Customer Reviews

How to Become a Successful Consultant in Your Own Field, 3rd Edition

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My wife read this book to me on a road trip just after I was laid off from a job, and by the time we got home, I felt charged up and ready to get started. The tips on personal networking, proposals, negotiation and formalizing the deal were especially helpful to me.

This book does not come with rose-colored glasses. If you're motivated but a little uncertain, this book gives the advice and reassurance you need to get started. If you're willing to put in the effort and be totally honest with yourself, it's no-nonsense all the way.

I would never have known that the author was not in my field. It's one of the best 'professional improvement' books I've seen.

I've spent the last 6 months reading consulting advice and "handbooks", mostly feeling disappointment when finished. Hubert Bermont is clearly an exception to the cookie cutter mold of "how to" consulting books. In contrast to the trite, useless information offered in most of the books I read on this topic, Bermont offers useful, concrete, easily applied advice to devloping and growing a consulting practice. Not to confuse easily applied with easy answers, Bermont doesn't make one believe that anyone can print up cards and open a practice. He does, however, offer reasonable, logical, manageable suggestions for some of the tough problems facing those of us who aspire to become successful consultants. I originally got this book from the library, but I am buying it today and it is going to become my personal road map to future success as a professional consultant. Thank you Mr. Bermont - I want to be just like you when I grow up!

A very good "starter." Well organized, good, sound ideas well presented, and easy to read. If you're new to consulting or just testing the waters (as I was), BUY THE BOOK!!

Giving it 4-stars rather than 5 might be unfair, but I had two reasons for doing so: (1) the chapter on Government Work (25 pages) was totally disinteresting to me, and (2) Marketing--as vital as it is to consulting-- was scrunched into a paltry 12 pages. What a lapse! (Bermont should at least have recommended an equally good book on advertising and marketing that is geared specifically to the consulting business.)

With this sort of book, I read quickly, underlining anything that strikes me and throwing an asterisk in the margin beside anything that seems particularly interesting or important. When I'm "finished," I go back to page 1 and that's when my reading REALLY begins.

The first sentence I underlined in this book was on page 1 and my last underline was on page 205. (Not bad for 205 pages of text.) I made underlines on about 80% of the pages, and asterisks on about half: WAY above my average, and I read a LOT.

For 5-stars: delete the Government stuff and add 25 pages to the Marketing chapter. Better yet, just do another book, but make it "How to market your way into being a Successful Consultant in your own field." If Bermont writes it, I'll buy it. Better yet, have him drop by and give me a hand with marketing!!!!!

This book is a great book for those just beginning in the consulting field. The content is very helpful and credible because Hubert Bermont is a successful consultant himself. Bermont's main objective is how to be able to cash in on your own experience rather than work for someone else. I think this is good advice for those interested in external consulting because you must learn through your own experiences and mistakes in order to be succssful. This book is easy to read and understand and I would definitely recommend buying this book and using it to your advantage!

I think that this book helps you choose and succeed at any type of consulting career you choose. A complementary resource I found was Vaultreports.com which helps you land a great job once having chosen your career.

With the downturn, which affected me in April, I became involved in consulting in my industry. This book is the best I found in the library so I purchased a copy. Great read and good advice, some of which is happening as Hubert said it would. From a pro and a guy I want to be like.

This book is a "no holds barred," book of being honest with yourself and realizing your intentions before deciding if you're ready to venture out of the nest into the real world. This read is NOT for sissies, but absolutely for the fearless who intend on straying from the flock to be a bit different.... to earn what they're worth.

While this book does have some good information, overall I was disappointed. I found most of the information general and for a book that's in it's 3rd edition, I didn't expect to read about typewriters! What I did appreciate was the author certaintly has his own way of doing things - and the advice he offers is solid and practical, something you don't often find in other books. Just the fact that he has no financial debt makes it advice worthy. If I had to do it over, I'd read it in the library or B & N.

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this is the classic book.

it was the first book ever on the topic.

could I want more? yes.
read howard shenson's book for the graduate degree.
this book is the place to start.

supplemental works by bob bly (not robert bly - he's the poet), jerry buchanan, jeffrey lant, joe karbo, john kremer, ted nicholas, et al may fill in special topic areas especially in the marketing of services.

this book is worth reading if you have any interest in being an independent consultant.

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