After making the bold decision of applying for the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) grant, the next step is to identify the right MRA consultant to assist with the application and on-ground work. The consultant you choose will have a direct impact on your application. No wonder you can never risk going wrong with this decision.
Fret not since you can always get over this without strain as long as you have a clear insight into the important things to watch out for while searching around. Here are some factors that you should consider and questions that you should ask them:
Be Clear on Why You Need a Consultant
Do you need the MRA consultant to advise, implement a new system or for ongoing support? Maybe it’s all there. It is important for you to be clear on what role the consultant will play in your organization. If it is an ongoing role, having a good rapport with the consultant is vital as they effectively become part of your team. In case it is a one-off brief interaction, this may not be so important.
Experience Matters!
There’s no denying that industry experience is important. What does the consultant know and understand of your industry? Have they worked in or with your industry in the past and what is their technical experience in their stated area of expertise? What has the MRA consultant achieved and what consulting experience do they boast? Do they really want to be the first client for someone who was just made redundant and who decided to become a consultant?
Ethical Considerations
For many engagements, you will need your MRA consultant to act with integrity and in confidence. If the prospective MRA consultant has a CV where they have spent relatively short periods in jobs, be aware that this could be a sign of a lack of loyalty and integrity.
What did they do with the information that they had access to in the previous jobs? Do you see evidence that they may have taken confidential information and used it to help them in new jobs? Would you like your information to be used as the basis of your competitor’s systems or business?
Now that you have an insight into some of the most important things to factor in the next time you want to hire an MRA consultant, why not get going with this expedition!
