1. Because of his or her expertise. This is where
it pays to not only be really good in the field
you have chosen to consult in, but to have some
type of track record that speaks for itself. For
example, if I had become an expert as a fund-
raising consultant, I knew that every client who
hired me was doing so partly on the basis of my
track record alone. After all, if you are a
nonprofit organization that needs to raise $1
million, it makes sense to hire someone who has
already raised millions for other organizations.

2. To identify problems. Sometimes employees are
too close to a problem inside an organization to
identify it. That's when a consultant rides in on
his or her white horse to save the day.

3. To supplement the staff. Sometimes a business
discovers that it can save thousands of dollars a
week by hiring consultants when they are needed,
rather than hiring full-time employees.
Businesses realize they save additional money by
not having to pay benefits for consultants they
hire. Even though a consultant's fees are
generally higher than an employee's salary, over
the long haul, it simply makes good economic
sense to hire a consultant.

4. To act as a catalyst. Let's face it. No one
likes change. But sometimes change is needed, and
a consultant may be brought in to "get the ball
rolling." In other words, the consultant can do
things without worrying about the corporate
culture, employee morale or other issues that get
in the way when an organization is trying to
institute change.

5. To provide much-needed objectivity. Who else
is more qualified to identify a problem than a
consultant? A good consultant provides an
objective, fresh viewpoint--without worrying
about what people in the organization might think
about the results and how they were achieved.