Home » CV examples » Business operations » Independent Consultant CV example
 

Independent Consultant CV example

Interview-winning CV examples, templates & guide
   

CV news features
CV news features

Navigating the world of freelancing can be tricky, but your CV shouldn’t be what holds you back.

That’s why we’ve crafted this Independent Consultant CV writing guide, complete with tips to showcase your expertise.

Dive into our Independent Consultant CV example below for a blueprint to success that speaks volumes about your professional prowess.

 

 

Independent Consultant CV example

Independent Consultant CV 1

Independent Consultant CV 2

 

This is a good example of a Independent Consultant CV which is professionally formatted, and structured in a way that allows recruiters to easily find and understand the candidate’s key selling points.

Take some time to look at this CV and refer to it throughout the writing of your own CV for best results.

 

CV builder CV builder

 

Independent Consultant CV format and structure

First impressions count, so a sloppy, disorganised CV may cause your CV to be overlooked..

Instead, perfect the format and structure of your CV by working to a clear logical structure and applying some simple formatting tricks to ease readability.

Don’t underestimate the importance of this step; if your CV lacks readability, your written content won’t even be seen.

 

How to write a CV

 

Tips for formatting your Independent Consultant CV

  • Length: Even if you’ve got tons of experience to brag about, recruiters don’t have time to read through overly lengthy CVs. Keep it short, concise and relevant – a CV length of 2 sides of A4 pages or less is perfect for the attention spans in today’s job market.
  • Readability: By formatting your section headings with bold or a different colour font and using bullet points to break up large blocks of text, you can help busy recruiters quickly scan through your CV. This makes it easier for them to find important details without wasting time.
  • Design & format: The saying ‘less is more’ couldn’t be more applicable to CVs. Readability is key, so avoid overly complicated designs and graphics. A subtle colour palette and easy-to-read font is all you need!
  • Photos: Profile photos or aren’t a requirement for most industries, so you don’t need to add one in the UK – but if you do, just make sure it looks professional

 

Quick tip: Creating a professional CV style can be difficult and time-consuming when using Microsoft Word or Google Docs. To create a winning CV quickly, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder and use one of our eye-catching professional CV templates.

 

CV formatting tips

 

 

CV structure

To make it easy for busy recruiters and hiring managers to digest your CV, divide the content into several key sections when writing it:

  • Contact details: Always list your contact details at the very top to avoid them being missed.
  • Profile: Start with an introductory paragraph that catches recruiters’ attention and summarises your offerings.
  • Work experience/career history: List your relevant work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your current position.
  • Education: Provide a concise summary of your education and qualifications.
  • Interests and hobbies: You can include an optional section to showcase any hobbies that demonstrate transferable skills.

Now you understand the basic layout of a CV, here’s what you should include in each section of yours.

 

Contact Details

Contact details

 

Kick-start your CV with your contact details, so recruiters can get in touch easily.
Here’s what you should include:

  • Mobile number
  • Email address – Make sure it’s professional, with no silly nicknames.
  • Location – Your town or city is sufficient, rather than a full address.
  • LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL – Ensure they’ve been updated and are looking slick and professional.

Quick tip: Avoid listing your date of birth, marital status or other irrelevant details – they’re unnecessary at this stage.

 

Independent Consultant CV Profile

Your CV profile is basically a short introductory paragraph, which summarises your key selling points and highlights why you’d make a good hire.

So, write a well-rounded summary of what you do, what your key skills are, and what relevant experience you have.

It needs to be short, snappy and punchy and, ultimately, entice the reader to read the rest of your CV.

 

CV profile

 

How to write a good CV profile:

  • Make it short and sharp: Aim for a short, snappy paragraph of 3-5 lines. This is just enough room to showcase why you’d make the perfect hire, without going into excessive detail and overwhelming busy recruiters.
  • Tailor it: Recruiters can spot a generic, mass-produced CV at a glance – and they certainly won’t be impressed! Before you write your profile (and CV as a whole), read through the job advert and make a list of any skills, knowledge and experience required. You should then incorporate your findings throughout your profile and the rest of your CV.
  • Don’t add an objective: Avoid discussing your career goals in your CV profile – if you think they’re necessary, briefly mention them in your cover letter instead.
  • Avoid generic phrases: “Determined team player who always gives 110%” might seem like a good way to fill up your CV profile, but generic phrases like this won’t land you an interview. Recruiters hear them time and time again and have no real reason to believe them. Instead, pack your profile with your hard skills and tangible achievements.

 

Example CV profile for Independent Consultant

Highly experienced and results-driven Independent Consultant with a strong track record of delivering measurable business improvements for clients across a wide variety of industries. Highly skilled in developing data-driven solutions and multi-stage process improvements with an MBA from London Business Institute. Agile Certified Practitioner with 13 years of experience managing complex projects and building successful relationships with clients on a freelance basis and as part of a consultancy.

 

What to include in your Independent Consultant CV profile?

  • Experience overview: Start with a brief summary of your relevant experience so far. How many years experience do you have? What type of companies have you worked for? What industries/sectors have you worked in? What are your specialisms?
  • Targeted skills: Ensure that your profile highlights your key skills that are most relevant to your Independent Consultant, and tailor them to match the specific job you are applying for. To do this, refer to the job description to closely align your skills with their requirements.
  • Important qualifications: If the job postings require specific qualifications, it is essential to incorporate them in your profile to ensure visibility to hiring managers.

 

Quick tip: If you are finding it difficult to write an attention-grabbing CV profile, choose from hundreds of pre-written profiles across all industries, and add one to your CV with one click in our quick-and-easy CV Builder. All profiles are written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset.

 

Core skills section

Underneath your profile, write a core skills section to make your most relevant skills jump off the page at readers.

It should be made up of 2-3 columns of bullet points of your relevant skills.

Before you do this, look over the job description and make a list of any specific skills, specialisms or knowledge required.

Then, make sure to use your findings in your list. This will paint you as the perfect match for the role.

 

Core skills section CV

 

Important skills for your Independent Consultant CV

Project Management – Planning, executing, and finalising projects according to strict deadlines and within budget, including acquiring resources and coordinating the efforts of team members.

Financial Analysis – Evaluating businesses, projects, budgets, and other finance-related entities to determine their performance and suitability.

Change Management – Facilitating the transition of systems, processes, or technologies within an organisation while minimising disruption and ensuring stakeholder buy-in.

Risk Assessment – Identifying potential risks in project and operational plans and implementing mitigation strategies to minimise impact.

Process Improvement – Analysing current business processes for efficiency and accuracy, and implementing strategies for improvement.

Business Development – Identifying new business opportunities, creating strategic partnerships, and driving the growth of the business.

Regulatory Compliance – Ensuring all business practices, processes, and products meet the necessary legal and ethical standards within a given industry.

Technical Writing – Producing clear and concise documentation such as reports, manuals, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information easily.

CRM Systems – Managing Customer Relationship Management systems to track client interactions and improve customer service and relationships.

Contract Negotiation – Strategically negotiating terms and agreements with clients, suppliers, and other stakeholders to secure advantageous terms.

 

Quick tip: Our quick-and-easy CV Builder has thousands of in-demand skills for all industries and professions, that can be added to your CV in seconds – This will save you time and ensure you get noticed by recruiters.

 

CV builder CV builder

 

Work experience

By this point, employers will be keen to know more detail about you career history.

Starting with your most recent role and working backwards, create a snappy list of any relevant roles you’ve held.

This could be freelance, voluntary, part-time or temporary jobs too. Anything that’s relevant to your target role is well-worth listing!

 

CV work experience order

 

Structuring each job

Lengthy, unbroken chunks of text is a recruiters worst nightmare, but your work experience section can easily end up looking like that if you are not careful.

To avoid this, use my tried-and-tested 3-step structure, as illustrated below:

 

CV role descriptions

 

Outline

Provide a brief overview of the job as a whole, such as what the overriding purpose of your job was and what type of company you worked for.

 

Key responsibilities

Next up, you should write a short list of your day-to-day duties within the job.

Recruiters are most interested in your sector-specific skills and knowledge, so highlight these wherever possible.

 

Key achievements

Finish off by showcasing 1-3 key achievements made within the role.

This could be anything that had a positive effect on your company, clients or customers, such as saving time or money, receiving exemplary feedback or receiving an award.

 

Sample job description for Independent Consultant CV

Outline

Offered strategic advisory services on a freelance basis to clients in a range of industries, supporting 32 companies so far with achieving their business objectives and maximising profitability through actionable recommendations.

Key Responsibilities

  • Conduct thorough market research, analysing industry trends, and competitor landscapes to identify growth opportunities and emerging markets.
  • Provide strategic guidance to clients, developing business plans, financial models, and performance metrics to drive sustainable growth and profitability.
  • Lead internal cross-functional teams, ensuring seamless project execution and delivering results within agreed timelines and budget constraints.
  • Collaborate closely with staff and managers, fostering strong relationships, and aligning project objectives with client expectations.

 

Quick tip: Create impressive job descriptions easily in our quick-and-easy CV Builder by adding pre-written job phrases for every industry and career stage.

 

 

Education section

In your education section, make any degrees, qualifications or training which are relevant to Independent Consultant roles a focal point.

As well as mentioning the name of the organisation, qualification titles and dates of study, you should showcase any particularly relevant modules, assignments or projects.

 

Hobbies and interests

This section is entirely optional, so you’ll have to use your own judgement to figure out if it’s worth including.

If your hobbies and interests could make you appear more suitable for your dream job, then they are definitely worth adding.

Interests which are related to the industry, or hobbies like sports teams or volunteering, which display valuable transferable skills might be worth including.

 

CV builder CV builder

 

Once you’ve written your Independent Consultant CV, you should proofread it several times to ensure that there are no typos or grammatical errors.

With a tailored punchy profile that showcases your relevant experience and skills, paired with well-structured role descriptions, you’ll be able to impress employers and land interviews.

Good luck with your next job application!