Description
Six Things You Should Know BEFORE Becoming a Technical Consultant
by Craig Goldman, CoAutomation
The life style seems attractive. Become a consultant; make great money; be your own boss; determine your own hours. So each year, particularly when the economy is trending lower and layoffs are common, thousands of people consider becoming consultants. Some just call themselves a consultant until they can find "a real job." Some actually get clients and provide services. Many fail.
Why do so many new consultants fail? Many new consultants fail not because they don't have good technical skills, but they do not know how to manage themselves nor their consulting practice. Some fail because they do not understand the economics of consulting - they cannot live with the delay in getting paid or they fail to charge enough to provide a "living". Many do not understand what a "consultant" does or what the client expects. All these reasons are knowable before becoming a consultant. So, many new consultants fail because they simply did not know what it is to be a consultant.
So this is what we'll talk about. The six things you should know before you start handing out business cards.
- Is There a Consultant "Type" (are you it?)
- Consultant or Contractor?
- The four jobs of a "Consultant" - not one is "The Boss"
- Do you know how to "make a living"? Understanding how you get paid, your hourly rate
- You should look like a business and not an individual.
- How the consultant finds projects
About the Presenter
Craig Goldman has been operating as an independent consultant since 1998 after a nine-month stint as a "Contractor" -- an employee of a contract agency. He incorporated as CoAutomation Inc in April 1999. Before "going solo", he was employed by several manufacturers of electronic and industrial equipment as a designer and later a manger of embedded hardware and firmware. He graduated in January 1981 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a joint award of a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering. In 1999, he earned an MBA degree from Nichols College. A recognized innovator, Mr. Goldman has made a significant contribution to dozens of successful designs and has been awarded ten US patents for inventions. He has been happily married since 1983.
CoAutomation Inc provides hardware and firmware design services as well as key knowledge support for microcontroller-based projects. The company specializes in producing products that must operate properly due to regulatory, safety or marketing considerations. CoAutomation has experience writing firmware that confirms to MISRA and IEC-61508 Safety standards
PLEASE NOTE:
The meeting is open to the public. No charge for Consultants Network members. There is a $5 entrance fee for non-members. Casual dress.
The Consultants Network meeting starts at 6:30 PM. The meeting location is at Olin College, 1000 Olin Way, Needham, MA
Driving Directions
From the East or West
Take the Massachusetts Turnpike to Exit 15 (Interstate 95/Route 128; if driving from the East; Exit 14 if driving from the West). After the tolls, follow the signs for Route 95/128 South. Exit Route 95/128 South at exit 19B (Highland Avenue, Needham). Follow Highland Avenue for 1.5 miles to a three-way intersection with Chapel and May Streets; bear slight right onto Chapel Street (to the right of the gas station). Take a right at the first light onto Great Plain Avenue/Rte 135. Then follow "From Great Plain Avenue" directions below.
Take Route 95/128 to exit 19B (Highland Avenue, Needham). Follow Highland Avenue for 1.5 miles to a three-way intersection with Chapel and May Streets; bear slight right onto Chapel Street (to the right of the gas station). Take a right at the first light onto Great Plain Avenue/Rte 135. Then follow "From Great Plain Avenue" directions below.
From Great Plain Avenue
Proceed on Great Plain Avenue for 1.5 miles and the Olin College campus will be on the right. Enter the campus at "Olin Way" and follow the road around to the left to parking lot A, which provides access to all campus buildings. The meeting is in the auditorium at "Milas Hall", which is the first building to the right, as you walk up from the main lot. Handicap parking is available.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&geocode=&q=Olin+College+of+Engineering,+Olin+Way,+Needham,+MA&aq=0&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=53.080379,113.994141&ie=UTF8&hq=Olin+College+of+Engineering,+Olin+Way,+Needham,+MA&t=h&hnear=&ll=42.29058,-71.259127&spn0.
Olin Way to enter the campus.
Check the Consultants Network website for details and last minute information of our upcoming lectures series for 2012-2013
http://www.boston-consult.com/calendar.php
For more information, e-mail cn.boston@ieee.org or chairman@boston-consult.com; or contact the chairman Steven Greffenius at 781-223-1396. The Consultants Network website is at www.boston-consult.org.
