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How to Answer the Question, "What Do You Consult?"

Like the word strategy, the word consulting has a number of meanings - depending who you talk to.
In my consulting career, I've done a number of things; including writing basic SQL statement and UNIX commands, developing training documentation, conducting a spend analysis, creating presentations on behalf of a client that is .PPT challenged, building oversized Gantt charts, facilitating meetings with client executives, hanging on to a strategy engagement or two -- and the list goes on. 

I fall in the 80% of the consulting pool that is a jack of all trades and master of none.

A question that I get that is fun to answer is, "What do you consult?" 

If I wanted to stop the conversation immediately, I say, "IT." 
That's like garlic or the cross to Dracula. As soon as you say IT, all questioning will stop. 

If you want people to ask more questions, then throw out a big client name-- "I work for [insert Fortune 50 company here.]" You'll get a an eyes wide open reaction like that's really interesting. And then they'll start asking questions about the company (the Fortune 50 one, not yours.) 

When you really want to impress people, answer, "I work for [insert McKinsey, Bain, or BCG]." Those brands have such a huge reputation, people will automatically think you are advising (key word, advising) big time CEOs and if you kept talking to the person that asked you the question, you would have to kill them. 

My point is that everybody is a consultant. I don't know anyone that doesn't like giving an opinion or advice to someone -- even when he or she doesn't want it.

So if someone asks you the question, "What do you consult?" answer it with the truth and try to make it interesting. The question is one of those that you can answer with almost anything, and you'll always be right. 
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