Discover your consultant type and which one you should strive to be

Many factors go into being a successful consultant in global development, one of which is understanding how you currently work and which areas you could use some improvement in as a new consultant, especially if you’re making a transition from a full-time staff member position. When you decide to pursue a consulting career, “you have evolved your professional identity, becoming a freelance consultant, and that doesn't happen overnight,” said Simone Anzböck, international careers coach and veteran development consultant, during a recent Devex careers event. “We have to develop new skills. We have to have new ways that we show up in the world,” added Anzböck, who offered insights into a range of areas that development professionals should focus on to thrive as consultants. She stressed the importance of recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of how you approach work, which she categorized into four categories. Here’s a breakdown of each one and why one in particular is where you want to be as a freelance consultant. The analyzer Analyzers tend to procrastinate, which is fueled by wanting to wait until conditions appear ideal before taking action. “The risk here is really missed opportunities because you wait until the perfect conditions are met. You might never get into action,” Anzböck said. This can lead to falling behind on project deadlines or failing to take advantage of new work opportunities. The scatterbrain If you often feel overwhelmed by having too many options or tasks to complete and have a tendency to avoid taking action, you likely fall into the scatterbrain column. As a consultant, there are a lot of areas to which your attention can be drawn, including marketing, client delivery, networking, and upskilling. As a result, “you procrastinate because you lack that focus, or there's too much in your orbit, too much on your plate,” Anzböck said. The juggler Jugglers feel the need to be constantly productive, and this can lead to one being reactive rather than proactive more often than not. When you are “constantly doing,” you’re “actually not really knowing where you want to go,” Anzböck explained. This approach to work will lead you to overcommit and spread yourself too thin, putting you at risk of burning out easily and diminishing the quality of your work. The operator The goal is to be an operator, which means you take focused, concentrated actions and have a clear sense of where you are going as a development consultant. “You have a clear strategy of what's important now, and you can stay present and decisive of what should be in your orbit and what shouldn't be in your orbit, Anzböck said. To learn more about how to work in this effective and focused way, watch the full event below for more insights from Anzböck. Ready to stand out from the crowd and get noticed by the recruiters who matter most? Update your Devex profile and start connecting with top global development recruiters now.