Is Consulting comparable to a Relationship Manager?

I'm a credit analyst in middle market banking, on the career path to become a Relationship Manager (RM) within a couple of years. In talking with current RMs, credit team leadership, and researching online, I'm starting to think that an RM role is similar to consulting.

RMs (at least in commercial banking) need to understand how a company operates, their working capital cycle, how they make money and where it goes, where they are efficient, and where they could use some help. Using this, they recommend bank products (traditional credit, treasury services, ERP financing, investments, etc) that best fit the client and serve a need.

While I have no experience in consulting, and quite honestly, only have a vague idea of what consultants do on a daily basis, there appear to be some similarities.

The Ask: What are your thoughts/experiences? For someone studying and preparing to become an RM, do you think going though consulting cases would be a worthwhile endeavor?

Thanks

4 Comments
 
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I’m sure someone will write a book on this thread about the differences between commercial banking and consulting. But despite the variation in the types of work you are still in a sales role selling 1) services or b) banking products. It’s more similar than you would think.

Case in point one of my coworkers just exited to a middle market banking gig at the Senior Relationship Manager level at a top 5 bank. Not what I would consider a typical exit but it does happen, in part because of the similarities you noted above. Also because in RX consulting you deal with credit, loans, etc.. a lot so there are some transferable skills.

 

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