What makes a successful change or strategy interim consultant?
Many experienced management consultants capitalise on their knowledge and expertise to embark on interim consultancy careers with some of the UK’s top companies.
Michael Page Consultancy provides a recruitment service to consultancy, strategy and change management professionals wishing to enter the interim consultancy job market for the first time, as well as seasoned interims looking for their next assignment.
We’ve outlined some of the key factors that make interim strategy, change and consultancy managers stand out from the crowd:
Experience – You’ll hold a strong track record in successfully engaging at board or executive level, senior management or in functional specialist roles.
Confidence – You’ll need to be able to sell yourself to a diverse range of potential employers and to deliver results on time and to budget, often without knowing the client environment.
Commitment – It’s important to remember that interim consultancy is a definite career choice and not a stop-gap while you search for a permanent role.
Flexibility – You’ll need to demonstrate that you’re prepared to relocate or commute for the duration of any assignment.
Financial security – There may be times when you are ‘between assignments’ for extended periods, so you’ll need to be able to budget appropriately.
Adaptability – You’ll need to be comfortable with change, able to assess a situation quickly and fall easily into different work and management cultures.
Expertise – You’ll need to be able to hit the ground running, and bring your expertise to bear within a team environment from day one.
Networking – You’ll have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, but also the ability to network effectively to make contacts, leading to future assignments.
Running a business – The majority of interim managers brand themselves as limited companies. This will involve filing your own tax returns; however there may be considerable tax benefits to doing this.
If you’re considering a move into interim consultancy or looking for your next assignment, get in touch with Michael Page Consultancy for more information.
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