If an organisation decides it needs an important injection of expertise, there is often no time to waste as the expertise required is not usually sitting within the organisation with enough bandwidth to assist.

Identifying and then securing the right consultant often calls for a fast and efficient process to identify the appropriate level of experience. Unless the hiring manager has a good network of consultants to consider, they will often turn to their networks to help locate the right person as quickly as possible. This is the reason why I always ensure that hiring managers know that I am available for consulting assignments, whereas many independent consultants fail to be proactive in terms of marketing themselves.

It does not seem to make good sense on the part of the independent consultant, but of course not everyone knows how to market themelves, and regardless of their level of expertise in their specialism, many consultants struggle to retain a regular pipeline of clients. Most people do not enter the world of independent consulting but it suits some people perfectly. The uncertainly, continuous change and other challenges keep most people in a permanent role.

I have loved the independent consulting world and I thrive upon the challenges and rewards that come with it. It is easy for me to write about all of the positive sides to consulting and encourage others to try it, but I am also aware that it is a lifestyle that many are not interested in. On occasions in the early days of my consulting career, I too had thought, “maybe I should get a job”, but I am so thankful that I never did that and I do not envy those in permanent roles.

Many of the independent consultants I know are not interested in a routine existence and of course there is the hunger for a challenge to change things that they enjoy. They know they are able to satify their clients, because they have successfully done so for many clients already. They have typically reached a ‘go-it-alone’ stage in life and thrive on a very demanding, yet rewarding lifestyle.

Experience to create change is essential for a good independent consultant – together with strong interpersonal and communication skills. This is of course reqired of most employed managers, but the independent consultant has to undertake a task without any prior experience of the organisation in question and this is a huge challenge that most people never consider.

Some of the personal attributes required of the independent consultant include being a high-achiever, results orientated, positive, someone who is proactive, prefers a hands-on approach and is able to do what it takes to get things done. They must ensure they are politically sensitive and be very self-aware. An understanding of international business and cultural issues can also be very useful, dependening on the type of consulting and market reach.

The typical successful independent consultant will step into an organisation on day one and quickly establish a team relationship with their peer group then sell the concept of why they are there. The outstanding interpersonal skills and a positive attitude should be immediately apparent with the ability to initiate good relationships with all the key people on the client-side.

Clients are always wise to move fast to secure the interest of the independent consultant they want to undertake their challenge, to avoid the risk of losing them to another client. Independent consultants are a growing breed, but many have and will contunue to fail because they do not know how to market themselves properly and one day they run out of business. The independent consultant who succeeds the in the long run will usually have a regular flow of clients – not because of their expertise in their field, but because they have learned the various ways in which successful independent consultants market themselves.