Prepare Yourself to Work as a Consultant
A consultant may be employed by an individual, or directly by a company, government department, or individual, or they may be employed indirectly through an agency, to fulfil a short-term role.
Consultants may be required by a variety of employers. Sometimes they may be consulted regularly by the same employer for varying lengths of employment, at other times it may be a one-off contract.
There are consultants who represent a broad range of professions and industries. A consultant is basically someone that other people will turn to for their knowledge, expertise and ideas. People with expertise in several different areas, for instance in a number of different facets of business management, may work as consultants in several different capacities or roles.
COURSE CONTENT
This course consists of 7 lessons, which are:
- HOW TO BE A CONSULTANT
- PACKAGING CONSULTANCY SERVICES
- DELIVERING CONSULTANCY SERVICES
- BUILDING RESOURCES FOR A CONSULTANCY PRACTICE
- FINDING THE WORK, GETTING THE JOB
- PLANNING TO BE A CONSULTANT
- ETHICS FOR CONSULTANTS
ARE YOU SUITED TO BEING A CONSULTANT?
It takes a special sort of person to be a consultant. It is impossible to be a good consultant if one cannot motivate oneself to work, or if one is too concerned about risks and risk-taking.
It can be tough being a consultant – but it can also be rewarding. Aspiring consultants must be totally committed. Four keys to consulting success are:
1. Total commitment to making a success of the practice - if it is not there, people should do something else.
2. Meaningful differentiation of the services offered.
3. The ability to sell oneself.
4. The deserved reputation for providing more value than expected.
Consulting is a lifestyle chosen for the future because of what it gives the consultant.
A good consultant should not only have knowledge of the discipline and industry they consult in, but should also be characterised by:
- A capacity for active listening
- Fearlessness
- An ability to see everything in perspective and take pragmatic decisions
- A natural ability to communicate clearly and to the point
- An ability to influence the client
- Overall, good interpersonal skills
