Independent consultants

The job of an independent consultant is the object of a trend which can undoubtedly be explained by the movement towards the reorganisation of companies in the last few years. The dynamic aspect of this phenomenon also indicates the desire of an increasing number of men and women to take advantage of their expertise in favour of independence and autonomy. However, this does not make the road towards independence any easier since one has to learn not only how to sell oneself, but also how to become a champion to be reckoned with in a highly specialised area. Above all, one has to learn not to present oneself as "competent" in an area which is too huge. To overcome commercial isolation and to avoid the risk of technical poverty, solutions exist, for example companies offering the service of 'portage' for self-employed people. Besides handling administrative tasks, this system offers the advantages associated with employee status. As a last resort, one should never forget that, in a market which operates on agreement reached between two parties, the success of an independent consultant depends above all on the consultant himself and on his capacity to win the confidence of his clients.