Consultants provide an outside, objective view and provide the human resources to complete projects. They help companies identify problems, needed changes, and develop strategies to improve performance. This question gives you an understanding of the value that the candidate brings to your company. What to look for in an answer:
"Companies can benefit from experienced consultants who identify problems and facilitate change. Outside talent provides the expertise to resolve problems, and revitalize the company or a product."
The answer to this question should reveal the candidate's knowledge of your industry and exhibit their critical thinking and analytical skills. You should be able to see the research they've done on your company and if they understand the primary issues facing your industry. What to look for in an answer:
"I think you've been successful at what you do, especially in adding a service to expand your market. The biggest problem I see is that you still provide a product that's losing market share. The key is to develop a product for a newer target market using newer technology and separate yourself from the competition. I can develop strategies to make that happen and keep the business thriving."
Corporate consultants have pricing set up based on history. Smaller companies and self-employed consultants need enough experience to know what to charge for each deliverable. All consultants should talk about price in terms of value-added. What to look for in an answer:
"I base my prices on the increased revenue my solutions bring to the company, otherwise known as pricing set by value. I communicate rates, am always transparent with my negotiations, and set clear deliverables. My rates also depend on the going market rates and your company's needs. I always set comprehensive budgets and stick to them so my clients know what to expect."
Consultants take on temporary projects with set timelines. The answer to this question should show the candidate's experience of adapting to various company cultures. They should also exhibit strong communication and collabouration skills. What to look for in an answer:
"I like to conduct in-depth research about a company before I start a project. I use online information, website, news releases, reports, and ratings to help me understand the culture. I have strong communication skills and can build relationships with colleagues and clients quickly. Relationship building and collabouration allow me to adapt and integrate into your company's culture easily."
Consultants must size markets to determine growth potential. This question helps you understand the candidate's analytical skills and tools used to develop accurate numbers. They can discuss their approach to demonstrate reasoning skills. What to look for in an answer:
"I like to work with a top down structural format for large markets. I start with the total population and divide it into the market. I use that method when dealing with multiple customer segments within large markets. Typically, for a local market like yours, I use the bottom-up approach that have a more standardised customer base."
A good consultant should be able to work with and influence people who disagree with new ideas. They need strong persuasion skills to get support for implementation their ideas. This question gives you insight into a candidate's communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills. What to look for in an answer:
"I'd acknowledge their issues and concerns, find something we could agree on, and work backwards from that. It's a guarantee that we always share the same goal of improving the company's operations or revenue, so I use that to explain the cause-and-effect of my ideas. I'd use data, research, and market examples to demonstrate the trends of my previous projects and explain how I could apply them to their business."
Consultants evaluate operations and suggest changes to streamline the company's processes. They often recommend customer relationship management systems to accomplish those goals. The candidate should be able to explain how the system would improve customer service, and discuss the uses of data mining. What to look for in an answer:
"In my experience, I've seen CRM systems benefit the sales process, increase customer retention, and grow the businesses' revenue stream. These platforms give sales a full view of prospects, provide information to build lasting customer relationships, and reduce the overall cost of sales. Introducing a CRM system to your company has several benefits, including..."
Consultants evaluate your information systems and identify outdated integrations and suggest new technology. The candidate should be able to implement recommendations for updates and integrations into your infrastructure and identify ways for you to get the most from your resources. What to look for in an answer:
"With new integrations, new IT standards are crucial. I predict mobile and cloud-based applications will replace old practises. These process improvements increase productivity to meet market demands and speed up your business operations."
Consultants know the benefits of telephony systems and the benefits of internet-based services. The candidate should be able to identify your business phone system needs after researching your company and business needs. What to look for in an answer:
"VoIP technology is cost-effective and allows you to integrate software apps over the internet via the phone. One major benefit for your business is that it can increase productivity by helping employees multitask, attach documents, and share data through videoconferencing."
Marketing campaigns can be improved with marketing automation. A candidate should know that automation saves time and money. What to look for in an answer:
"The software platforms and technology automatically manage your marketing process and multifunctional campaigns across multiple channels. The technology, via the internet, allows you to target customers, update the content of marketing campaigns, and track the success of each campaign."
Outsourcing services reduce overhead expenses. The candidate should be able to discuss when outsourcing is needed and discuss any experience they have with it. What to look for in an answer:
"Yes. Outsourcing cuts your spending, boosts productivity, and you can use as many experts as you need. It eliminates bureaucracy and applies to any market niche. It's a cost-effective option that helps increase revenues and promote company growth. It fosters partnerships, reduces risk, and offers market opportunities. Based on my research, I would highly recommend outsourcing some elements of your business."
A major skill of consulting is leadership, since it involves working with teams to strategize, develop, and implement solutions. When asked this question, the candidate has the opportunity to describe an example of their strong leadership abilities. What to look for in an answer:
"One of my previous clients, ABC Inc., needed to layoff several employees in different departments. This resulted in the remaining employees feeling overwhelmed and overworked. I scheduled a meeting to discuss strategies and communicated my appreciation for their dedication through the challenging time. I asked for their assistance to identify ways to increase efficiency. I led the team through several planning sessions and came up with an effective solution."
Here you're asking about a past project or specific experience, which is a behavioural question. Candidates should provide context and explain the goal, and the steps they took to achieve it. What to look for in an answer:
"In a previous role, I had to present a project plan to executive-level managers. I was nervous because I hadn't done a lot of public speaking at that level. I had two days to prepare for the presentation and spent that time ensuring that I knew the plan, the logic behind it, and the reasoning used to recommend it. I made a list of follow-up questions they may ask and practised my responses. The presentation was a success, and the executives approved the project. I have also taken public speaking classes since then to improve my confidence."
The answer to this question should give you insight into how much the candidate knows about your industry and the values of your company. They should show enthusiasm for the role and confidence in what they can offer. What to look for in an answer:
"From my research, I understand that you have a collabourative and supportive culture which I believe is important for personal development. I believe I can help solve problems working with a team that strives for excellence."
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