strategy and post-merger integration.