A hypothetical instance
Jason has been working as a marketing consultant for the past two decades, He has acquired a great deal of experience and knowledge from working for many companies – both technology and non-technology related – across the nation. He has learned the in and out of every company he worked for, plus the difference in strategies, performance and results at each one of them. He has dealt with all the benefits and adverse inputs in the same way everywhere he worked. So, being hired at a new startup with bog potential and unrealistic expectations is not a matter of anxiety to him. Besides, the company he will work for has a great hope that John will bring the best to their table.
What is being missed
For John and consultants like him, there have been, however, moments of insecurity or fear of leaving the safety net of corporate world. They have missed the free food, working among colleagues, the free bus ride, pension contribution, medical benefits and much else. Again, they have bargained their way to get the best of what the market offers in terms of salary and convenience. Additionally, their mind has been made up to work at the best of their ability and contribute day in and day out working from the comfort of their own place.
What is being gained
On the flip side, their talent, experience and knowledge have been tapped successfully by companies mostly depending on such professionals. And these consultants are not some random outsourcing consulting business employees helping corporate to cut cost, or a group of individuals sitting across a table offering remote technical support from another country. These are experienced professionals who can advise on operating goals in a competitive market, offer insight into devising new strategies when there is margin pressure and provide collective knowledge gained from working with various environment.
Hiring the right consultant
In essence, consultants can offer very valuable service if a company is hiring them for their
- Leadership
- Credibility
- Expertise
- Objectivity
Maybe you will get a different opinion from regular employees about hiring independent consultants or a consulting business. The reason can be anything from company politics to not being able to work in proximity. Or maybe the hiring personnel do not want to hire because consultants take time to learn company strategies, tools and techniques needed to begin working on the project, all from scratch. Additionally, the reluctance could be due to high pay most consultants charge and their uncertainty about how long they will remain working on that project.
The valuable lesson learned
Frankly, most companies who have hired consultants in the past know that this is not always the case. When their strategic plans are collecting dust in the backroom and they need fresh views, they no longer hesitate to hire consultants to do the job. They also have no fear of the idea of turning over a few critical processes to an experienced consultant in order to make progress. After all, a company that is facing stiff pressure from the market wouldn’t hire personnel without proper scrutiny, would it?
The bottom line is
Hiring a consultant for a task or position can become confusing, particularly when that consultant is exposed to a new environment. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Just like any valuable employee, working with consultants can be a breeze if the right personnel are hired. From avoiding financial pitfalls to resolving project bugs, consultants can offer a great deal of service to get a company back on track.