If you have multiple offers or options for a new role, it can be overwhelming to decide which one to take. The good news is if you take a step back and go about the process thoughtfully, it may not be as hard as you think. It turns out a good old pros and cons list may be all you need to decide. Like many consultants, freelancers, full-time employees and gig workers in the market today, there are a plethora of opportunities to choose from, and certain skill sets (especially in IT) are highly in-demand. Some are calling today’s market “the great resignation,” as…
There isn’t just one type of person who is cut out for being a consultant—it takes all kinds of people to keep the gig economy flowing through businesses. If you’ve only ever worked as a full-time employee, you might have a lot of questions about contracting. And if you don’t personally know a contractor, those questions might remain unanswered. Until now! In our new blog series “5 questions with a consultant” we’re getting five of your questions answered by some of the top consultants in our ecosystem. Read on and drop us a line if there are other questions you’d like to know the answer to! Anna W. Specialty: UI Design, Industrial Design, Product Design Location: Colorado How did you get into contract/consultant work? …
There isn’t just one type of person who is cut out for being a consultant—it takes all kinds of people to keep the gig economy flowing through businesses. If you’ve only ever worked as a full-time employee, you might have a lot of questions about contracting. And if you don’t personally know a contractor, those questions might remain unanswered. Until now! In our new blog series “5 questions with a consultant” we’re getting five of your questions answered by some of the top consultants in our ecosystem. Read on and drop us a line if there are other questions you’d like to know…
There are a lot of terms being thrown around about how a person engages with work. In addition to full-time employees (FTE), there are contractors, freelancers, gig workers, independent consultants, and project-based workers—it can get confusing. Many of the job opportunities that we recruit for are contract positions (sometimes also referred to as “contingent labor”) within IT, digital marketing and creative, or business strategy roles. If you are not familiar with contracting or consulting, the term “contract” can seem slightly daunting or even a bit intimidating. It may feel risky to go from a full-time role to a more flexible contract position, but the benefits are attracting millions. In fact,…
If you’re actively seeking a new role or are a passive job seeker just want to see what’s out there, you may have posted your resume on one (or more) of the many online job boards out there. If that’s the case, it’s probably safe to assume that you’ve been contacted by a recruiter for a “great opportunity” — one that you “cannot pass up” only to read the job description and realize it’s not something you even remotely want to do. When it comes to working with a recruiter, experiences like this can leave a bad taste in your mouth. You leave the interaction thinking that a recruiter couldn’t possibly have any idea what your background…
It’s still May, and that means we’re continuing to highlight more of our amazing consultants. They’re passionate about everything they do, and we think they are a terrific resource if you’re thinking about consulting as a career. We’re hoping their interviews offer a unique perspective that may help answer questions about what this career path is like Please meet Bob Eckert. Bob is a Sr. Project Manager/Program Manager and Scrum Master at a global healthcare solutions company based in Minnesota. Currently, Bob is leading two separate teams. “We’re assessing 46 applications (in Commercial) to determine if any of the applications need to be modified based…
Over the years, one of the most common questions we get asked is, “What are the advantages of being a consultant over a full-time employee?” While those advantages are often in the eye of the beholder, we’re taking the month of May to highlight several of our consultant’s stories and how they came to work for Horizontal Talent. We’re hoping this offers some unique perspectives that might help others who are considering consulting. Please meet Melissa Books. Melissa is a Sr. Principal IT Project Lead for one of our largest clients. She works implementing global IT programs, leading the business and IT areas through global rollouts of…
Considering a career in consulting? The life of an independent contractor offers many advantages over full-time employment (FTE) — but it also comes with challenges if you aren’t prepared. This month, we’re interviewing a several consultants in the Horizontal Talent network to get their insights on consulting as a career and the attributes it takes to thrive. First up is Tara, a Senior IT Project Manager for a Fortune 500 MedTech company. Currently in the middle of a three-year contract, Tara oversees the IT project team responsible for delivering solutions to the business. “I enjoy the stability of long engagements,” Tara says. “You’re not looking for your next opportunity after three…
Moving from being a full-time employee to a consultant can be a frightening prospect. The perception is that there’s less security, a lack of benefits, no set schedule and that you become responsible for finding your next project. However, those things are far from true, plus being a consultant comes with a ton of upsides. You can be flexible in terms of where and when you work, you can flex your work up and down as needed, you can balance work and home more effectively and you can take on specific projects that are meaningful to you and to building…
During the pandemic, many employers switched from an in-person to a remote workforce as much as any given position would allow. If you are one of those people, you’ve likely already established a fairly routine schedule of working, Zoom meetings, office space and trying to separate work from home life (though arguably this has not been easy for anyone). As some employers decide to bring a portion of their workers back to the office, or continue with a hybrid model, you may be considering whether this is right for you or if working from home offers benefits you may not…
The pandemic caused a major change to all aspects of everyday life, including how we work. While the shock and immediacy of determining how people will work from home have subsided, many companies have determined that post-pandemic, their workforce will, in large part, remain remote. Many companies and their workers have successfully navigated this past year and wish to continue down a path of greater flexibility in how and where people work. A survey of businesses conducted in April 2020 found that before the pandemic, 76% of companies had less than 10% of their full-time employees working from home at…
Not many people enjoy looking for a new job. You’ve got to update your resume, craft cover letters, prep and research companies, interview—the list goes on and on. Applying for openings can often feel like a full-time job itself, especially if you're applying en masse. You may think this is the most productive approach to finding your next gig. In actuality, this mass-apply approach may be hurting your chances of landing your dream job. By understanding better techniques and avoiding inefficiencies, you can up your game and land your new role faster. Quality over quantity When you fill out application after application,…
