Ten Questions to Ask When Choosing a Business Advisor

It is important to know what you want and what you need from a business advisor. Do you need him/her to help you with Manpower outsourcing, HR Outsourcing or Temporary Staffing, Payroll service or another service to help you achieve your company’s philosophy? You need to take into consideration these questions before hiring a consultant. You need to look for someone who has proficiency and experience, specific to the needs of your organization and the type of project you are offering.

Here are few questions that can help you choose the right business advisor/ HR consultant.

• What are your credentials and what references can you offer?

This question will help you identify if the consultant has the right expertise as well as the right credentials to help achieve the goals of the project. Having knowledge of past clients will help you understand whether the consultant will be a fit for your company.  It is good to ask past clients to discuss the consultant’s productivity, approach ability, communication style, attention to detail, expertise, timeliness and any other questions to determine whether they will be a good fit.

•Do your consultants have background knowledge of our industry?

It is important to hire consultant that understands your industry and can help you find the right candidates for the job.  The consultants need to have their own pool of candidates if they have been hired as part of a Recruitment Outsourcing Process or People Outsourcing Process.  Consultants need to be able to judge the situation accurately to give the right advice.

• How much time can they devote towards the company?

The answer to this question will determine how much attention the consultant will be able to give your project. It helps you determine whether the consultant will be able to give you a same day response or not. Even if they can’t, at least you will be assured there someone looking for a solution.  The best way for a consultant to understand the needs of a company is spend time at your workplace.

• What systems do you use when scouting for talent?

A good Recruitment outsourcing company or a Temporary Staffing company needs to have good insights in order to find the right candidates for the job. They need to conduct a variety of methods to find potential talent, which include using social media, direct advertising and both formal and informal approaches. This is a good way of attracting enough candidates to sift through and then find the right candidate.

• Will you sign a letter of confidentiality?

It is a safe option to have consultants sign confidentially documents, as they could be privy to sensitive information, which could hamper the company reputation, if leaked.

•How are their clients better off after they leave?

A good consultant will be able to tell you the benefits they deliver at the end of the project. The company after the parting with a consultant should be able to determine their strengths and weaknesses and use it to their advantage.

• How will I pay for your services and documentation?

Make sure you have read the documentation carefully and you are fully aware of what you are getting into. Also, find out how you will be charged and the terms and conditions of it.  Furthermore, make sure that you have all the documentation to carry out the HR processes put into place by the consultant.

These questions will help you choose the right consultant for the job and will help you determine whether this relationship will be beneficial to company or not.