So you want to be a consultant ...?

Sometimes I find something so good that the best way to deal with it is simply to link to. The attached article is well written and full of good advice. So you want to be a consultant ... ? Forwarned, it is longer than most blog posts.

Retirement?

A friend of mine says you are ready for retirement when the perks are no longer a critical part of your consideration about a new job. I think he has a point.

Two perks drop out early. One is vacations unless you have a very generous vacation allowance. If you are going to do the kind of travel most of us plan for our retirement, a couple of weeks just isn't enough. It takes almost that long to get over jet lag. We have a lot of flexibility about when we travel and frankly the "off seasons" are cheaper and you get better service. We learned that when the kids went off to school. We want to be away longer when we retire. The other class of perks that falls off the negotiating table is anything that requires some sort of continuous employment before you can connect.

Some training makes sense but most of it will not provide a significant return to you our your employer for long enough to make a difference. And at some point you may qualify for Medicare and some health insurance would be nice but it is no longer the perk it was.

My experience suggests that as difficult as it is for us to consider the changes that will be required by retirement, the HR department is finding it even more difficult to think about. Part of the reason I am writing this blog is to network to explore some of these issues for myself and others. Please feel free to leave a comment in the space below.

Recruiters

If you have a good contact in a company you may be ushered in through the front door. Otherwise you will encounter an outside recruiter or an in-house recruiter. Sometimes the outside recruiter will screen you and hand you off to an in-house recruiter. You need these people, treat them well.

Remember their first loyalty is to the hiring company. That is who will pay them, either a commission, retainer or salary. Their obligation is to deliver a select few final candidates. They do not work for you. That doesn't mean you can't get them to give you extra attention.

When you find a job get as much information as you can. If the job description has a list of must have skills or experience, be sure those are included in your resume if you have them. If there is a list of preferred skills and experience try to include them or point out that you have similar skills and experience, perhaps with a similar tool.

My resume has an introductory paragraph. If I need to add or highlight something, I add a second paragraph with and Italic title embedded in the first line of the first paragraph: Specific to this assignment: My experience is that most recruiters do not forward covering letters. Partly, because they remove most of your identifying information to maintain control. I assume my resume has to stand on its own. It doesn't take any longer to embedd an additional paragraph in a resume than it does to put it in a cover letter.

Add a cover letter that will help the recruiter. This is where I put my availability. I usually express it as, "Recently completed an assignment and available immediately." US citizen (If you are.) If you know where the job is and it is a good commute for you, add that. Anything positive you can say shows greater interest on your part. If you want them to call you at some range of times, add that, e.g., Tuesday through Thursday mornings is the best time to call.

Always answer the phone with a positive tone of voice. You never get a second change to make a good first impression. It may surprise your friends, but they will get over it. If it is a recruiter it lets them know you are open for communication. If this is not a good time, quickly make other arrangements to call them or have them call you.

Conversations with recruiters are a two way sales job. You want to assure the recruiter that you are the best person for this job. The recruiter wants you to be excited about this job or, if you are not, to say so. They have lots of work to do and do not want to spend much time selling you. On the other hand, if you are a good fit, they want to get you into the client as quickly as they can. Be straight. If you get in front of the client and are not qualified, both of you will look incompetent. Any good recruiter has more than one job now or in the near future. If the client says, "We really liked this guy but the other candidate had a stronger skill, etc.," the recruiter knows they will have another chance with that client. Help them, they will help you.

Offer to help them. Ask if there is any more information you can provide. Offer to rewrite part of your resume if there is something they think will make it stronger. They see more resumes and more client reactions than you do. Call them occasionally. Don't be a pest, but show that you are interested. Ask if there is anything you can do every time you call.

If they arrange a telephone or in person interview do everything you can to make yourself available. Be a little early to an interview. Be ready a few minutes early for a phone interview. There is lots of advice on interview techniques. Be prepared and be calm -- no matter how badly you want the job.

Name

Do you need a name for your company? Do you even need a company? I have a number of friends who simply operate as John Doe or John Doe, Computer Specialist. Just use John Doe on the contract and have checks made out to John Doe. It seems to work fine for them.

There may be legal reasons to have a corporation. Talk with your accountant and/or attorney about that.

You should have a name for what you are up to. It will help keep working separate from your personal life. It can be a name that just you and your family use: Dad's Company or Mom's Business. Don't call it a project. Projects, by definition have a beginning and a planned end. As a consultant you will have projects within what you do. Put the name on file labels and on plans and budgets and goals and your checkbook (not necessarily on the checks) just to keep things separate.

If you want a public name you can use John Q. Doe & Associates. Check in phone books in your area and on the Internet to be sure the name isn't already taken. You do not want to have to change names after you get the business established. Check with your local "newspaper of record" to find out what you have to do to register your name. The process usually involves posting your intention to use a name in a newspaper of record and they will be happy to assist you for a reasonable fee plus the cost of the advertising. If you use something other than just your own name, your bank may require the use of a registered name.

If you want to get creative, it will be more difficult. A lot of great names are already taken. If you come up with a new one you will probably have to defend it from somebody on the other side of the country who has been using the same name for years. If you get an overly descriptive name, it may limit your future activities e.g., John's Hospital Systems will help you tap that market but it will be difficult to branch out.

I just made up a name that was so unusual that it has avoided all problems. Our criteria and some history are at Our Name A couple of simple criteria: It should be easy to find in the phone book, i.e., the first word should use a common spelling. It should be something that works on the Internet, i.e., has a fairly short form that will be easy to remember, I was able to use just the initial letters, but that is becoming harder to do. You can check for available Internet domain names at WhoIs.net

Do not let the naming of your venture be a pacing item. You can get your first contract in your own name and then name the company later. On the other hand, a company name does provide some stature. Be creative, have fun, try out options with family and friends.

Resume

You have to have a resume. That's not news but what you need may be. Of course you need a printed resume you can mail or leave behind at job fairs or take with you to an interview. You also need an electronic version you can attach to emails or post on job boards. And, you probably want two versions: a functional version and a chronological version. If you do it right, that's only two versions because your electronic and printed version of the functional version and chronological version can be essentially the same. You may also need a Web version but we will cover that in another post.

A legacy resume is an historic document. It describes what you did in the past. What you really need is a document that tells employers what you can do in the future. But employers, particularly the gatekeepers, want to start with a resume. You have to start there.

That doesn't mean you have to start from the past. Start from the future. What do you want to do? What value does that bring to a prospective employer. This is the point where it gets even crazier. Look at most job descriptions and they will talk about skills -- what tools do you know how to use -- and personality -- outgoing, effective communicator, good negotiator, mentor, etc. What they really want to know is can you get the job done which is probably more a matter of how you approach a consulting assignment that either of these other metrics.

The bit about describing the tools you know is a matter of buzzword bingo. I'll come back to that in a minute. Have a section in your resume that says something like: competent in the use of (whatever the tools of your trade are.) The gatekeepers who are the first to review you resume will look for these.

As you begin your job search, pay attention to the personality skills employers mention. In my area communication is important. In my resume I list projects where communication is a key element in the project and I point that out. I also offer examples of written material. Find roles, projects, tasks, etc., that demonstrate that you have the personality skill. You can't just say, "I am a terrific communicator, negotiator, cold caller, whatever."

The meat of your resume is what you have done that is relevant to what the employer needs to have done. What do you want to do in the future. Your job is to describe yourself so that someone who has a need for somebody like you will recognize it immediately. I have two functional resumes. One continues my historic track. The second takes what I have done and rephrases it to show its value for my new track. Describe your experience so that the reader can say: the people I know what have done what I need have had similar experience. This person can get the job done.

If you submit your resume to a job board or recruiter it will probably be put in a computer where it will be searched for the buzzwords the hiring manager has used. About 80% of the time these are no-brainers. As an example: must be familiar with Microsoft Word or whatever the basic tools of your trade are. But there may be multiple ways to describe essentially the same thing: vendor, outsourcer, third party, contractor. And it gets even more complex when you add short phrases. I have have a three page resume -- the generally accepted maximum length. I have added a fourth page that has buzzwords that are variations on the terms in my resume including re-phrasing of phrases: vendor selection, selection of vendors. I then highlight that page and set the type to white. In a hard copy it now looks like an accidental blank page at the end of the resume. But, to the computer it just looks like a fourth page. The number of reviews of my resume jumped almost three time when I added that page. In an age of machines and people you have to do what people want and what machines want. This is not about what you want; it is about doing what you need to do (ethical and legal) that will get you a job.

If your resumes are in Microsoft Word you can print them, attache it to email, and submit it job boards. In the functional version play your long suits or special skills.

In your chronological version go back ten plus years to a good stopping point (change of employers or title.) Nobody cares much about what you did before then. If you have been in the same general area for more than 20 years, say "more than 20 years experience in ..." If you say you have been there for 50 years you immediately raise the question of just how old it this guy? Don't put dates on anything other than your dates of employment for the last 10 to 15 years. If you participate in any sport that can demonstrate fitness, figure out a way to mention it. Employers are not supposed to discriminate but avoid the issue. They are really hiring you for what you can do. Don't lie. If you have been in a line of business for 30 years it is true that you have more than 20 years experience.

Be prepare to re-write your resume as your learn what employers are looking for.

Network, network, network ...

Probably the most difficult part of being an independent consultant is managing the need to develop new business while taking care of current customers. An element of almost any approach you take has to be networking.

You are going to want to take advantage of all of your existing networks, cultivate those that offer the best prospects, and look for new networks. That used to mean pretty much the people you had worked with and organizations you already belong too. Today social relationships are changing and there are opportunities you should add to your mix.

In any networking environment you have to be ready to say what you do. It is often called an elevator speech which means you can deliver it during a normal elevator ride and spark enough interest that you generate future opportunities for yourself. Google elevator speech or or click here The best way to develop it is to get one and then use it and see how people react.

A network works two ways. You are looking to get something but you should also be willing to contribute. In fact contribution is a great way to demonstrate what you know and, in some cases, how well you get things done.

If you are reading this on a computer you have what you need to network online. Definitely join Linkedin.com. Look around and see what others say about themselves. Make no apologies. Present yourself in a positive light. See if your friends are already members. Figure out what you would like to have them say as a recommendation and ask them to do that. Offer to write a draft for them so you can highlight what needs to be said about you. You can describe your history. You want them to say things about you that you can't say yourself. "Tom is a great guy to work with and always contributes to getting problems solved quickly," You get the idea. All this is free.

Find groups on Linkedin you can join to build your list of connections. Look at the questions that are being asked by members and the responses they are getting. If you see something related to your skills and experience write an answer. Contribute back to the network.

Consider joining Facebook Until recently it was just for college kids but they are graduating into corporations and the corporations are following them to Facebook. Even the highly respected McKinsey and Company now is in Facebook. I have found several friends I would never expected to find there. Check out the groups. If there is something you can participate in, join the group.

Find local breakfast groups, luncheon groups, evening groups you can join. Most will be happy to have your join them for a time or two without formally joining. Look for groups where the other members have similar job interests to yours. You are trying to learn where job opportunities may be and how to make contact with the right people. Do this carefully. Some groups are open to announcements that you are looking for a job; others are not. Watch others and see what is appropriate.

Take business cards where ever you go. Put one or two in you wallet and refresh them frequently. No dog ears or marks on them. Unless you know what you want to say, get some relatively inexpensive cards and get more when you have a better format. I print mine on quality card stock in my computer printer and hand cut them.

Introduction

I have been a management consultant for more than 20 years. About 80% of my assignments have been sub-contracts and rest have been self generated. My best prime contractor retired last year so finding projects is now more important than ever. The market is changing and I have learned some things. This blog is my place to share them.

The target audience for this blog is people at or above 55 years of age who are looking for jobs that pay $55 dollars an hour or more: north of 55. There are certainly other types of jobs out there, that's just not my area of expertise. A second target audience is recruiters and corporations looking to hire people in this category.

You may be in the target audience by choice or circumstances, you may be just 55 or well north of it already drawing social security and medicare. You may be looking for a job because you need it or because you find working rewarding. You may be looking for full time, part time or intermittent -- work a while and then travel a while. You may be new to contracting or an old hand at it. Welcome.

This is a blog which mean you are encouraged to comment on what is posted, add to it, disagree with it, share things that the author and others may find useful. There is a comment field at the end of ever post.