1. Careers
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
❱❱ I’m thinking of becoming a self-employed
consultant, but where do I start?
If you can enter the brave new world but they may pay stage payments PEOPLE ON
of self employment with a couple of depending on you producing deliver- THE MOVE
firm contracts, perhaps taken from ables. At best, customers pay 30 days
your existing employer, you will have from the invoice, some take 60 days ❱❱ STEVE HUDSON
a much easier start. At the very least and others try everything they can not Steve Hudson, FCQI
you need a host of good leads that to pay at all! CQP, is now quality
you plan to target. In the meantime, all your outgo- director for Orascom
When setting up, ings continue to exist and you need Construction
consider what you will to allow for this. This is a tough time Industries, based
be offering and to to be starting a new business and it in Cairo. OCI is a
whom you will be is particularly difficult to obtain credit major contractor
offering it. This to cover start up costs. You will need specialising in
is a competitive a strong business plan to put before large industrial, commercial and
market and you the bank manager for any funding to infrastructure projects principally
need to have cover this lack of income. in Europe, the Middle East and
an offering that Self employment is hard work – North Africa.
has wide appeal don’t forget you will have to either
and is different do or contract in all the services you ❱❱ GRAHAM JOHNSTON
from the rest of were used to your employer providing Graham Johnston, MCQI CQP, has
the competition. It ,such as accounting (including chas- retired early from Lloyd’s Register
also helps to have ing late payments), sales and market- after 17 and a half years of service,
a particular market ing, project planning and but will continue part-time work
sector in which you are development. on assessment duties for LRQA/
well positioned, based on You will have to do all this as well LR. He has begun the operation of
experience and an ability to serve the as work that you have already been his quality assurance consultancy
market well. doing and get used to working with business GJ-QA Solutions, spe-
Pricing when you start is vital. Try people that you don’t know well. Your cialising in ISO 9001 and marine
to research the going rate for consult- interpersonal skills will have to be top equipment directive activities.
ants in your field and remember that notch, as will your time and project
when you bid you will be up against management skills. You need to be ❱❱ DANIEL GOELZER
established consultants. Your fees will perfectly clear with customers what The Public Company Account-
need to be competitive, and don’t you will do for them and what they ing Oversight Board in the US has
forget that income will have to cover have to do themselves in order to named Daniel Goelzer as acting
you for the non-fee-earning days that avoid any disputes. chairman. Daniel is one of the
are inevitable. Having given you an idea of the pit- original members of the PCAOB,
The other aspect of starting up is falls that may arise, self employment which was originally created by the
that you are now entering the world can be extremely rewarding. You can Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. He
where cash flow is king. Many cus- expect to work hard but it should be takes over from Mark Olson, who
tomers will want to pay out only on interesting and enjoyable working on resigned in July.
successful completion of a project, your terms and being able to create
which could be up to six months long, your own work-life balance. ❱❱ PAUL BARRY
Bureau Veritas has appointed Paul
Barry as vice-president of Bureau
Veritas UK and Ireland within the
Industry and Facilities Division.
PLEASE EMAIL YOUR USEFUL LINKS Paul has more than 26 years’ ex-
CAREER QUESTIONS www.adviceguide.org.uk perience in the international oil and
AND JOB MOVES TO www.consultantjournal.com gas sector, starting his career with
editorial@thecqi.org www.entrepreneur.com British Gas.
54 | SEPTEMBER 2009 | QW www.thecqi.org
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