Want to Become a Consultant? There’s an App For That!

Yashar Kafi

Alright, let’s be straight… We’ve baited you with the title. There isn’t really an app that will magically transform you into a consultant, but, in today’s day and age, with the introduction of gig economy consulting marketplaces, ‘newsfeeds’ and comment-sections, it seems like everybody has become a ‘consultant’. The people who have realized this are now marketing themselves as such for all sorts of different niches and trends, through the ridiculous amount of social media platforms and apps available today.

While we would love to give ourselves a big pat on the back, if we’re honest, you don’t necessarily need much to become a consultant; in a way, if you have an expertise or a focused skillset in any field, you can technically become a consultant. You may have noticed that Tom, Dick, and Harry down the road are all advising the nation on how their politics, dress-sense, preferences, workplace etiquette, and all sorts of other stuff should be. And, people seem to be listening to them. That’s because, in the modern world, it’s all about the social media clout ─ if you’ve got a following, you’re going to influence the masses. Or, at least your friends, and maybe their friends.

Jokes aside, tech-savvy youngsters think that influencers on platforms like Tik Tok, Facebook and Instagram are the bees-knees at the moment. They’re really not consulting platforms. But, the stats don’t lie ─ back in 2018, there had been a 325% increase in searches for “influencer marketing” on Google. Tom, Dick, and Harry are doing alright!

The problem is , does a large following actually reflect the knowledge of the wannabe consultants or, are they just riding the hype-train to Moneyville?

Back in my day, which wasn’t that long ago, I was a financial analyst. When tech disruption came to the fore, I started to play around with techy stuff, and eventually, I found myself working with finance applications. And, like everything, practice makes perfect ─ I got pretty good at understanding how a business can leverage such applications! I was fortunate to be given an opportunity to implement new processes and technology into my workplace; but, that is where I learned that the combination of functional and technical skills was right up my alley. Now I am not unique, clever or exceptionally smart – I just worked to understand what it was like to walk a mile in everyone else’s shoes.

The way to look at it is this: I worked hard and was given opportunities based on merit. I worked hard, nose to the grindstone, and successfully implemented solutions into the workplace. And, then, I got noticed by a consulting firm who approached me and said, “Hey, look, why don’t you come and work for us as a consultant?”

That’s where it all started ─ you don’t necessarily need a load of skills to consult, but it’s hard work and an athletic mentality that makes it happen. Traditionally, anyway. You could do what the influencers online do and say:

I didn’t choose to consult, consulting chose me.

You could say that other professional consultants and I have gained our expertise through the trials of work, and we’ve paid our dues. Now though, it seems like a person doesn’t need to do that because, if they’ve managed to market themselves right, they gain hordes of followers who absorb their words like porous sponges ─ whether they have any depth or not.

The thing that organizations or anybody interested in becoming a consultant need to look out for is whether the big influencers and wannabe consultants like Tom, Dick, and Harry are actually giving any value in what they say. Most of the time, these guys aren’t; they’re just jumped-up by their online clout-bubble.

To find ‘real’ consultants who are tried and tested in the field, look for genuine reviews, testimonials, and reports of great face-to-face contact – and especially referrals from peers. And, always remember that just because an individual has thousands of slightly mindless robots who ‘like’ their posts and thoughts on the various platforms, it doesn’t mean that they’re the gold standard of wisdom that they might claim to be.

Look, we’ve made it super easy for you to find some of the real consultants! At AMPlify , we’ve got a team of management consultants who come from top-tier consulting firms, have years of experience in the industry and are genuine. They got to where they are, like me, by putting in the hours and learning out trade. The only difference is, they don’t come with all baggage and overhead of other firms.  We know the ins-and-outs, and we’re here to lend a helping hand if you need it!