Do you find yourself at a loss when you’re buying something? Are you lost when trying to startup your own business – freelance or full-time? Well, what you may need is a consultant.

Why do you need a consultant?
Well, for starters, they know what they are talking about. They don’t advertise for the sake of advertising and most they have knowledge, experience and the license to give you relevant information.

How to spot a bad consultant
Depending on who you approach, after verifying their credentials and work, you’ll need to trust your gut. But more importantly, everyone is human and prone to making errors. So how do you make sure you get someone you can trust who will help you implement your idea or get the right thing done?.

Here are a few warning signs-
Implementation is seamless,easy and foolproof – If a consultant ever says this to you – watch out. It’s never easy. Good ideas and implementations take time and effort. If they’re easygoing and casual, you’re better off finding someone else.

I know everything about this – Nobody is a know-it-all no matter how much they know. Times change, the industry evolves, the world grows. The best consultants think just like you do, on the same wavelength and are collaborative.

I think your people cannot handle this – Motive. A good way to spot this. Such consultants typically are aiming for a long term employment from you. Good consultants never look at it long term or short term. They are with you the whole way till the very end. Great consultants help your employees receive the right training and don’t downplay your team.

You can do it yourself but I don’t advise it – Great consultants will never tell you to scrimp on money. They know how the startup processes can be disruptive and how situations can become uncomfortable. They look at things realistically. Businesses grow and fall. There are always highs and lows. They don’t do wishful thinking.

This is exactly what your employees need – Where businesses are concerned, your needs, the company’s needs and your employees’ needs are separate issues. A good consultant will put forth the company’s needs over everyone else’s needs.

Consultants aren’t just people who drop in, give advice and leave. They’re people that need to ensure that your business grows, whether or not you stay with them as a long term client. That’s the mark of a good consultant. Look around and shortlist a few and see who you like among them. They need to be able to work with your team as well. That’s what makes them professional and that’s what sets them apart from all the other consultants that you may approach.