Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
We often talk about how organizations need to think about adding a “borrow” strategy to their recruiting efforts. A borrow strategy is intentionally, strategically partnering with freelancers, contractors, and consultants to get work done.
But we haven’t talked much about what this means for the contractor / consultant who does the work. That’s what today’s reader note is all about.
I’m a human resources professional with a MBA and both the SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications. I’ve been in some different HR roles, but they do not equate to much experience. Currently, I have a very small, super small staffing firm. It’s not enough to pay our bills, so I have frequently found consulting jobs to help sustain us.
I’m at a place financially where I need to do that again but I’m looking for ways to increase my business offerings and not have the need to look for outside employment. What are some things that I should consider when trying to consult full-time?
As you probably know, I’m a human resources consultant. Been doing it for over twenty years. It’s the best job ever. But I will also be the first to admit that it’s not for everyone. And I couldn’t do what I do today if I hadn’t spent time gaining real life human resources knowledge, skills, and abilities as an in-house HR professional.
But I didn’t want you to just walk away with just my experience. So, I reached out to a few colleagues who also do consulting work in the human resources space. I asked them to share one piece of advice for a new consultant and here’s what they said:
With over 30 years in HR, Lisa I. Perez, SPHR, SHRM-SCP is founder of HBL Resources, Inc. and a USA Today bestselling author. She’s been recognized with two 2020 American Business Awards® Silver Stevie Awards for Entrepreneur and Human Resources Professional of the Year. Originally, from Brooklyn, NY, she is a wife, mom, grandma, and considers herself a craft geek.
It’s critical that you take the time and effort to prepare a thorough and well thought out business plan which is essential for anyone starting out as a consultant. This document becomes a living document that should be used routinely to ensure you are on track, revise and update as necessary but also that you execute on your vision for your business. It really will serve as your roadmap, helping you define your goals and strategies to achieve them.
Think big picture for your business and as Steven Covey says, begin with the end in mind so be sure to include all the dreams you have for your business. Additionally, a business plan can help you secure potential funding or lines of credit to support you as you grow your revenues. A great resource to get this accomplished at no cost is to locate your local SCORE Chapter and request a mentor.
Jess Miller-Merrell, founder of Workology.com, is a former executive HR leader turned thought leader and entrepreneur focused on sharing resources and stories to help elevate the workplace, employees, and business leaders. Her newest book is “Digitizing Talent: Creative Strategies for the Digital Recruiting Age”published by SHRM in 2023.
For anyone starting out as a human resources consultant, the one thing I would suggest is to prioritize building a strong network and relationships within the HR community and broader business world. HR consulting is a unique skill set, but it depends on relationships almost entirely. This doesn’t mean dive-bombing your LinkedIn network with messages, but instead focus on events (in-person or online) and use them not only as an opportunity to learn, but a way to build connections with people in the industry.
Recently, we had a posting in my Recruiters Online Facebook group that cold calling is 90% mindset and I wholly agreed. But other experienced and successful salespeople said mindset gets you on the phone, but sales skills deliver the orders. If you are a consultant in your own business, you must be able to bring in the clients. Business development is key, and my belief is that boldness is the one thing that you need to get on the phone and make presentations comfortably.
Tim Sackett, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CEO of HRUTech.com and author of “The Talent Fix, Vol. 2” coming out in April 2024.
The one thing I would do is do two things! First, you must create an easy way for people to write you a check. Do not underestimate how difficult this is. Most new consultants have all this brilliant knowledge and can help their potential clients but then never tell the client this is how we will work with each other.
The best example of this comes from a friend of mine whose grandmother sold door-to-door in downtown Detroit in the 1950s! In those days, selling door to door, you were selling to housewives. So, she sold 3 things: a cooked chicken the ladies could put on the table that day. Stockings the ladies needed for church and maybe bought every other week or so. And a fur coat, which every lady would dream of but almost could never afford. The question you must ask yourself is, what is your ‘chicken’? What little thing can you do for your clients that will get them to sign that contract easily and write you that small check? Getting them to write you that check changes how they see you as a professional. They are now paying for your services. Do not give yourself away for free. Find something they want that isn’t big but they are willing to pay for. Then once they are a paying client, upsell them to your ‘fur coat’!
What’s the second thing? Be prepared to mostly do business development as a consultant. 20% of your time will be consulting. The other 80% will be selling your services. The biggest failure I see consistently with consultants is they underestimate how difficult business development will be.
You will face the challenges of working in and on the business. Every consultant does. My greatest learnings from 24 years of consulting and serving clients and people with Centennial and the Talent Magnet Institute are:
Always remember that clients are people. You are entering the people business, and being confident and comfortable with yourself, being emotionally healthy personally, and being physically and mentally healthy personally will serve you well and those you work with.
People, systems, and businesses have challenges, wants, desires and needs. Being present, supportive, and yet humbly confident is very important. And,
Determine what you are best at, and this may lead you to stay entrepreneurial or to join a team and be at your highest and best.
I want to extend a huge thanks to Mike, Tim, Animal, Jessica, and Lisa for sharing their experience. One of the things that I thought was interesting was how my conversations with them were all one-on-one, they painted a very realistic picture of consulting life. To summarize:
Have a plan.
Build a network.
Know how to sell.
Make it easy for people to give you money.
Take care of yourself.
These pieces of advice apply whether you’re an HR consultant or a consultant in another field.
Many individuals have a goal to become a consultant. They might want to do this for a variety of reasons – flexibility, location independence, money, etc. Regardless of the reason, it’s important to spend some time thinking about how to be a consultant. Because it is a job.
Image captured by HR Consultant Sharlyn Lauby at the SHRM Annual Conference in Las Vegas, NV
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