Whether you are looking for an independent facilitator, someone to help you make a plan for your life, a consultant, or a freelancer, who you pick to work is important. Who you work with can help ensure it is a positive experience and that you get the support you are looking for. To help you find the right person, before you begin, have a good sense of:
What type of support you are looking for
How long you are hoping the connection will last
The skills you want in the person you work with
Your budget
Being able to clearly articulate to others the list above is important and essential. However, I do not think this list is sufficient. To find someone that is going to be a good fit for you and your situation, I think you also need to have a good understanding of the personality and values you hope the person has. Skills, experience, and alignment of availability and budget is good, but all that can be in alignment, and you still might not be happy. It is equally, if not more important, to ensure there is a good fit between the person’s style and your style.
You can learn about skills, experience, availability and budget through a proposal process or an email. Getting a sense of style, personality, and approach comes from conversations with the person and if possible, with others who have or are working with that person. Conversations help you know if they are just telling you what they think you want to hear and offer the supports you want to buy, or if they are also giving you information about their specific services and their approach to working with you.
Finding the right person requires you to prepare in advance, to know what you are looking for and ideally to write down your questions for the person. Then invest time into connecting with more than one potential facilitator or consultant. Remember you are the customer and its okay to shop around to be sure you are investing your time and money into the person who is the right fit for you.
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