How Do I Become a Faculty Consultant?

A faculty consultant is a scholar or specialist employed by a university who also advises businesses, government agencies, and other organizations not directly affiliated with universities. To become a faculty consultant, you first need to become an expert in a particular field. For most people, this means earning doctorate degrees. If a person has excelled in a particular field, he or she might be invited to become an academic faculty member, even if he or she has not earned the usual degrees. To become a faculty consultant, it can also be a good idea to publish papers and attend scholarly gatherings.

Faculty members are employed by universities to teach or perform research projects. Many universities encourage faculty members to act as consultants for outside organizations. Faculty members who act as consultants are thought to have a better grasp on the practical applications of their fields and also can help a university to play a greater role in its community.

To become a faculty consultant, it is important to earn a good reputation in your field. For most people, the best way to earn this level of prestige is to work toward graduate degrees in their areas of specialization. While in a bachelor's program, you should decide on the specific areas in which you would like to work. For example, an international finance student might choose to study a particular demographic in a specific nation.

As you earn your degrees, you should compose and continually update your curriculum vitae (CV). This is a document, similar to a resume, in which you list your education, teaching experience, and research projects. Publications, presentations, and honors also should be listed on your CV. You can prove yourself an expert by developing a CV that shows that you been recognized for your scholarly accomplishments in a particular field.

Once you have a full time faculty position, you might continue to perform research products and remain generally active in your academic community. It also can be a good idea to focus papers and presentations on issues related to an organization you want to consult. For instance, if you would like to consult a financial institution on currency exchange, you should make currency exchange a subject of your work.

If professionals in a field take note of your work, you might be invited to become a faculty consultant. In other instances, you might need to approach organizations with ideas about their practices. Universities often regulate work faculty consultants can perform and organizations with which they can work.