Why I'm into Consulting | My Experience and Lessons learned

Consulting: Engaged in the business of giving expert advice to people working in a professional or technical field.

I started working as a consultant almost 3yrs back. Since then I had lot many clients into IT, BPO, Manufacturing and eCommerce sector.

This part of my work is what I love doing; I enjoy working as a consultant. It's fun interacting with new people getting to know about each other and at the same time helping them to grow.

When I come to know that how my job offer helped them as well the people connected to him/her that feeling makes me complete and satisfied.

When we know the end result of our work it makes me feel happy that how and to whom it will benefit; we feel more motivated and energetic towards our work. Since, every client, employee and a candidate is a human being so I feel connected while working and I believe this is what other companies also have let there be any sector or field. In the end there is a group of people who are benefited by the work which we do.

Why I went with consulting?

Because I couldn't find any one Industry that was interesting enough to go with, that I may feel like working full time over there, contrary I like business problems, I like figuring out things by going into the depth of the problem, but the industry doesn't matter. Sometimes, I worked with the companies whose working was not at all sparking, but what fascinated me is like what was happening inside the organizations that working culture, strategies, how they keep things into rotation and I tried to help them out for the same and could see the difference. So, that is the reason I chose consulting as the problems were interesting as nobody comes to a consultant with a problem that is easy to solve and give them a huge amount of money. Problems that were interesting enough and could make a huge difference, if solved.

Apart from this I love motivating others so that they may feel inspired from inside to do what they love or love what they are doing. Giving someone a ray of hope matters to me a lot. I helped many people to realize about their potential and what they are good at and have seen the huge difference after involving themselves into change. Learning new is always fun and makes me feel more young.

I believe that before you step into consulting always make sure that you love interacting with people and their problems now whether that people is from one your client or a candidate.

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I charge from the company and I never took a single rupee from any candidate till now in the name of placement.

There are lot many do's and don'ts what I went through. Since I was involved a lot into this consulting so I started placing every person who apply for a job no matter the company is my client or some other and that goes into free nor the company paid me neither I charged from the candidates, but I received lots of love and support and that build my strength.

Challenges arrived:

• To place a candidate I need to contact the company ask them about an similar opening take an appointment and send the candidates resume if shortlisted I schedule their interview, but I find most of the companies never replied properly or gave a proper response to third party consultant who is not into their list. Sometimes even they refused to give the id of HR so that I could send the CV. Most of the times after sending CV they never replied whether the candidate is shortlisted, good enough or rejected. This way I moved on, but because of this issue candidates started losing their faith in my services. Hence, I'm not able to place that many candidates even if I want to, but yes I always give the reference to the candidates at my best possible, so the conversation ends up with a positive note.
• On the other hand Since, the companies were not responding and I got filled up with lot many queries from candidates who are looking for job in different sectors. All started getting messed up as I have to concentrate on my work and stay productive. This time finally the positive part shifted to bit negative and people commented me that you are not helping us the way we expect. I'm working on this, but now I'm quite used to both negative and positive comments as no matter what work must go on.
• Few of the Companies with whom I work even till now even the MNC's stopped making the payment on time even though my performance increased rapidly and was constant. Instead of paying me a slot of payment after 1month and the next after 3months they make 1st payment after 3-4months and the next after 4-5months. Which made a great impact on my production; I discussed a lot with them, but they said they are helpless as there is some issue with our payroll team. Things got more worse as everytime during payment I have to send them a constant reminder time after time and they never replied to the same, so I started losing faith in MNC's on the other hand the Startup's or the mid level company who have their employees between 10-40 pay me on time and even before time that too not in slot instead within a month. Still the situation is same and I'm confused that whether to opt for a MNC or a startup now.
• There is almost 1500+ unread mail in my inbox reason being none of them have their subject and body of mail mentioned correctly some of them have left it blank with an empty mail. This confirms me that what is still keeping them a jobless.

A lot many are there, but I'll try to keep it brief here and detailed in my blog.

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Anyways, there are lots many things that I've to learn to improve my work, to be more productive, and things that finally make a difference in other lives.

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Few things I'd like to share with you from my experience so far on a positive side keeping all the negativity behind:

• What if you woke up inspired and went home fulfilled every day? This is the feeling we have to give to our candidates in order to avoid the replacement part go to the root cause that why he/she is opting for that job and what they are actually good at. It will for sure help you as well as your client.
• Sometimes people all they need is a little push and motivation as a ray of hope to keep them going; understand that and help them with it. You will see a great difference in yourself and in them.
• Make your goal to understand the concept that you are exposed to; simplify things so that you understand it better, no matter what others may think.
• You don't have to learn all the answers and you even don't have to pretend that you do; we do it very often because fear of being humiliated or false belief that we have to hold ourself to that standard so that others may think good about us; just to maintain your status. But the reality is if you claim to understand things even the simpler way people understands that you do and it keeps you more free and relax. Soon you will see things starts changing.
• Become a kid and ask tons of question to your client or candidates to understand the requirement from the both the sides it will help you to work more precisely and appropriate with less faults and confusion. If you speak like a scientist then only scientist will understand, so make it simpler and easy to understand.
• Don't keep the relationship only with an Email get up and talk to your client have a meeting understand their working environment and strategy. Always try to keep a contact with not only a HR, but with someone from a management or other department as well; it will help you to clear the clouds. Make sure you don't leave a client just because the HR is not cooperative get into the root cause you will see a great difference. It's called a human interaction and it is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
• Always remember there is one thing better than the truth that is the whole truth.
• Sometimes you may lose even if you didn't do anything. Let me frame you an example: The farmer plants a crop takes care of all the things works 10-12 hrs a day, 6-7 days a week is an honorable man. He deserves every bit of it, but the day before he was about to cut and sell his crop a hail stones comes and washes away the entire field and beats him in the ground. So, don't worry get back up and start it's just that kind of planet. Things may happen to you as well, be prepared and move on.
• If you think something is not productive make the necessary changes as soon as possible as time waits for none. It is better to recover now than to realize latter and feel helpless. You can only give your 100% when the client needs it so find a deserving client where you can excel your limits and work hard. If your client is not growing, you can't grow and ultimately your time spent for them will be a waste. However, don't fear of change doing something new will always make you feel young.
• Do well: Some people do well for recognition; some people do well for respect, but some people do well as the way it makes them feel good, they love the feeling of being a winner. Always stay competitive and work for joy and inner satisfaction not only for the sake of money if you want to stay in this game for a longer period of time. You have to stay competitive, not only surviving.
• Focus on one client's opening then move to another; multitasking doesn't mean doing all the things altogether instead doing one part at a time, but making it complete and then move to another this way you'll be more productive.
• We get paid for the end result not for our effort.
• You're worth every penny, so show it.

Running/working in a consulting company isn't easy. It's a lot of work, and you have tons of bosses (each one of your clients is your boss). Although it can pay very well, at the same time it can be very stressful.

If you want to reduce your stress as a consultant, make sure you learn from your mistakes and only take on clients you can actually provide results to because being with a client is like being in a marriage. Sometimes you get into it for the wrong reasons, and eventually it hits you in the face.

So do yourself a favor, don't get into a marriage unless you know it will work. :)

Finally, when you do what you love you feel calmer and yet productive, you don't have to go for longer breaks. Since I feel good, so after work I was able to fulfill my other hobbies as well like sketching, photography, singing and making creative images. :)

"Stay hungry, stay foolish" - Steve jobs.

Please let me know your point of views on the same or any suggestion, word from you is most welcome and kept in mind. Let's together make this world a better place to live with joy, peace and love.

Thank you for your time and patience, Have a wonderful day ahead !