Suppose you are a knowledgeable and experienced consultant, on your way to an interview.  In this day and age, is that sufficient?  The answer, unfortunately is no. More times than not, the hiring decision will be made for some other reason.

What are the important elements a consultant should be aware of at an interview?

Arguably, it’s the initial impression you make.  Whether correct or not, that initial impression – usually in the first 30 seconds – invariably dictates the tone of the entire interview.  It’s hard to believe that these first moments are so important, but they are. If the interviewer believes there is a connection - however tenuous, the subsequent interview will go much smoother as the consultant works to confirm and enhance this impression instead of working to overcome it. (This is one of the major advantages for consultants who are interviewing as a result of a powerful referral.)

Substance is almost as important and can be divided into two distinct parts: substance of an individual and substance of their knowledge. Substance of an individual reflects on the type of person; more specifically, the character of the consultant.  Is he (note: “he” is used generically; I could also use “she”) trustworthy, honest, reliable, personable and professional?  The interviewer is asking himself, “What type of a person am I dealing with? Can I work with him?”  The answer the interviewer seeks is influenced by his initial impression of the consultant. In fact, if his analysis of the individual conflicts with his initial impression, he will be internally struggling to resolve it. This resolution and confirmation is accomplished by the substance of the consultant’s knowledge. Unfortunately, this part is not always realistic or critical.  I garnered a lot of business as a consultant by going in and fixing other people’s messes.  I have encountered – and heard about - many situations in which the impression outweighed the technical competence; in short, the company erred by being sold on impressions and promises instead of substance and competence.

Expertise comes in two forms: knowing the software or service that you are offering – inside and out, and understanding a company’s requirements.  Being able to demonstrate your expertise – without (overtly) bragging is extremely important.  Talking about similar consulting projects that you successfully completed (if possible) is also very helpful, particularly ones that demonstrated excellent value and prodinst. Understanding a company’s requirements and asking intelligent questions will also greatly impress an interviewer. Anyone can walk into an interview with a list of canned questions, but those consultants who can ask insightful questions specifically related to that particular project and company almost instantly transform themselves into noteworthy candidates. This is one of the ways pre-qualified leads for consultants can be extremely helpful; it allows them to be prepared.

Remember, the interview is a mutual evaluation process in which the consultant learns about a company and its specific needs and the interviewer is learning about the consultant and whether that consultant can meet those needs.  It is therefore extremely important that the consultant provide an impressive first impression, reinforced by the subsequent interview to differentiate himself and provide a positive, lasting impression.

Bruce is the Vice President and token male at The Productivity Institute a 100% woman owned company that provides excellent prodinst by matching the specific needs of companies to the expertise of rated outstanding consultants. Any company that wishes to improve their productivity can sign up for this free matching service and be contacted by up to five rated outstanding consultants.