Customer Reviews

A New Brand of Expertise: How Independent Consultants, Free Agents, and Interim Managers are Transforming the World of Work

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While there is good information here I would strongly recommend some other titles. For anyone who is considering a free agent / consulting career, "Free Agent Nation" by Daniel Pink provides a good "big picture" view of what you're in for. And for advice on consulting, books by Alan Weiss are killer stuff. I read "Million Dollar Consulting in the early 90's and thought it was excellent. And I recently purchased "Getting Started in Consulting", which takes the themes from his early books and translates them into a step by step roadmap. Straightforward, succinct, practical insights into how to build a business.

As an established career consultant and coach, I advise my clients about current work and labor trends to help them make wise and profitable career choices. Long-term employment is gradually being replaced by short-term, project-oriented work. Knowing about this trend is important but knowing how to survive and thrive in this new environment is crucial and this book provides a useful step in understanding the change. This book is an outstanding resource for both workers and employers who want to thrive in the new world of work. A "Must Read."

A New Brand of Expertise is definitely an easy read and filled with all sorts of practical tips for both consultants and clients. As a veteran consultant, I found myself in agreement with many of McGovern's comments. When consulting works well, it sures beats "working for a living," as one of the consultants featured in the book mentioned. This book gives the rookie consultant a lot of solid advice on how to get started and be successful. I wish this book existed when I first made the transition to consulting.

I am so thrilled that someone with Marion McGovern's bird's eye view of both sides of the fence has underscored so positively the free agent's role in the economy of the 21st century. I think she does an excellent job of reminding us that people who move from project to project and company to company can be real assets in today's workplace. This is especially good news for Renaissance Souls: people who prefer variety and combination to concentrating on just one thing. Why? Because, as McGovern shows so well, the life of free agents is very different from that of workers sitting in one cubicle specializing in one thing for most of their working life. Free agents have to know their material, of course, but they also have to enjoy applying what they know to a variety of different situations. In addition, free agents need to be comfortable wearing several different hats. Who is going to spread the word about what they have to offer if they don't? Who is going to be sure that the finances are in order if they don't? Even if they hire accountants and make good use of the virtual free agent supports available on the Internet, they still are the one, and only one, making the final decisions and being sure what needs doing has actually been done. As a coach specializing in life design for people with too many passions to pick just one (read Renaissance Souls,) I have already been recommending Dr. Barbara Reinhold's book, FREE TO SUCCEED: Designing the Life You Want In the New Free Agent Economy and Daniel Pinks FREE AGENT ECONOMY. Now I will add McGovern's new contribution as well.

I found this to be an invaluable resource for individuals who are practicing as independent consultants or just getting started. Also, leaders of tomorrow's "Fast Companies" will be convinced that using "spot talent" should be a crucial piece of their talent strategy - McGovern illustrates the many uses and successes of consultants. Her experiences in the business provide a wealth of knowledge to both sides. It's a quick read peppered with real-life examples. I have recommended this book to friends who work as free agents/gurus/etc - the advice is up to the minute and prepares individuals and companies for the workplace of the future.

This is a viable resource for networking and marketing oneself as an independent consultant and provides many suggestions as to how to effectively make the transition from full-time employment to independent consulting. Seasoned consultants may benefit as well from the re-affirmation of the non-traditional "career path" independent consulting constitutes.