Look Inside
The Professional Practice for Consultants ebook is great place to start if you are considering becoming a consultant. The ebook covers everything that you would need to consider when starting out.
Whether you work for yourself or someone else, you need to be able to present what you have to offer in a way which attracts employers.
As a consultant, you need to stand out from others in your field.
Whilst to some degree your demand will be related to your relevant experience, years in the industry, and perhaps notoriety through media recognition, publications, word-of-mouth and so forth - the way that you sell yourself is also important.
It is important to consider:
¦ What services am I going to offer?
¦ How am I going to present my services?
¦ What am I going to charge?
A consultant may be regarded as having expert knowledge because what they specialise in is beyond the scope of most people’s awareness.
Usually, a consultant is employed on a temporary basis until a particular task has been completed. They are needed because there is no-one within a company or institution with the type of knowledge which is sought. In business, a consultant may be hired to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of a business. In landscaping, a consultant may be hired because they have an extensive knowledge of the symptoms of plant nutrient deficiencies. In mental health, a psychologist may act as a consultant with regards to a particular group of mental health disorders, for instance, autism spectrum disorders.
ISBN: 978-0-9874834-4-7
Pages: 64
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Credits
Foreword
Chapter 1 How to be a Consultant
Areas of operation
Who employs consultants?
Consultancy offshoots
Consultant resources
Chapter 2 Packaging your services
Choosing your services
Presenting your services
Presenting yourself
Structuring fees
Chapter 3 Delivering your services
Developing a contract pro forma
Time management
Group work
Outsourcing
Location
What to ask a client
Chapter 4 Building your Resources
Networking
Collaboration
Developing relationships with clients
Developing relationships with employment agencies
Memberships
Physical resources
Chapter 5 Finding the work, Getting the job
Where to look for work
Preparing for job interviews and meetings with potential clients
Creating a curriculum vitae or resume
Selling your expertise or your consultancy
New contracts
Chapter 6 Planning
The importance of planning
Situational analysis
Marketing strategy
Marketing plan
Case studies
Chapter 7 Ethics
Guidelines for making ethical decisions
Appendix
Distance learning and online courses
Ebooks by John Mason and ACS staff
Printed books by John Mason
Useful contacts
ACS global partners
Social media