Table of Contents >
Chapter 12. Providing Training and Technical Assistance >
Section 8. Choosing a Consultant >
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| Contributed by Phil Rabinowitz Edited by Bill Berkowitz |
Checklist
Here you will find a checklist summarizing the important points of the section.
What is a consultant?
__ A consultant is an individual (or, sometimes, a group or organization) that brings experience and expertise about an issue or process to an initiative, organization, group, government entity, or community.
A consultant may provide:
__ Knowledge of an issue.
__ Knowledge of a process.
__ Specific skills.
__ Objectivity.
Why might you seek a consultant?
__ To solve a problem you can’t solve on your own.
__ To facilitate a process.
__ To bring specific knowledge or theory to your work.
__ To borrow skills your organization doesn’t have.
__ To carry out a specific, often time-limited task.
__ To mediate a dispute or a difficult situation.
__ To bring a fresh, unbiased perspective to the organization.
When might you seek a consultant?
__ When you’re about to start something new.
__ When you’re in a transition period.
__ When there’s a serious problem.
__ When there’s a need for more organizational structure, but you don’t know how to go about planning for or implementing it.
__ When you don’t have the in-house capacity to perform a necessary task or process.
__ When you need an outside evaluator.
Whom might you ask to be a consultant?
__ Professional consultants
__ Academics and researchers
__ Former public officials
__ Current or former staff or directors of organizations that deal with your issue
__ People with specific professional skills
__ People affected by the issue you’re working with
__ People with specific cultural expertise
How do you choose a consultant?
__ Define clearly what you want done.
__ Determine the skills and knowledge the consultant will need to do the job.
__ Determine the personal characteristics the consultant will need to work well with your organization.
__ Determine what you can afford.
__ Recruit candidates.
__ Screen, interview, and choose among applicants.
__ Evaluate the consultant’s work and its results.