As a business owner/manager, you may find yourself needing a consultant in a particular field from time to time to help solve a problem or grow the company in general. Sometimes, your needs may be high-level, like strategic planning or marketing. On other occasions, you may need more pointed solutions, like web design or product research. Whatever your company needs, there will be a consultant out there available to help you. The problem is finding them.
In this article, we will look at how consultants can help a business gain expertise, what traits you should look out for in a consultant, as well as where you can look to find an expert to solve your problem.
What makes someone an expert?
Defining what makes somebody an expert can be difficult, but a good consultant will often display the following attributes:
A good network of actual knowledge
Through experience within their field, experts build connections between principles, concepts, and practical knowledge. Rather than fostering a random set of unrelated and isolated facts, experts develop an interrelated network of information, thorough study and deliberate practice, that sits in their long-term memory. When knowledge structures are interconnected, retrieval cues will help the individual call up similar information from their experience and provide greater creativity in solutions.
The ability to draw conclusions from previous knowledge
Experts are generally good at making inferences, drawing conclusions, finding solutions (as well as taking into account other factors) and offering up actual outcomes. Compared to an average person, their knowledge is organized in a way that enhances their ability to use previous information to solve problems.
Experts are effective at problem-solving
Experts with a vast network of knowledge quickly form solutions that are more likely to be effective than solutions formed by novices. Their substantial experience in the field affects what they notice and how they interpret information and can lead to better problem-solving and performance in his or her field of expertise.
Tips for hiring an expert consultant
Hiring a consultant can be daunting. Here are a few tips to help you out:
Be clear about what you are looking for
Not all consultants are created equal. Someone with general business knowledge will not have the depth of experience that a marketing expert has when dealing with promoting a business. Consultants that are well-versed in your problem are most likely to find a solution, which is why it is important right from the start that you are clear about what you need.
Decide on the length, depth and location of the engagement with the consultant
After working out exactly what you want from your expert, you will need to decide how long you want the consultant to help you. Your business needs will dictate what type of consultant you will need, and more importantly, where you will need to look for them and how long you will engage their services. You will also need to decide if the work needs to be done on-site or virtually from the consultant’s office.
Leverage any networks you have
It is always best to start looking for solutions with the people you know and trust. You may not need (or want) them to help with the problem, but they may know of an expert who can. Think about sending an email to business colleagues or fellow CEO’s asking if they’ve run into a similar problem in the past. See if they are aware of any experts on that particular topic. Having a “stamp of approval” from someone you trust will increase the odds of success with the project.
Check out consultant marketplaces
There are several websites that specialize in helping businesses find consultants. They often allow you to search for experts by topic, budget, and even location. Consider posting your needs on one of these sites and see what responses you get.
Check out freelancer websites
If you are looking for a solution to a very specific problem, a freelancer could be the way to go. Sites like Freelancer, Upwork, and Fiverr allow you to type in keywords and search for the talent you need for your issue.
Consider consulting firms
While freelancers may sound attractive from a cost perspective, if you are looking for guaranteed expertise you might want to consider engaging a dedicated consulting firm. Consulting firms are often more expensive than other options, but they generally engage a vast array of talent and are masters at providing solutions within agreed timescales.
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How can expert consultants help a business?
External experts have higher cognitive skills and can often address issues faster and help businesses implement complex changes. Being too close to a problem can make it hard to identify the root cause of issues and implement a fix. Hiring an external consultant who specializes in solving problems like yours will be able to provide an extra pair of eyes with no vested interest in the company. As such, they may be able to provide a quicker and more thorough solution than if the business struggled on alone.
Here are a few other ways that consultants can help:
Consultants are independent and objective. Because they are not subject to a company’s internal policies, consultants come with an independent perspective on issues.
Consultants bring extra creativity to the table. Because experts are not bound to a company’s standard approach to problems, they can use their objectiveness to find creative solutions.
Consultants are experts at developing expertise. Usually, a consultant will have true expertise in a particular subject. They will also work across different industries, which makes them familiar with all the latest developments and best practices within a particular area.
Consultants can help expand a company. If you want to expand regionally or even globally, you may find the entire experience daunting. Consultants have expert knowledge at conducting competitive analysis, user testing, etc., and will be able to identify threats to your goals while looking for how they can evolve your ordinary practice.
Consultants can be more cost-effective than hiring full-time employees. The costs involved in hiring full-time employees can be high. Hiring an external consultant can often eliminate these costs with their fee for the task at hand being the only expense.
In conclusion
It is vital for any business to do its homework when hiring an expert to help with a problem or grow their business. Not all skills can be trained, staff may find it hard to acquire expertise, and bringing in an individual with a specific skill and expert knowledge may lead to exceptional performance.
But getting the right person or firm can be difficult with the costs high if you choose unwisely. Hopefully, with a little help from this article, you now have a better understanding of how to find the right consultant for your business and your specific pain point.
