Top 8 Reasons to Hire a Consultant
Today’s leaders face more obstacles than moving their product, team, and vision forward. Emerging markets, advanced technology, and consistent economic changes can be challenging for any executive.
So why do companies hire consultants?
Leaning on the expertise of consulting firms can bring invaluable resources, providing industry-leading experience and outside perspectives.
What is the role of a consultant?
A consultant’s primary role is to be an advisor offering expertise to organizations focused on improving business performance.
Top 8 reasons to hire a consultant:
- Consultants are subject matter experts
- Consultants are low-risk & high-reward
- Consultants bring an outside perspective
- Consultants streamline processes
- Consultants expand your network of resources
- Consultants support during transitions
- Consultants influence team requirements
- Consultants provide project management
Consultants are subject matter experts
Some projects require a subject matter expert — someone proficient in an area of expertise beyond your team’s knowledge and skillset. Sure, you could put one of your existing employees through training, but that could take weeks or even months and, in most cases, is not a practical solution.
Bringing in a consultant with previous knowledge and experience on a specific deliverable will save internal resources while simultaneously providing internal training for your team.
Consultants are low-risk & high-reward
Hiring can be challenging, especially in the current economic environment and finding the right individuals for your specific project is even more difficult. Bringing in an outside consultant provides fast access to someone who will hit the ground running and add immediate value.
They can help you for as little or as long as you need without permanence. Consultants can be a quick solution that creates a low-risk, high-reward situation for an organization.
Consultants bring an outside perspective
One of the unique benefits of being a consultant is the exposure to various industries and companies over a short time. Engaging a consultant to plan the approach and execute the task objectively can be a huge benefit.
Consultants have seen many different organizational structures, industry-specific problems, project management, and problem-solving strategies that will help them recommend a solution you may not have considered without their unique viewpoint.
Consultants streamline processes
Consultants have a diverse background and breadth of experience, not only in various industries but also in work content.
In many situations, as a consultant works on an initial project, they become more familiar with your organizational culture, team, and processes, allowing them to identify other areas that can be improved, streamlined, or automated.
Consultants expand your resources
The more people you know and the more extensive your network, the more successful you will be. Having a network of professionals in your field with diverse experiences, skillsets, and industry knowledge will add value to you as a professional and to the company.
A good consultant will not only help your organization in the short term by completing the project but will also be a valuable resource to you in the future. Consultants can become champions for your organization!
Consultants support during transitions
A transition period within an organization is one of the most common times to bring in consultants. Transition periods may include expansion, relocation, mergers & acquisitions, or divesting a business unit.
Change may also be due to implementing new policies, procedures, or systems. During these transition periods, more work is needed, more specialized projects, and, in some cases, more employee turnover — examples of situations where consultants can add tremendous value.
Consultants influence team requirements
Whether your company is expanding and has newly created positions or is backfilling an existing role, bringing in a consultant is a great way to test the scope of the role and assist in the creation or redefinition of desk-level procedures.
Consultants can assist you in drafting the job description, interviewing candidates, and providing hiring recommendations. In many cases, consultants can train and onboard your new employee(s).
Consultants provide project management
When process improvements or significant change (i.e., system implementation) are required, the department or internal team is often too busy to dedicate the time and resources necessary to tackle the project.
By bringing in an outside consultant to manage your project, the consultant can focus on building and testing the new process or system without disrupting the internal team’s day-to-day responsibilities.
We are ready to help
The current business environment requires change. As a leading professional services firm specializing in talent solutions and consulting services, we focus on delivering the expertise and talent that businesses need to succeed. Our dedicated team of consulting professionals is here to help you navigate this dynamic landscape from revamping your business strategy and technology, to executing essential finance and cash management initiatives.
Whether you need specialized consultants for complex initiatives or a technology project delivered end-to-end with strategic guidance and change management, our companies can bridge critical gaps with highly experienced consultants and flexible services.
Ready for a solution? Learn more about the consulting solutions with Addison Group.
