Tips for Working on Longer GLG Consulting Projects
When I corresponded with GLG about signing up as a Council Member (subject matter expert), they also provided me with useful information about working as an independent consultant on longer in-depth client engagements with GLG Projects. GLG Projects is unique in the market of platforms for independent consultants in that it provides resources, access to an expert network, research capabilities, and have admin and research staff to also leverage. You truly work on content and insights without all the painful processes that come with the territory of working on your own.
All of what’s below comes directly from GLG Projects. The term “independent consultant,” as written in the answers below, specifically refers only to consultants who work on GLG Projects as opposed to the short phone consultations as a SME.
What characteristics make up some of your best consultants? All of GLG Projects consultants are full-time, self-employed independents. Most have formal management or strategy consulting experience at a top consultancy (e.g., Bain, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey, LEK, EY-Parthenon, Deloitte, PwC), have consulting experience at an industry-specific firm (e.g., IBM, ZS Associates) or research experience with qualitative or quantitative methodologies from a large research firm (e.g. Nielsen, IRI, Edelman). However, the business is growing very quickly and requirements for new specialties come up every day. At the time of this article, our most successful independent consultants have:
Strong consulting tool kits, e.g. problem-solving, ability to dig up deep insights, analytical capabilities such as market sizing and competitive analysis
Expertise in one of our business verticals: due diligence across all industries, healthcare, medical devices, cutting-edge technology, consumer goods or industrials
Ability to guide client conversations and strong executive presence
Drive to be scrappy, leveraging vast GLG’s resources and their own to offer unique insights that answer our clients’ business questions and challenges
By definition, you have to be able to run projects on your own with limited oversight, however you will have a close partnership with the internal GLG Projects team.
Is it better to be an industry expert, such as automotive, or a functional expert in an area like supply chain? From GLG Projects: “The independent consultants we engage regularly have a strong functional expertise (e.g., in executing commercial due diligences, or pricing, or commercial access, or growth strategy projects), however many client types require a more in depth understanding of a subject matter (e.g. industrials, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals) so we’ll pair a SME to provide content and advisory support on a project.”
What tips or suggestions do you have for creating a profile that will stand out from the rest? This will differ depending on the individual’s background, but the more detailed the biography and consulting project history, the more likely an independent consultant is to be identified as a better project match and connected to a GLG client. We suggest independent consultants add industry and function expertise that is specific to their skillset, as opposed to “generalist.” Independent consultants who advise on GLG Projects should also set a competitive day rate, rather than pricing used with personal client books. This is especially true when working with GLG Projects because the available supplementary resources allow you to complete projects faster with more leverage, such as project and client management, survey design and execution, market research vendors, deck design support, and more.
What makes GLG Projects different than some of the other talent platforms, like Catalant for example? With GLG Projects, independent consultants have the option to maintain their flexibility while working on more unique, niche, and exciting projects for Fortune 100 clients. “When staffed on a GLG Project, we offer independent consultants unparalleled partnership, including access to GLG’s network of 700,000+ subject matter experts, survey capabilities, data and analytics vendors, and project execution tools. We also help independent consultants manage the scope, execution, and client touchpoints on each project.”
Do you pay your Council Members in the US as independent contractors, on a 1099 tax basis? Yes, Council Members are considered independent contractors. We send a 1099-MISC to those who have a U.S. tax identification number and earn at least $600 in a calendar year.
To go to the GLG Strategic Projects webpage, click here. If you’ve already signed up as GLG Council Member, you don’t need to create another account; you’re already in the GLG database.
Good luck!
