A junior consultant works under the leadership of a senior professional. He reviews a corporation's internal procedures, mechanisms or policies, and he ensures these procedures are adequate and functional. A junior consultant also ensures that corporate procedures comply with industry standards, top management's directives, human resources policies and regulatory guidelines.

Nature of the Work

A junior consultant performs various tasks, depending on the role. To illustrate, a junior accounting consultant reviews a firm's financial reporting systems, and she ensures that accounting reports conform to generally accepted accounting principles, or GAAP. A junior consultant who provides compliance advisory services ensures that employees abide by laws and regulations when performing their tasks. For instance, a junior consultant may help an organization adhere to safety measures that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends.

Education and Training

A junior consultant usually has a bachelor's degree in his field of specialization. For instance, a junior accounting or auditing consultant generally holds a four-year college degree in a finance-related field. A junior consultant who engages in compliance activities needs a degree in regulatory affairs or law. Some junior consultants hold major supervisory responsibilities, and they usually hold advanced degrees, such as master's and doctorates, relevant to their fields.

Wages

A junior consultant's total compensation depends on the industry in which she works, corporate staffing needs and economic trends. Consulting activities experience declining profits in times of economic uncertainty. The U.S. Labor Department’s polls show that junior consultants engaged in management, scientific and technical consulting services earned median wages of $47,476 in 2008, compared with $31,616 for workers throughout private industry. The same surveys show that junior management analysts and consultants earned average salaries of $73,570 in 2008, with the lowest 10 percent of the profession earning less than $41,910 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $133,850.

Career Development

A junior consultant with a bachelor's degree can advance faster if he seeks a master's degree or a professional certification in a relevant field. For instance, a junior audit consultant can improve her promotion chances by seeking a master's degree in finance or a certified public accountant (CPA) license. A skilled and qualified junior consultant advances to a higher function, such as senior consultant, senior management analyst or consulting supervisor, in a few years.

Working Conditions

A junior consultant travels periodically to meet with domestic or international clients, depending on business needs. She also can work long hours during the week or on weekends to accommodate a client. The average junior consultant works from 8.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.