CMap Finds Senior Talent Dominates Junior Consultant Applicant Pool

CMap says nearly two thirds of applicants for junior business consultant roles are senior professionals, according to findings released in a press release. Its analysis also found that junior vacancies increasingly request senior skills, most often strategic planning or data narration, with some listings requiring up to four such skills.

The research gave professional services an AI adoption score of 91 out of 100, ranking the sector second among 19 large US sectors. Nearly 39% of professional services businesses use AI in core functions, compared with a 20% national average.

CMap found that 16% of firms replace some staff tasks with AI, while 61% use the technology to support employee tasks. Hiring continued to grow, with boutique consultancies recording 4.61% year over year growth and medium sized firms recording 3.03%.