Webinar: Your guide to becoming a global development consultant

Global development offers a lot of opportunities for those looking to work independently and contribute their specific skillset to projects of interest. Organizations are frequently looking for consultants to lend their technical expertise on a short-term basis or support other functions such as business development or marketing. Consulting has its perks — a flexible working schedule, the ability to focus on topic or regions you are passionate about, and the opportunity to work with different clients and donors. However, working as an independent consultant can be challenging, particularly when you are just starting out and trying to establish yourself in what is already a competitive market. Daniel Head and Susanne Barsoum, co-founders of KeyLime International, joined Devex for the first in a series of webinars on becoming a global development consultant. During the webinar, the pair, who have both hired and worked as independent consultants, tackled some of the common challenges of the profession. These included marketing your services and finding new clients. “Even though you are thinking about going alone, don’t do it alone,” advised Head. “Find support, find people who know your industry and market better than you, and nurture those relationship over time and ultimately be confident.” Barsoum also provided guidelines for setting your daily rates and expenses, and on how best to present your CV — a topic she is particularly fond of, having reviewed thousands of CVs over the years. “Include as much detail as possible without developing a 20-page CV,” she said. Nobody is going to read past the second or third page, but make sure you provide enough detail and highlight your discipline and skills, she added. Over the coming weeks, Devex will be joined by a number of guest speakers who have worked as consultants for the World Bank, United States Agency for International Development and EuropeAid. They will be sharing their advice for landing opportunities with these organizations and succeeding as a consultant in the sector.