by Jan Malasek | Jan 29, 2015 | Independent Consulting, Uncategorized
Independent consultants are finding an increasing number of project opportunities that offer interesting assignments, sought-after flexibility, and highly competitive pay. In fact, many consultants and executives believe that being an independent consultant is a terrific way to catapult their career by gaining a greater degree of exposure to specific functional domains and industries, leading to a more satisfying and varied work experience. Additionally, specialized companies such as OnDemand Resources, have made finding the “ideal consulting assignment” easier and more accessible than ever. However, securing a steady stream of desirable contract work requires a different skill set and mindset from landing full-time employment at a corporation. To help guide your efforts, we’ve collected “best practice” advice from some of our most successful network partners, members of the OnDemand Talent Network. Their practical wisdom will help guide your efforts to- wards securing phenomenal consulting projects. The Resume As an independent consultant your resume is the most important document that a potential hiring manager will review. It’s therefore critical that you take the extra time to really understand the engagement and tailor your resume to satisfy the exact profile the client is seeking. When selecting specific examples to illustrate relevant work experience, describe five or six specific skills that directly relate to what the hiring manager requires to successfully complete the project assignment. Further, don’t just list what you did for a particular firm; instead speak to your accomplishments and the results that you produced for them. For example, rather than saying that you managed seven people and led a $20 million sourcing initiative, identify that your efforts generated over $15 million...
by Jan Malasek | Jan 29, 2015 | Independent Consulting, Uncategorized
The fast pace and complex nature of today’s global marketplace presents numerous challenges for executives tasked with driving sustainable results. Corporations are often forced to move at a rapid pace despite a shortage of in-house staff, funds, time, and/or expertise. Fortunately, a cost-effective, reliable resource solution has emerged that enables corporations to effectively address critical business opportunities and challenges for an immediate impact and quality results. Through specialized firms such as OnDemand Resources, executives can easily identify and deploy high quality interim independent project talent matched to their particular requirements at a moment’s notice without having strings attached. Companies retain seasoned, high-caliber professionals with the exact functional experience they require on a short, long, or part-time basis so that they can increase efficiencies, manage organizational risk, and accomplish the goals on their strategic agenda. So how are companies leveraging independent professionals to deal with today’s business complexities? We’ve outlined five proven approaches to accomplish a variety of business objectives. These strategies enable executives to make significant progress in spite of a lack of in-house resources or time constraints and are significantly budget friendlier compared to traditional consulting alternatives. Targeted Project Expertise: Scenario: You have a defined project that goes beyond your current organizational knowledge and/or staffing levels, An independent consultant with deep background in the specific subject matter has the ability to move very quickly to help your organization “move the needle” and deliver better results a lot faster than you would be able to do it on your own. They are also a lot more cost effective than traditional consulting alternatives. An experienced independent consultant is very well...
by Jan Malasek | Jan 28, 2015 | Independent Consulting, Uncategorized
There is a spotlight focused on the traditional consulting model. Increasing economic pressure and the need for faster sustainable results are profoundly changing the way companies choose to leverage and engage traditional consulting services. The days of partners selling the work and junior consultants delivering the projects while learning the subject matter may be gone. Globalization and advances in technology have accelerated the speed and flow of information, requiring companies to adapt quickly and prudently to dynamic market conditions. The supply chain is no exception. The fact is that today’s projects are getting more targeted, are shorter in duration and require deep domain expertise to generate the type of results for which companies are looking. Since the end of the last major consulting downturn in the early 2000s, and with the advent of merger and acquisition (M&A) activity that has displaced some very accomplished talent, a new breed of consulting talent is emerging to address today’s pressing business opportunities and challenges – the independent supply chain consulting professional. Independent consultants are highly equipped to deliver the type of results companies desire by virtue of the fact that they have “been there, done that” for other organizations, are typically more seasoned, can quickly orient in the particular business situation and can speak the business language aligned with senior executives of client companies. The rise of the independent supply chain consulting market is driven by several key factors. They include the following: Need for Specific Expertise – The complexity of today’s supply chain challenges requires deep domain expertise. From sourcing in new low-cost countries to evaluating complex supply chain technology, it...
