Search
Related Links

 

 

Informative Articles

An Honest Look at Your Business
There is a difference between being comfortable and being in apathy. It is very comfortable to have a smooth running organization when you have a team that knows what to do and does it. It is comfortable to have this group take care of your...

CRM
The story of the emperor's new clothes is a fairy tale about men who fooled the emperor into believing that they had made him a beautiful suit of clothes. In fact they had not made anything. The emperor went out in public wearing nothing but his...

Executive Coaching and the American President
Perhaps no one better than a former U.S. president has the right to advise executives: The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while...

Tax Reform, My Way
We need real tax reform and we need it now. Previous attempts have been made at tax reform, but they have only provided band-aid solutions that have still left us with too many quirks, complication, and read tape. There are several things...

Throw Out The Lifeline
The television show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" made a great splash when launched, and even spawned a number of imitators. One of the features that made the show popular was the Lifeline. That's a mechanism an uncertain contestant used to...

 
Benefits of using Freelance Consultants / Trainers for your projects

What are the benefits of using a Freelance Consultant / Trainer for your next project?

Companies are often wary of employing freelance trainers when setting up a new project or contemplating a 'roll out' operation or ‘change' scenario. There are however distinct advantages to using freelance as against permanent resources, and some of these are outlined as follows.

1. Financial
Although the initial costs (hourly/daily rate) of freelance trainers may seem expensive, this has to be set against the fact that there are no costs of in house benefit packages, no pensions commitment, no payment for holidays or sick time etc.
Also, the cost is fixed, purely for the term of the contract, and can be budgeted into the overall project. Once the project (and contract) are completed, there are no ongoing employment costs or costs of redundancy etc.

2. Skills
Often a client does not have the requisite expert skills in house that are required to produce training quickly and effectively for a new project or roll out. It is often more cost effective to employ a freelancer who has these skills, than waiting for existing employees to gain sufficient depth of knowledge and expertise.

However, as part of the freelance contract, the client should arrange that the freelancer transfer those skills required to permanent employees for ongoing maintenance of the project after the contract has finished.

3. Focus on the project
Permanent employees often have their own personal priorities. They are concerned with day to day 'office politics', enhancing their career and promotion prospects etc. Combine this with time spent on company activities, such as meetings etc. and in most companies the actual applied working time of the average employee is only about 50% of their time at work.

Freelance workers have no interest in company politics, career chasing, internal meetings etc. and tend to focus 100% on the project they are working on. The freelancer has a fixed deadline, i.e. the end date of the contract and will normally always ensure that the work is completed to the project milestones.

4. Commitment
A freelancer is only as good as their last project. They tend to gain employment mostly by referral and it is in their interest therefore, to always do as good a job as possible on each project. There is no advantage to the freelancer in spinning out the project unnecessarily, as this would reflect on future opportunities.

This means that you tend to get 100% commitment throughout the project, as a freelancer will tend to avoid all distractions and try to complete the project ahead of milestones where possible. After all, there is normally no 'overtime' pay for the freelancer and therefore no advantage in making the work last any longer than necessary.

5. Project planning
Normally, a freelancer will commit to a project without provision for vacations or other time off. This makes it easier when setting up project plans and milestones, as the potential of


employees requesting time off does not have to be factored into the project plans.

6. Desire to work
The freelancer does not have the comfort zone of permanent employment and is hungry to work.
Their motivation is normally extremely high and does not require any external stimulation, as is often the case with long-term permanent employees.

7. Up to Date Skills/Qualifications
The freelance trainer has to compete in a constantly changing marketplace for contracts of varying requirements. For this reason they tend to constantly update their skills and certifications to attract work from customers. You will often find that freelance trainers have one or more of the following qualifications - IITT, CIPD, ITOL, ISMA or ECDL as well as accreditations from relevant vendors, and they are constantly updating them in order to secure contracts. This gives you recognised quality that you have not had to finance.

8. Work force motivational factors
Using an external expert consultant can demonstrate to your work force that the company is committed to adding value to their personal development. Using internal staff does not always create the same feeling that the company is willing to spend to increase employee skills.

Using an external consultant can provide more freedom of expression and opinion by delegates during the training sessions. Your delegates will feel less constrained by internal company politics and restrictions when discussing things with an external consultant, who they do not perceive as part of the ‘company machine'. This can lead to much more open discussion and participation by delegates, which can greatly enhance the effectiveness of the training.

9. Wide ranging experience and fresh ideas
Invariably freelance consultants, by the very nature of their work, will have worked across a wide and varied cross section of industries and organisations, in both the private and public sectors. They can provide valuable ‘real world' experience and ideas that your staff may not have knowledge of, due to having to focus on their normal day-to-day occupations. This can be invaluable during times of change and can promote a sense of ‘thinking outside of the box' by delegates and staff that they have contact with.

Summary
So, if you are considering a new project, roll out or change scenario, think carefully about how it will be resourced. In many cases, you will find the best solution is to use freelance resources to complement your existing workforce.

Acknowledgements
Adapted from an original article by John Roberts, Director of JayrConsulting Ltd. ( www.jayrconsulting.co.uk ) and modified after valuable input and critique by co-members of TrainerBase ( www.trainerbase.co.uk ) .This article may be freely reproduced / modified and used in any way, providing this acknowledgement is left in its entirety.

About the Author

John Roberts is a Freelance Training Consultant and Director of JayrConsulting Ltd. (www.jayrconsulting.co.uk)

 

 

 

Content Menu
  • 10 reasons to start a home business

  • 10 things you will like about a home based business

  • 18 caveats on how not to change

  • 5 common free agent myths

  • achievers interview with david showalter

  • adam smith the real life grinch who stole christmas and won

  • advance your nursing career work as an independent nurse contractor

  • all aboardeveryone going global

  • alternative retirement income options in 2005

  • and you can quote me

  • an honest look at your business

  • audio marketing comes of age educate first and sales will follow

  • avoid the three biggest financial pitfalls

  • a hitchhikers guide to the internet

  • balancing your priorities with your search for at home work

  • basics about writing a business plan

  • beginners guide to blogging

  • being other focused

  • benefits of using freelance consultants trainers for your projects

  • ben franklin didnt quite get it right

  • ben franklin didn t quite get it right

  • beyond budgeting a new approach to annual budgets

  • be a pest make money

  • biweekly mortgage

  • blogging for business

  • blogosphere networking

  • book summary nice girls dont get the corner office 101

  • bridging the gap dont forget your core customers

  • bridging the gap don t forget your core customers

  • building better teams through executive coaching

  • business like image

  • business planning myopia

  • business plan basics

  • can nurses be entrepreneurs

  • career management in a jobless economy

  • change or reinforce

  • christian business opportunities bring relief to your daily routine

  • coaching generation x

  • computer business opportunity provide huge profit potential

  • could a roth ira be better than a 401 k

  • creative strategies for brainstorming for business success

  • crm

  • dance on your brain tonight for a better tomorrow

  • decisions how close are you to a 100 strike rate

  • dej… vu all over again and again

  • dont fall for email scams

  • downtown san diego condo market is ideal for investors

  • do you have the global entrepreneurial spirit

  • entrepreneur runs list sales company from office in his home

  • eq at the office

  • executive coaching and the american president

  • factors to make or break your home business and home business residual income streams that work

  • filling the data leaks the importance of digital asset protection

  • finding the purpose in online networking groups

  • five questions to ask yourself before launching a new business

  • five questions to ask yourself before starting a new business

  • forex trading

  • freelancers your job away from job

  • fun with credit cards

  • going against the conventional investment wisdom

  • going mobile part 1 wireless phone service for your home business

  • going mobile part 2 how to get in on the wireless revolution without credit checks or 2 year commitments

  • going mobile part 3 finding the perfect wireless phone

  • good first impressions count when you mean business

  • good news in our brave new world

  • google slavery old habits die hard

  • hey that was my idea corporate games for a rainy day

  • home business

  • home business solutions 60 minute money

  • how corporations can use real estate to access untapped capital

  • how to get a visa mastercard with no credit check

  • how to get that promotion

  • how to increase your chance of promotion at work

  • how to make money working from home

  • how to share your home office with a sick child

  • how to use an hr consultant

  • how to use emotion in stock trading

  • how your new years eve bash can grow your career

  • important considerations when setting up a profitable home business and a handful of work from home income streams that are quick simple to set up

  • independent rn contractors are taking the nursing profession

  • index

  • innovative entrepreneur ideas

  • investors look for the real estate sweet spots

  • is it boys vs girls on the internet

  • is there any money left in currency trading

  • is the medicalcare system still a disaster in us

  • its high time for lifetime savings accounts

  • know your career goals

  • leadership by persuasion four steps to success

  • learn the art of dynamic leadership

  • life is short love what you do do what you love

  • looking for a change

  • madeline hill senior community pioneer

  • maintaining your motivation

  • make or break home business tips and home based residual incomes that work

  • make your career offshore proof

  • managing project risks part 1 dont be snared by these 6 common traps

  • managing the human resource project

  • marketing your home business in just 30 minutes a week

  • mlm success training why some people become wealthy in network marketing and others dont

  • my identity crisis

  • narcissism in the boardroom

  • narcissism in the boardroom part ii

  • new mobile applications shock market part 1 of 2

  • new years resolutions for your home business

  • new year s resolutions for your home business

  • nine sure fire ways to boost your career

  • no plan no cash back to square one

  • office politics

  • offshore investing leveraging overseas trading

  • oil demand and the effects on the global stock market

  • organizational political savvy

  • paid surveys and focus groups maximize your online income with these tips

  • political selling 101

  • preparing for change during international expansion

  • present like a pro ten ways to wow your audience

  • print and modern thought

  • problogging making money from blogs

  • professional relationship blueprints

  • profiles of the powerful advertising exec steve grasse

  • qualities of a winner

  • reloading the matrix with jada mrs smith that is

  • remember its the world wide web

  • retire debt free

  • rocket investing stock market research advice

  • roi on the 8 step coaching model

  • rotator

  • sales force of the future its not about selling

  • self publishing at the speed of thought

  • sell you with your small talk yes you can

  • several red flags for spotting a phony or scam

  • six of one half a dozen of the other

  • speak with es part 1

  • speak with e s part 1

  • sports betting as an alternative investment

  • succeed the natural way

  • succession planning not on my watch

  • success in the import export business

  • surviving corporate politics

  • surviving corporate politics part 2 keeping up appearances

  • surviving corporate politics part 3

  • talk the talk

  • tax reform my way

  • ten fatal flaws frequently found from the podium

  • theodore roosevelt the original rough rider

  • the advantages of having a home business

  • the benefits of using freelance consultants trainers for your next project

  • the biggest oil opportunity in the world and how you can profit from it

  • the business meeting

  • the fabric of economic trust

  • the fairness of office politics integrity and political motivation

  • the macedonian lottery

  • the musketeer approach

  • the perfect project manager

  • the real story of the little engine that could

  • the sickly state of public hospitals

  • the top 10 brainstorming techniques for business success

  • the top 10 strategies for moving into action and for getting bottom line results

  • the ultimate career builder

  • the wages of science

  • the wages of science part ii

  • think outside the box home business ideas

  • three common deadly mistakes made in job interviews

  • throw out the lifeline

  • time to think outside the box

  • tired of jumping jobs

  • top 10 ways to handle problem co workers

  • top ten brainstorming techniques for business success

  • to get free publicity think local

  • to grow out of unemployment

  • triple the response of your ales letters by harnessing the mysterious power of mind reading

  • trust in a digital economy

  • uncovering soul in the workplace

  • wearing your politics on your sleeve

  • what if peter drucker were your ceo

  • what shes got five essential traits of web wonder women

  • what work at home moms can learn by watching the apprentice

  • when politics prevent innovation

  • when the levee breaks a selfish look at the financial effects of katrina and how many more fuel increases we can take

  • whose goals are they

  • why demo fx account performance is often better than real account performance

  • why dont they just get it done 7 performance tactics for ceos

  • why is it more profitable for an indian to take up work at home business

  • why the internet is an entrepreneurs dream

  • why would anyone hold a bad meeting

  • why would anyone want to hold a bad meeting

  • winning the credit game

  • work from home office policies

  • worse than tsunami trade protectionism hurts third world citizens

  • youre the boss