Tiffany Parker - The Art of Corporate Consulting: Building a lucrative career out of temporary & project based contracting with major corporations

The views and opinions expressed in this book are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views or opinions of Gatekeeper Press. Gatekeeper Press is not to be held responsible for and expressly disclaims responsibility of the content herein.

The Art of Corporate Consulting: Building a lucrative career out of temporary & project based contracting with major corporations

Published by Gatekeeper Press

2167 Stringtown Rd, Suite 109

Columbus, OH 43123-2989

www.GatekeeperPress.com

Copyright 2021 by Tiffany Parker

All rights reserved. Neither this book, nor any parts within it may be sold or reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.

The cover design, interior formatting, typesetting, and editorial work for this book are entirely the product of the author. Gatekeeper Press did not participate in and is not responsible for any aspect of these elements.

eISBN: 9781662914706

Greetings and Salutations!

I was inspired to write this book because, after years of working for major corporations both directly and indirectly (as a contractor), Ive learned some crucial and lucrative gems, especially valuable in a COVID-19 workforce reality, that I want to impart to millennials and Gen-Zers.

Contents

The work ecosystem has drastically changed and will continue to do so at warp speed. The job-security mantra of previous generations no longer exists. Todays job market thrives on one concept alone: value add. In laymans terms, this is to say (or ask), What value will potential employees add? to any particular company. And how quickly can they deliver this said value? Thats it thats all. We can be stellar employees and still be the first to go when its time for cutbacks. Your boss can see all your potential, and do their best to groom you, but if you cant serve the companys immediate needs, you might just find your head on the chopping block.

But the good news is, thats OK if you are armed with the right tools to wipe your britches off and keep it moving --- FAST!

In order to move fast, you need to be open to alternative forms of employment, think like an entrepreneur, and be equipped with the right skills. Remember, as millennials and beyond, we are a generation with the mantra adapt or die. We disrupt, we adjust, we innovate, we work smarter. This, my friend, is the value-add mentality that will not only benefit you in the workplace, but also in other areas of your life.

With that said, there is no greater time to take full advantage of this overlooked, hidden gem job market. Temporary, contracting and project-based work can offer a lot of flexibility and financial gain. But you must be strategic, with a game plan.

While there is a lot of information available on temping, 99% of it is from a corporate recruiting firms perspective and downright vanilla viewpoint that typically only benefits them (and the client(s) that pay them). Dont believe me? Go ahead, google it. Youll find several articles written by recruiters (speculating and selling the industry to newcomers), but not the real nitty-gritty POV from the people who actually do the work, with boots on the ground, who interact with clients on a daily basis.

And thats exactly the Tea I plan to serve! After reading this e-book, youll know:

How to find the right recruiter (No! They are not all built the same!)

What roles to take what ones to pass on

How to really negotiate your bag

What moves to make when you land the gig with a new client.

So, lets get to it!

Cutting through the fluff

What it is and what its not

Consulting is an untapped and lucrative income resource. Untapped, because a lot of times its frowned upon, mainly by people who dont understand the changing shifts of todays economy and workforce. When most people think of landing their dream job, they think in traditional paradigms, through no fault of their own. Weve been taught since grade school to follow a straight path to success: Go to college, get an internship, turn that experience into a job, then climb the corporate ladder from there. For generations, this has been the roadmap. And for the vast majority, its worked and worked well. Their paths have been paved, and many people before me have documented it well. But the landscape has changed drastically. This book is for people who are willing to take the path less traveled to get to their pot of gold. They color outside of the lines and are willing to disrupt to devour, with a less traditional outlook on their career structure.

I wrote this book based on my experiences of what corporate roles can look like through the lens of an entrepreneur or artist. This book is a strategy and motivational art piece. Contract roles are not emotional. Its best that in the beginning, when you first accept a new role with a consulting client, you stay focused on the black and white terms of why youre there. If this role naturally evolves into something more, such as full time employment, or a great connection with colleagues, then great, so be it (because it definitely does happen in a lot of cases). But remember, the goal here is to get your original assignment complete . Not to put down roots or win popularity contests. Plain and simple, these roles are a means to an end not the end. This may sound harsh, but its not really; this mentality allows you to stay focused on YOUR goals when in these positions. Companies have goals and milestones when they decide to bring you in house as a contractor, and you should too! So above all else, define your ends you are in control and in the drivers seat. I will reinforce this notion throughout this book, because one of the harsh truths of contracting is that it can be challenging at times, leaving you feeling invisible and undervalued, especially when you are surrounded by employees who seem to have it all. But I say this: this may be the truth of how you feel, but often this feeling of being invisible is far from the true reality of the situation. And the reality is what we capitalize on. This e-book will show you how to leverage your education, experience, and skills into a well-paying and well-respected gig. This is the type of strong, confident, samurai contractor you will be by the time you finish reading.

A mentor once told me that his role as a finance manager at the company we worked was his waiter job. At first, I laughed, because he was one highly compensated waiter. Then he explained that he looked at his job in the same way an aspiring actor looked at a job when he took a gig as a waiter. The waiter gig keeps a roof over the actor's head until that dream role comes along. Same concept, just a different industry. Then the light bulb came on.

When I first came to LA to pursue writing and production and modeling, I kind of shunned having to work a corporate job. I felt it hindered me from really being able to have the freedom that I saw some of my friends experiencing, like brunching and beaching during the middle of the week and partying hard on Taco Tuesdays. Then I rolled back those Instagram layers and realized a lot of them could barely make rent, were getting their cars repossessed, and it was a coin toss on who was about to have to return back to their hometown because they couldnt afford that lifestyle.