7 things you need to know about being an energy consultant

If you're considering a career as an energy consultant, helping clients to use their energy more efficiently and responsibly, here are seven things related to this specialist advisory role

1. You need to be a talented influencer

Energy consultants monitor the energy consumption of an organisation. Based on your findings and research, you'll be expected to advise managers on how to improve energy efficiency and sustainability, reduce utility bills and meet environmental regulations, as well as developing strategies to put your ideas into practice.

This means you'll need to develop a range of skills. The job involves gathering and analysing data using technical modelling software, and keeping accurate records, so you'll need to be highly numerate.

Energy consultants often come from an engineering background, so consider the role of an energy engineer and the overlap with the engineering and manufacturing sector.

You must also be a talented writer, able to compile detailed reports outlining your recommendations, as well as willing to present to an audience.

It's essential that you're able to use the information you've collected to create arguments that will convince colleagues or clients to make changes, potentially at a cost to the business. If you're confident you can influence others and justify your conclusions, then this may be the job for you.

2. You can be employed or go freelance

There are three main ways you can build a career as an energy consultant. One is to be employed directly by a large organisation in the public or private sector as an energy manager. You'll be tasked with developing a long-term energy policy that improves efficiency and cuts costs.

Alternatively, you could work for a consultancy firm as an energy specialist. You'll be assigned to several clients at a time, providing each one with reports and advice on how they can better manage their energy usage. For this, you'll need to be adept at juggling several projects at once.

It's also possible to work on a freelance basis. You'll usually need lots of experience and have developed a strong reputation in the field before starting out on your own, as you'll have to attract clients by yourself. Discover more about becoming a freelancer.

3. It's about 'going green' as well as cutting costs

You may assume that the primary goal of a large organisation (whether you're employed by them, or they're a client) will always be to reduce their financial costs, even at the expense of environmental concerns.

However, this isn't necessarily the case. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is taking a more prominent role in business decision-making, and a smaller carbon footprint is one way to improve brand image. In fact, energy consultants are often brought in to advise companies on how they can make their energy consumption greener.

You might, for example, be asked to report on how the business can use less energy, take advantage of renewable energy sources, or achieve a particular 'green' accreditation.

Therefore, energy consulting can be the ideal choice if you're interested in environmental issues. Explore the environment sector for other career ideas.

4. A relevant degree will help you get started

Energy consultants need to have knowledge of the industry and an interest in the challenges the sector faces. The best way to demonstrate this is by studying for an undergraduate degree in a related subject. For many energy consultant jobs, this is a minimum entry requirement.

For example, your degree could be in:

• energy engineering
• energy management
• environmental management
• renewable energy
• sustainable development.

Other relevant courses include more general engineering degrees, architecture and surveying - read more by exploring the property and construction sector.

If your first degree is in an unrelated subject, you may want to consider postgraduate study. For instance, the MSc Energy Management at Robert Gordon University (RGU) is accredited by the Energy Institute (EI) and is open to graduates with a 2:2 or above in any discipline.

The Masters from RGU also provides access to an optional 48-week work placement. As with all graduate jobs, gaining relevant work experience will help you to get your foot in the door.

Search for postgraduate courses in energy management.

5. You must be a good communicator

Some elements of an energy consultant's job can be relatively solitary. You'll spend a lot of time working with data, carrying out research and putting together reports. However, a vital part of the role is communicating your findings and offering advice to your employer or client.

This includes being able to write your reports in a clear and concise way that delivers complex information in a way that's understandable for non-experts. It also means delivering presentations of your findings and being able to respond to tough questioning - for example, if you're proposing a solution that will cost money. To prepare for this aspect of the role, practise delivering presentations while still at university.

Even before you reach this stage, when you're doing research you'll need to be comfortable with asking colleagues (or employees of your client) about current policies to build a full picture of the company's existing energy consumption.

6. Keeping up to date with legislation is essential

Regulations around energy, harmful emissions and environmental policy are constantly changing, particularly as governments attempt to respond to warnings about the impact of climate change. It's no good producing a report for a client if your suggestions don't comply with the latest legislation.

To become a trusted expert in the field, you need to keep your knowledge up to date. A key part of your job will be to respond to rule changes and advise your employer or client as to what action they need to take, if any, in the most cost-effective way.

You need to have a strong eye for detail, be able to understand complex documents to apply the information to your own work and communicate your findings to non-experts.

7. Not all energy consultant roles are the same

When you're scanning adverts for energy consultancy roles, you'll notice that the job title is used to mean different things by employers. Always read vacancies carefully to ensure the role is right for you.

Be aware that at non-graduate entry level, energy consultant can often refer to a junior sales position. Paid between £16,000 and £22,000, you'll spend your time on the phone, cold calling businesses to try to sell them your company's services (such as brokering cheaper deals on utility bills).

For this, you don't need previous knowledge of the energy industry and some telesales experience is usually the only qualification required.

However, this isn't typically a stepping stone to the graduate energy consultant role, for which you'll need a degree in a relevant subject. According to Reed, the average salary of an energy consultant in the UK is £40,138.

Find out more

• Read about dedicated consulting graduate schemes.
• Explore renewable energy careers.
• Get an overview of the UK's energy and utilities sector.