Helping consultants excel as strategic partners
As the talent shortage in the tech industry continues, UK businesses are increasingly relying on consultants as strategic partners. Mobilunity founder Cyril Samovskiy offers advice to consultancies looking to ensure their technical advisors are equipped to excel from day one, maximising impact for themselves and clients alike.
As well as offering highly skilled individuals with expertise and knowledge in various areas of technology, the immediate availability and flexibility of consultancy firms is a true lure, particularly for startups keen to scale up or down their tech capabilities based on project needs. For consultancy firms, this is positive news; more demand, more business. However, the struggle to not only find but to evaluate, onboard and integrate a new technical hire is one that doesn’t bypass the consultancy industry.
In fact, because the demand for skilled tech consultants outstrips the available supply, there is intense competition among consultancy firms and other employers seeking to attract top talent. This of course makes it challenging for consultancy firms to stand out and attract talent, but identifying candidates with the right combination of technical skills, industry knowledge and consulting experience can also be difficult in a smaller talent pool, especially for niche or emerging technologies.
Despite these recruitment obstacles, consultancy firms can still build high-performing tech teams that deliver real value to clients simply by leveraging a combination of strategies.
Specific technical interviews and assessments
A recent survey found that 27% of UK businesses rely on standard interviews for new tech hires, which fail to assess candidates’ aptitude and technical skills for a role. The result of this approach? A 93% portion said that new technical hires are failing to hit the ground running and deliver value immediately.
For the consultancy firm, technical interviews are equally, if not more, important. Tech consultancy roles require a highly specialised set of skills - whether that be in software development, data analytics, cybersecurity or cloud computing - and so require a very specialised interview to identify the best talent. Developing a robust interview process to not just assess candidates' technical skills, but also their problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and client-facing capabilities, is crucial for consultancy firms, but can be complex and time-consuming.
While many consultancy firms are able to do this adequately in-house, for those lacking time, capacity or expertise, third party experts are an option. As well as running subject-specific technical interviews, they’re also able to validate hard skills and domain knowledge, and use industry-standard technical assessments to verify technical proficiency; all of which will ensure consultants are perfectly matched with a client’s project needs and deliver value from the get go.
Cultural fit
In addition to technical expertise, a good consultancy firm will also prioritise cultural fit when evaluating new tech consultants. Finding candidates who align with their client’s values, work ethic and collaborative ethos can be challenging, especially in a smaller talent pool. But ignoring this aspect can lead to a range of issues, including poor team dynamics, increased staff turnover, negative impact on client relationships and diminished organisational reputation.
The combination of strong soft skills such as communication, collaboration, and empathy with technical expertise creates a truly well-rounded and competitive team. It’s a synergy that ensures team members possess the technical know-how, and have the ability to understand and appreciate the perspectives of others.
Onboarding and integrating new consultants into project teams
Filtering out, assessing and matching a consultant to a client and their project is just half the job. The other half starts with successfully onboarding and integrating new consultants into project teams so that they are well-positioned to contribute effectively from day one. This includes establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and project objectives to align consultant efforts with client expectations.
Establishing effective communication channels between consultants, project managers, and clients is essential for ensuring accountability and project success here, while other strategies, such as orientation programmes and mentorship opportunities, can help foster collaboration and productivity from the outset too.
Continuous development and support for technical consultants
Finally, if consultancy firms want to ensure that their tech consultants remain at the forefront of innovation and continue to drive success for them and their clients, ongoing development and support is essential. This may include opportunities for advancement, specialisation, leadership development or even exposure to diverse projects or industries. Or perhaps it might mean specialised courses, workshops, certifications, or hands-on learning experiences. Any work towards enriching consultants’ experiences and broadening their skillsets, will mean they’re more likely to feel valued, empowered, and motivated to excel.
Again, while some consultancy firms possess the internal resources and expertise to effectively handle the onboarding and continuous development of technical consultants, there are instances where engaging a third-party onboarding service can be advantageous. Partnering with external service providers can be a great option for those looking to adapt to changing demands and optimise training budgets, allowing consultancy firms to streamline operations, enhance training effectiveness, and accelerate the success of their technical consultants in meeting client needs and industry standards.
The tech talent shortages brought on by Covid-19 and the ‘Great Resignation’ is an ongoing issue, showing no signs of diminishing any day soon. It’s a situation that comes with its fair share of challenges for many, but for those willing to commit to well-thought out recruitment strategies and leverage the external support available, the opportunities for the consultancy industry are endless.