BreakFree Solutions’ Engineers break down why it’s great to be a consultant
By Chris Mills, Shreyas Akella & Forest Dewberry
Here at BreakFree Solutions, we provide consulting to our customers to digitally transform their companies. Our consultants who make up our Delivery Teams come from unique backgrounds and hold diverse skill sets, which they tailor to our customers' requirements.
We are constantly on the lookout for new members to join our team. Here are a few reasons, from three BreakFree Solutions Engineers, why consulting is an attractive career path.
Challenge Yourself with Projects
Clients don’t contact us to solve simple, run-of-the-mill tech issues. They come to us with thought-provoking, multi-faceted challenges. Because of the variety and complexity of our clients’ needs, our teams are always working on challenges unique to each project. These challenges encompass a wide variety of technologies and it’s always necessary to integrate a diverse set of tools in order to solve them.
Finding solutions for clients is not only challenging but hugely satisfying for both us and our clients! If you enjoy challenging environments working with new technologies and integrations, then consulting is a great way to gain exposure to unique problems and celebrate successful solutions.
Enjoy Continuous Learning
Part of solving challenging problems with new solutions is staying up to date with the latest technologies. Quickly gaining expertise over new technologies — as well as knowledge over how to implement them — is key to meeting clients’ needs and becoming a masterful consultant. Providing the time and material needed to achieve this excellence is part of our culture, so that our consultants are always ready to deliver results.
Even more important than learning new skills is putting them to the test and gaining experience. As tech consultants, we value skills-development based on real-world experience. We are constantly looking for new opportunities to apply these skills for our customers’ benefit.
Develop Those Soft Skills
Traditionally among technology folk, soft skills often go under-developed — but not among consultants. The ability to meet and communicate with clients to tease out their project requirements, develop collaborative solutions, and ensure their continued success is critical. Soft skills, like a suite of good communication practices, are essential to fulfill this need.
We use our soft skills on a daily basis and provide mentoring to help improve them among our teams. This helps not only build but maintain crucial relationships within our industry that stand the test of time.
Build Your Network
Meeting clients helps you to build on your existing network of colleagues. Those with technology backgrounds likely already have a network that you can call on to provide needed assistance. By branching into consultant work you have the opportunity to build that network with people who have a wide swath of expertise and credentials across an organization (or organizations).
Your network will continue to grow and diversify, which in turn provides you more connections to help with your current and new clients.
Apply Agile Using the Scrum Framework
Our approach is to use the best practices available within the industry, and so we practice, use and preach the Scrum framework. Since our company inception, we have used Scrum to help develop solutions both within BreakFree and for our customers. Using our BreakFree Delivery Kit we transition organizations to use DevOps practices and principles, as well as provide the engineering experience to set up the tooling required.
As a consultant with us, you will too become an expert in Scrum, both as a team member and coach; work within a team; and report on progress towards objectives. There are also exciting opportunities to take charge and lead teams to success as a Scrum Master.
Flexibility
Consultants are busy and are expected to put in the necessary time and effort to meet clients' requirements. Even still, because consultants do not necessarily sit within a client’s organizational structure, there is flexibility in how to spend your time. Meeting with clients as required is a given but when you complete your tasks, you are free to create your schedule how you like. Added flexibility is provided through remote working, giving you the opportunity to do more when and where you like.
As long as you are meeting the clients' needs, you can achieve a work/life balance that suits you! In our free time you can find BreakFree team members improving on skills in our interest areas, gaining experience to feel fulfilled in our careers and pursuing passion projects.
Next Steps
All of the above adds up to having a great experience while gaining great experience on your consulting skills—both technical and interpersonal. The ability to consult with multiple clients to understand their needs and develop appropriate solutions, all while building deep relationships, is unlike any experience working full-time for an organization.
If this sounds like you, then feel free to get in touch with the BreakFree team. We are always eager to discuss our consulting experiences and can provide some great advice for how to take your next steps. We can even make one recommendation on a great Team that you could come join! 😊
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