Take work casually

Ann-Maree Moodie is a management educator and the managing director of The Boardroom Consulting Group.   

The economic downturn is good news for freelancers, writes Ann-Maree Moodie.

The economy is slowing down and employees are being laid off across town. Believe it or not, now could be a great time to quit your job.

While it may sound counter-intuitive to give notice at a time when jobs are scarce, economic downturns often bring terrific opportunities for freelance workers, especially managers.
 
If you play your cards right, in two years you could be in a more senior position than if you had stayed with your current employer.

Peter Wilson of the Australian Human Resources Institute says between 3 per cent and 5 per cent of the workforce are casual, interim, part-time or contract workers.
 
Estimates suggest this will double over the next three years, with managers among those going freelance.

And, unlike 20 years ago when taking on interim work was a signal a career was in a nose dive, today experience running a small consultancy is smiled upon.

"Much has changed and interim employees are considered a necessary and important part of an organisation's labour force," says Wilson. 

"The advantage for the employer is access to specialised skills and experience . . . without a long-term commitment. For the employee it's an opportunity to build skills and experience in a [range] of roles and industries."

Management guru, the late Peter Drucker, foresaw benefits in outsourcing back in 1989.

"More and more people working for organisations will actually be on the payroll of an independent contractor," he wrote in The Wall Street Journal.

In the 1990s, outsourcing took off with organisations farming out whole functions such as payroll processing, accounting and distribution to external firms.

Outsourcing firm Accenture argues this increases profitability and competitiveness.

Vilma Faoro, a director of consultancy The Diversity Factory and author of Flexible Work Solutions, says using interim workers gives companies access to highly skilled workers for the length of time they need them.

"It also benefits other employees and allows them to learn from an industry specialist," she says.

If you're interested in becoming an interim worker to fast-track your career, the first step is to contact interim management search firms. This is best done while you are still employed. Make an appointment with a consultant, provide a resume and ask whether your skills are competitive.

The most popular interim management roles are accounting, finance, marketing and communications, according to the Australian Human Resources Institute.

Another option is to resign and to establish yourself as a small business seeking projects via your own network, targeted marketing and from job sites.

"The benefits of embarking on a career as an interim manager or from taking contract roles include the opportunity to have full control and choice over your career development," says Faoro. "You have increased flexible working opportunities as well as access to escalated career development opportunities."

Faoro agrees most organisations today are quite receptive to outsourced workers.

"Organisations are being smarter about how to access talent and broader skill pools in today's competitive market," she says.

"Solutions like flexible work options are becoming a critical point of difference."

If you decide to stay with your current job, you may find yourself managing increasing numbers of contract or interim workers. The trick is to treat all workers equally.

"This is true whether you are full-time, part-time, a flexible worker, a casual, a contractor and-or an outsourced manager," Faoro says.
 
"Everyone contributes to creating a positive and inclusive work environment and every employee has a positive contribution, irrespective of the way they are employed.

"Outsourced workers should have clear role descriptions, performance targets, contribute to team meetings and participate in team development days." Ann-Maree Moodie is a management educator and managing director of The Boardroom Consulting Group.

Go it alone
It's easier to land a consultancy role while you're still employed. Offer your CV to interim management consultants and ask whether you are competitive in this market.

* Write a strategy for your career for the next two to three years. What kind of role do you want and what kind of experience and skills do you need? What interim positions, and in what companies and industries, will help you get there?

* Stick to your career strategy. If you take interim roles that don't fit your strategy, you won't build the right skills.

* View yourself in the same way as a regular employee. Just because you are an interim solution doesn't mean the work you are doing is any less valuable. The way you present yourself will directly influence the way your peers treat you.

* Ensure you have absolute clarity around your role and the outcomes you are required to achieve.

* Ask your manager to introduce you and your role to your peers. As part of this, make sure the other employees understand what it is you'll be doing and how it will contribute. 

Published: 15 November 2008