Preparing for the Consultant – A Tip Sheet

1. Identify the issue: When determining the need for a consultant, you should first identify whether the problem or issue can be solved using outside expertise, or if an internal reorganization or staffing change would allow better access to internal expertise. In our links section, you can find guides that can help you conduct a self-assessment, as well as more extensive information in the Getting The Best From Cultural Management Consultants guide. 

If you find that the problem or issue cannot be solved internally, and you are having trouble outlining it explicitly or completely, don’t worry. Part of the consultant’s job is to help you define what needs to be done, as they have the advantage of both objectivity and experience.  

2. Identify the help you need: Begin by asking some important questions. What are the key outcomes or activities you want to see occur?  This question will help you identify, in broad strokes, the key areas of expertise you should be seeking.  Then, consider other characteristics that might be important.  Do you need someone familiar with the sector, or with the region, or both? Do you want a consultant who is bilingual? Do you have a particular audience in mind, such as youth, that the consultant should have experience in targeting? Finally, the organization must look at what resources it has to finance a consultant, and the length of time allowed for solving the problem or issue.  

3. Find the help you need: Once you have an idea of what kind of skills and characteristics the consultant you need should have, you can begin your search to find the appropriate individual or organization.  Cultureconsultants.ca is an excellent resource, but you should also contact other similar organizations for their recommendations.  

4. Consider preparing an RFP: Another means to effectively match talent to task, is to write a Request for Proposals (RFP) outlining exact details of the project and the skill set required to get the job done. Post your RFP on Cultureconsultants.ca, where it will be accessible to hundreds of professional consultants in your region.  In our Resources section, you can find a Writing An RFP Tip Sheet.This set of tips helps you create a comprehensive and effective document that will help you to find consultants with the expertise you are seeking. 

5. Evaluate proposals: Define a process or criteria for selecting the consultant. Will the selection involve the entire management team, or individuals who will be working on the project, or even the board?  

When choosing a consultant, most evaluations consist of three parts:

1)      Comparing the skilled expertise of the candidate against the list of skills and characteristics that you have created internally;

2)      Checking with candidate references;

3)      Your ‘feel’ for the candidate during a personal meeting and your judgment of their interactions with members of your organization.

Additionally, you might want to consider any value-added services that the consultant can provide, and whether these are of benefit to the project. 

6. Clarify Expectations: Once you have decided to hire the consultant, make sure you spell out and clarify any expectations by both parties.  Expectations can be anything from what activities will be accomplished and in what amount of time, what reports the consultant has agreed to write and how the fees will be paid, to the less obvious expectations, such as who will the consultant report to and will they be able to publish the report elsewhere? 

Generally, a contract or letter of agreement for service is used. You can use the Independent Contractor Legal Tip Sheet found in the Resources Section to aid you in creating your own, although most consultants will have their own standard contract that outlines the services they are willing to put forward for the fee you have agreed upon.  And remember, if the project changes in scope, it is in both of your best interests to revisit the agreement so that there are no confusion at the end of the consulting period.  

7.  Before the consultant arrives: Provide the consultant with as much information up front as possible – mission statements, strategic plans, annual reports, financial statements, current marketing materials, and so forth can help the consultant jump right into the project. If warranted, you may want to consider creating a confidentiality agreement for the consultant to sign.  

Also, make sure that if the consultant is working on site at your location, that staff know who the consultant is, and why they are there. Not only will it improve cooperation, but staff themselves might have information and suggestions that will only improve the effectiveness of the consultant’s work.