Consulting for Dummies

Great as a checklist to get started without missing a thing and as a reference for the first year of operation. Useful even if you are not american. Good reminder of the compliance issues, the bussiness issues and the personal questions you must ask yourself before entering consulting bussiness.

Make no mistake: "Dummies" books are strictly for beginners, and "Consulting for Dummies" is no different. Despite their elementary approach to subject matter, the series is a wonderful introduction to many topics, including the wide world of consulting. Start here for an overview, and move on to bigger and better books after you understand the basics.

Consulting for Dummies by Bob Nelson and Peter Economy International Data Group Books Worldwide, Inc. 1997Consulting for Dummies is a practical guide for anyone considering the field of consulting for either part time or full time employment. The book is written in a clear, understandable format and is interspersed with interviews with actual consultants to give a first hand view of what goes on in the life of a consultant. A wide range of consulting experiences is addressed - from individuals who operate alone, to larger consulting firms.The book is divided into five main parts, each one prefaced by a 5th Wave cartoon. Part One is: "What's a Consultant". This section not only defines what a consultant is, but has the reader analyze his/her own situation by way of quizzes, assessments and considerations as to whether or not consulting would be an appropriate field to venture into. After going through this section, the reader will know if s/he has what it takes or even still wants to be a consultant.Part Two, "The Consulting Process", addresses the basic steps that are involved when taking on a consulting project - from writing proposals, collecting and analyzing data, and developing, presenting and implementing recommendations. The authors go through these areas in a practical, applicable format while at the same time reminding the reader to really develop the relationships with clients in order to best meet their needs. While the first two parts of the book go over basic considerations, the third section, "Key Consulting Skills", delves into some underlying abilities and personal practices that affect the consultant and his/her effectiveness. Personal image, ethics, organization and communication skills are some of the areas touched on. Again, the advice given is practical and specific.Parts Four and Five, "Setting Up Your Business" and "Marketing Your Business" get into the promotion of, bookkeeping tips and other business aspects of a consultant's career. And finally, Part Six: "The Part of Tens", is composed of tips involving online services and activities that can be of help and several annotated lists of ten pieces of advice concerning common mistakes in consulting, writing winning proposals, and building and marketing your business. I would recommend Consulting for Dummies as a good primer for anyone considering consulting as a career. It is the type of book that can be used as a handy reference throughout the initial years of setting up a consulting practice.

Consulting for Dummies is a wonderful introductory text for the aspiring consultant. The authors, Nelson and Economy, have a wealth of experience both in their chosen professions and as writers. Their experience as writers comes through as clear, concisely written text that is reads easily and, often, enjoyably. This is a rarity for "professional" type texts.The book begins with a focus on assisting the reader in their decision on whether or not to consult. This is accomplished by giving a basic description of what a consultant does (including a very important section on what a consultant does not do), as well as asking the reader to determine their personal feelings about what career path they wish to follow, and describing the probable path of transition from traditional occupations to consulting. Should the reader, after this dose of reality, still wish to learn more about a consulting career, Consulting for Dummies obliges by dedicating several chapters to describing the processes involved in an actual consultation. Consulting for Dummies picks apart the process from defining the problem to implementation on a relatively superficial level, but with enough detail to provide the reader with basic information suitable for handling a relatively uncomplicated contract. Part three of Consulting for Dummies deals with development of consulting skills. Expected business topics such as time management, communication, and presentations are given adequate coverage. I was impressed, though, with the fact that the first topic discussed was ethics, an area too often overlooked in many texts. There is also a very basic chapter on how to use technology.Now that the professional skills have been covered, Consulting for Dummies moves on to several chapters about business practices. Everybody wants to know about the money, so the authors comply by starting with advice on how to set your fees and negotiate contracts. There area also nice chapters on marketing your business. As is usual, the book ends with lists of 10's. 10 ways to build your business...10 ways to (fill in the blank). While these tips are useful, these chapters seem mainly to be written for those who want to get the tips and not read the rest of the book. Overall, Consulting for Dummies is pretty typical fare from the for Dummies series. The information covers a lot of ground, but with little depth. Always enjoyable are the frequent case studies and "interviews" presented throughout the text (as well as the cartoons!). I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is, as I am, almost completely outside the business world and wants to know more about what consulting is. If, however, you are looking for a book to help with a particularly difficult consulting situation or need some in-depth knowledge about a particular problem, I would suggest the reader look elsewhere.

I am very pleased with my purchase of Consulting for Dummies. I am fairly new to consulting and I couldn't find any other books on the topic that were as comprehensive or that covered as many bases as this book did. Not only that, but the book is fun to read and not stuffy or dry like many business books can be. I especially liked the interviews that the authors did with a number of consultants. The interviews were full of great advice from professionals with many years of consulting experience. I refer to the book often when I have questions about how to build my business or how to handle problems with clients.