I’m a consultant. In past jobs, I’ve hired consultants. I’ve seen both sides of the coin. I believe that I offer great value to my clients with my expertise, knowledge and connections. I’ve also hired consultants that told me exactly what I already knew and I felt like they were robbing me when I paid their bill. How do you get the best value for your money when you hire a consultant?
Hire the right one.
I have very specialized skills, knowledge and experience. I also have a personality that lends itself well to certain business situations. One of my clients wanted me to do just what they tell me to do. They didn’t use my unique expertise to solve their problems. They probably didn’t feel that they got good value from me because they didn’t hire the right consultant – they should have hired someone who was good at following their directions. Another client told me to figure out what they need. One of my specialties is working in ambiguous situations and determining the needs of the client in a way that helps the corporate doubters understand the value of this consulting. These clients found tremendous value in the solutions I provided.
You wouldn’t go to a dentist when you needed heart surgery, would you?? Don’t just hire the first consultant who comes through the door. Hire the right consultant for your job. That means knowing what you want and using that as a filter to hire the best person for the situation.
Comments