The first management consulting firms were founded in the early 20th century due to demand by companies for experts to help them increase profits, improve efficiency, and streamline the financial operations of their organizations. Financial consulting is one of the main subspecialties of management consulting. Consulting professionals provide expertise and unbiased advice to businesses (ranging from mom-and-pop companies to multinational corporations), government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and wealthy individuals and families. Advice is provided on a wide range of financial issues such as transaction services, general tax issues, tax and treasury optimization, risk management, compliance with state and federal laws, capital budgeting, project valuation, financial information integrity, profit-and-loss reporting, mergers and acquisitions, business valuation, and corporate restructuring.

Consultants, analysts, and consulting managers are the main players in the financial consulting industry, but there are also career opportunities in administrative services and executive support, business development, human resources, information technology (especially cybersecurity and the emerging fields of artificial intelligence and advanced data analysis), public relations, sales and marketing, and other areas.

Financial consultants work as salaried employees or as freelancers. (Approximately 15 percent of management consultants are self-employed.) Large management consulting and accounting firms offer the largest number of opportunities to financial consultants, but there are also many opportunities with small and mid-sized firms and in corporate consulting departments.

Many people want to become consultants. This career often makes “best job” lists in industry publications. In 2021, U.S. News & World Report ranked the career of management consultant as the 63^rd-best job and the 10^th-best business career in terms...