Consultant Search
Ronald Guest
fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like looking
for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
anyway...
What methods or resources have you used?
TIA.
--
----------------------
Ronald Guest
ron...@airmail.net
http://web2.airmail.net/ronaldg
------> There's more to this life...
PeterEva
writes:
>What are good, convenient ways of finding a consultant with expertise in
>fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like
looking for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
>anyway...
>
>What methods or resources have you used?
Ronald,
Have you looked at the Expert Marketplace (http://www.crimson.com/) or
NCRI (www.referrals.com)?
Peter
Peter Meyer, The Meyer Group, Scott Valley, CA 408-439-9607.
B. Jane Garthson
> What are good, convenient ways of finding a consultant with expertise in
> fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like looking
> for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
> anyway...
a) post a serious question in the relevant Usenet group and see who answers
b) search for organizations of consultants; they may have a directory of
members
c) search for trade or professional organizations in the field where you
need help and ask if they have a list of members who are available for
consulting work
d) specify the area of work here; participants on this conference have
wide referral networks
[moderators note...]
[ NO solicitations for jobs will be posted here. Our charter is quite
specific in this point. Take that sort of post to the misc.jobs hierarchy!]
e) ask any consultant you know whether they can give you a referral.
However, consultants who provide services to individuals will likely know
mostly others who also serve individuals. Consultants who provide
services to organizations will be a better source of referrals to others
who provide services to organizations.
Jane Garthson
Mills Garthson & Associates
5385 Yonge St., Box 45058
North York, ON M2N 5R7
mall...@woods.uml.edu
> What are good, convenient ways of finding a consultant with expertise in
> fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like looking
> for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
> anyway...
>
A few ideas, all of which assume that you are (or are working on behalf of) the
organization that needs this specialist. These ideas are generic since you
didn't say what field or geographic area you're in. Pick the ones that apply.
1. Consultant directories (Gale, Kennedy, D&B, perhaps others) are cross-
indexed by specialty. They might not list the precise tiny niche you need but
they probably list the next broadest category. You can call these folks to find
out if they're in your niche. Those who aren't can often suggest some who are.
2. If you cover a limited geographic territory, ask people in your business who
are not your direct competitors because they're too far away. Chances are that
a really specialized consultant can't focus geographically as well so their
consultants can work with you too.
3. If colleges/universities have programs in your field or in related fields,
ask faculty members.
4. Check with people in any professional associations that your field has.
5. If the niche involves specialized equipment and/or technologies, ask vendors
of that equipment, etc. This is especially true if you already have, or have
selected, a vendor. It's usually not a good way to find a consultant to help
you choose one.
6. Your accounting and/or law firm may be able to help. If they can't, their
contacts may be able to. Ask.
7. If your field has a trade press, see who's quoted. Call them. Even if they
can't help you they may know people who can.
8. Call a consultant broker. (Caution: some are good, some are a waste of your
time and everyone else's.) Be VERY specific about your EXACT needs. Give them
some questions to help them tell the specialists from the wannabes, since they
will not be experts in your field. Give them ONE miss and make it clear, after
that miss, that you will not talk to any more of their candidates if there is
a second. Properly used, these people are highly motivated (no placement, no
income) and will search high and low for your consultant.
9. You might also try calling Jim Kennedy of Kennedy Publications, Fitzwilliam,
N.H. (603-585-6544). He talks to lots of consultants in all fields and, if he
happens to have the time and be in a helpful mood when you call, might have
some good suggestions.
10. If your need happens to be in my niche (see last line below), send me an
E-mail. <g>
Efrem Mallach
Kensington Group, Inc.
<mall...@woods.uml.edu>
Helping computer and communications firms work with analysts and consultants
Piguet
listing service companies, and broken down by the type of services.. That
would be a good starting point, I would think.
Good luck,
Maura Satchell
Piguet International Inc.
Worldwide Business Credit Reporting
Member of the COFACE Group
Lee Silver -Information Concepts Inc.
>fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like looking
>for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
>anyway...
>
>What methods or resources have you used?
Ronald:
If you're looking for a consultant with computer-oriented expertise check
out www.icca.org, the Independent Computer Consultants Assoc. home-page.
Once there, choose Looking for a Consultant; one of the look-up criteria
is 'expertise', of which a few hun dred are listed.
//---------
Lee Silver
Information Concepts Inc.
Corporate Developers - Application back-log getting
you down? Let us help get you and your users 'up'.
We support what we develop.
For more information contact us at lsi...@ibm.net
Brooks Hilliard
> What are good, convenient ways of finding a consultant with expertise in
> fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like looking
> for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
> anyway...
>
> What methods or resources have you used?
>
I am a management/computer consultant and have frequently needed to
find specialists to work with me on specific projects (generally
expert witness projects where I needed some technical analysis to back
up my systems and industry expertise . . . but my methods could work
no matter what the purpose of your search.
I generally find as many *relevant* newsgroups--and Compuserve
forums--as I can and describe the expertise I need in a post with a
title like "Need ____ consultant". Then in the body of the post I
describe in several sentences what the project is, what kind of
experience (and how much) I am expecting the consultants to have and
anything else I can so that the responders will qualify themselves
before responding.
Depending on how specialized the need, I may get from a few to several
dozen replies, most by e-mail rather than follow up posts. It is then
incumbent on me to request references, detailed qualifications, etc.
and to check them out. I have done this on multiple occasions with
very good results.
Other resources: Independent Computer Consultants Association (on the
Web) and Institute for Management Consultants (not on Web yet). Both
have referral capabilities. Feel free to contact me directly if you'd
like information on how to reach the IMC.
Finally, don't hesitate to ask other consultants, CPAs and attorneys
you trust who work in similar or allied fields.
Regards, Brooks Hilliard
--
Brooks Hilliard, Principal Business Automation Associates, Inc
602 264-9263 Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona
Web Site: http://www.bizauto.com
Independent Management and IS consulting and expert witness services
Brian Pomeroy
>
> What are good, convenient ways of finding a consultant with expertise in
> fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like looking
> for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
> anyway...
1) If you haven't given up on the Web yet, try a robust search engine like
Lycos (http://www.lycos.com/), and use as specific search criteria as
possible.
2) There might be a professional organization dedicated to the discipline
you're interested in. Again, they might have a Web page. If you can
locate one, contact them and see if they have a referral service.
--
**********************
Brian Pomeroy
Web Editor, SLACK Inc.
Author, "BeginnerNet: A Beginner's Guide to the Internet and the World Wide Web"
6900 Grove Rd., Thorofare, NJ 08086 USA
E-mail: bpom...@slackinc.com
WWW: http://www.slackinc.com/
**********************
ARKINT
>1. Consultant directories (Gale, Kennedy, D&B, perhaps others) are cross-
>indexed by specialty. They might not list the precise tiny niche you need
but
>they probably list the next broadest category. You can call these folks
to
>find out if they're in your niche. Those who aren't can often suggest
some who
>are.
Don't overlook "A Resource for Business Management Expertise and
Membership Directory of the Midwest Society of Professional Consultants"
published by MSPC,
312/201-0596.
Alternatively, within one-two weeks from now you could check
http://users.aol.com/ExpertsARK/INDEX.HTM
localhost
I am looking for qualified speakers who wish
to submit a proposal for the Internet Forum Europe 96
conference to be held on October 9-11 in Frankfurt/Main.
The focus of the conference is the business aspects
of the Internet.
If you are interested to receive a fact sheet of
the conference please send me an e-mail at
roberto...@omg.org
Regards
Roberto Zicari
IFE Chair
ARKINT
>What are good, convenient ways of finding a consultant with expertise in
>fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like
looking
>for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
>anyway...
Did you try http://users.aol.com/ProExperts/INDEX.HTM ?
A place to find experts,
A place for experts to be found.
Allan R. Kishpaugh, P.E.
http://users.aol.com/arkint/INDEX.HTM
Ginger Myers
You should also try The Host Hub. It is a subscriber service, and I
don't know what it costs to subscribe, but I understand it's quite
thorough.
http://www.cmihub.com
Stanley Berman
It really depends on what the specialty is. Some professional groups
maintain registers of members and their interests/expertise.
What are you looking for?
Stan
Ginger Myers (ld...@ols.net) wrote:
: ARKINT wrote:
: >
: > In article <1.-8_...@gate.net>, ron...@airmail.net (Ronald Guest)
: > writes:
: >
: > >What are good, convenient ways of finding a consultant with expertise in
: > >fairly narrow areas? I am doing a WWW search, which is so far like
: > looking
: > >for a needle in a haystack, knowing the needle probably isn't there
: > >anyway...