Definition of Consulting

Recently I've been asked how I'd define a consultant's job, and after a lot of head scratching I came up with the following:

Consulting is a process model that a client can use to find out how to change their business by employing a relationship with a subject matter expert.

That's it. Some people can offer specialized advice, and some people need to learn how to improve their businesses. Consulting is the process by which the two parties come together, exchange knowledge, and then part ways. At this point, I'd like to say how much of a joke it is that junior professionals can ever be called consultants (unless their subject space is really tiny) because they're not really experts in anything (despite what they might like to think). By my definition, someone cannot be considered a true consultant until they have mastered their subject matter. I like the title Associate Consultant for those who clearly have the capacity to become consultants, but Principal Consultant should be reserved for the elite.

Senior Consultant? It wouldn't sound good with an "Associate" thrown between the words, but it would be far more accurate.