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EBC Adds Interim and Project-Based Consulting to Recruitment Services

Growing gig economy drives need for interim placements

The new service is something that EBC Associates founder Liz Capants has been eager to offer, with the gig economy projected pre-pandemic to double in 5 to 10 years. The shift from traditional 9-to-5 work to the gig economy has been influenced by worker preferences for jobs that offer flexibility and by the digital technologies that have decoupled work from office spaces. “Now, with the number of gig workers projected to grow even faster with pandemic-driven shifts in how and where people work, it makes sense to expand EBC’s service offerings to help companies find the right candidates for interim C-level positions – CEO, COO, CMO, etc. — as well as consulting assignments.”

Interim roles can be win-win

“Many businesses need leaders for a technology or software project and are looking for someone to be in that interim role for several years,” Capants notes, adding that because employers are not paying for benefits or other overhead costs for these consultants, it’s less of an investment for the employer. “Often the consultant can make more as a 1099 consultant than as an employee,” she adds. “There’s a need for interim project consulting on the creative / marketing side as well. One of our clients does work as an interim sales leader, puts metrics and training in place, gets it all up and running, even hires someone, and then goes on to the next gig.”

Gig work can integrate with networking

For job seekers, being active in the gig economy has an important tie to the all-important practice of networking. “Taking an interim professional position or consulting gigs while you are hunting for a position gives you more contacts,” Capants notes. “Although some interim gigs are full time, a candidate might be able to juggle two different assignments, and thus find more opportunities to have exposure with multiple employers.

It’s about having options, if one of those projects comes to an end or changes. You can also get exposure as a consultant, and it helps to keep your networking going. It’s all part of putting yourself out there and building your brand so people know what you do – and where you’ll fit for your next gig, whether it’s an interim or long-term position.” Job seekers may also want to integrate board service into their networking efforts, to help increase visibility and put key skills sets to work.

A holistic approach to recruitment services

Capants and her team at EBC Associates take a holistic approach to recruitment services and placement, building relationships with employers and getting to know candidates and their backgrounds to be able to connect them with the right networking and job opportunities. To learn more about how EBC’s new interim and project-based recruitment services can help you, as either an employer or a candidate, please contact EBC at [email protected].

Creating a Network in Business Development and Job Searching

At first glance, you might not see the connection between these three functions, but there are some common threads which run through them, and each can support and enhance the other. The link between networking and job searches should be fairly apparent, since one of the best ways to learn about new opportunities will generally come from colleagues in the same industry, or from contacts you’ve made while in your present job. But how does business development tie in with these two other functions?

Networking

Networking lets you take advantage of personal contacts as well as business contacts, and without them you’d have to rely mostly on your resume during a job search, and on your own business acumen if you’re trying to develop your business. Having some additional experience in your corner can be just like having more employees, except better because your contacts may have some really valuable business advice for you.

There are times when you just want to lean on someone who has been around longer, and has gone through the ebb and flow of business for years. These are times when networking and business development can go hand-in-hand. In fact, you may even want to enter into a strategic partnership with someone whom you’ve known in the business world for years.

Business Development

In general terms, business development includes almost any kind of activities which will help improve your business. What that really boils down to though, is increasing revenues and profitability, making strategic business decisions, and making the business grow, i.e. expand. Business networking is a process which puts you in touch with suppliers, business owners, and other professionals, all of whom might help you grow your business.

This kind of networking gives you access to competitors, clients, and fellow businessmen. You probably have something you can offer to them, and they in turn can supply you with something you need but may not have within your organization. Having relationships like these might well provide you with opportunities for partnerships, joint undertakings, or new possibilities for expanding your business.

Job Searching

As mentioned above, the connection between job searching and networking is a fairly strong one, since many of the best opportunities are actually referred to you by people you know in the same business. Is there any commonality between job searches and improving your business development skills? Of course. The people you might rely on to help you with your job search might be the very same business personnel who can help you improve your business development skills.

If some of your colleagues have been around a while and have enjoyed relatively long business careers, they might know of positions you’re well suited for, and they might also be able to mentor you on how to get better at growing a business. They might be able to put you in touch with key people in your industry who can serve as suppliers, useful owners, or helpful colleagues.

Getting ahead in business calls for you to make good use of all three of these functions, and given the connection between them all, becoming proficient at one should help you become good at the others as well.