As corporate America grows more diverse, it expects the consulting firms that serve it to do the same. The opportunities are open and the time is right for Latinas and other minorities to pursue a consulting career and reap the rewards that come with it, both for themselves and their larger communities.

Corporate America continues to increase the diversity of its leadership and work force — reaping tangible benefits. For example, according to DiversityInc 2006, the top 10 companies for recruitment and retention of minorities also hold prestigious Fortune 500 rankings.

Carlos Munoz, a Hispanic principal at Deloitte Consulting LLP, sees increasing corporate diversity reflected in his work. “More and more, the people we’re selling to are minorities, whether they’re women, Hispanics, African Americans or Asians,” explains Carlos. “One of the primary criteria for winning in the marketplace is that we resemble our clients — our make-up, our culture and sometimes the way we work.”

Carlos also points out that minority populations represent a growing consumer force with increasing purchasing power.

This expanding internal and external business influence is making consulting a hot profession for minorities. So why do minorities, particularly African Americans and Hispanics, continue to remain underrepresented in consulting? Some believe that professional services careers were essentially closed to people of color until the late 1970s and that the industry is lagging behind because of its late start. Others believe that a lack of understanding about what consulting offers has led those with business-oriented degrees to seek careers in other industries. 

Giving Back vs. Getting Ahead
Karen Johns, executive director of the Diversity Pipeline Alliance, an organization helping minority students prepare for successful careers in business and management, points to a possible reason African Americans and Hispanics may not be pursuing business-related professions despite expanding career opportunities.

“A recent survey that we conducted with undergraduates at some Historically Black Colleges and Universities revealed that minority students were not very keen on MBA degrees and business careers because they wanted to do jobs that mattered to their communities,” said Karen.

However, many minorities already working in professional services firms discount the notion that consulting is mainly self-serving. Victor Arias, Jr., himself a Latino executive and a senior client partner with Korn Ferry in Dallas, sees professional services not only as an area where minorities are poised to make strides but also where they can “give back” the most. He observes, “Professional services is where a lot of the hidden money is as well as the hidden value. It’s where we learn how to teach our communities to create wealth for their own benefit. It is also where we learn how to play the game and operate at the highest levels.”

Diane Lee, an African American principal and senior consultant in the Los Angeles office of Mercer Human Resource Consulting, points out that most consulting firms give people structured opportunities to reach out, such as community clean-ups, high-school education programs and partnering with national and local charities.

Moreover, a consulting career offers many benefits. Wealth creation, for individuals as well as their families and communities, is one benefit. Advancement opportunities are another, as is broad exposure to an array of  industries, disciplines and management levels.

Carlos appreciates the unique work environment. “The Deloitte U.S. Firms find top-quartile people,” he says. “That to me was exciting because I like getting into discussions with smart people. Not to say that industry doesn’t have them, but it’s different because in a consulting firm, the entire asset base is smart people. The work is also different; it is noncyclical. There’s a lot about not having to do the same thing every day that appeals to me.” 

“I would recommend a career in consulting based on the idea that the face of the world is changing,” says Diane. “And in today’s global economy, firms need people who represent all different groups.”

Tonie Leatherberry is a director with Deloitte Consulting LLP, where she is the chairperson of Deloitte Consulting’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee, a national initiative dedicated to encouraging overall organizational strength through individual and diverse perspectives and equal opportunities for advancement for all. In addition, she was recently named one of the top 25 consultants by Consulting Magazine and was featured on the cover of the May/June 2006 issue. E-mail her at  tleatherberry@deloitte.com.

Kiran Uppuluri is a senior consultant with Deloitte Consulting, where she is also the chief of staff for the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. E-mail her at: kuppuluri@deloitte.com