My first consulting project involved me working with multiple consultants. I believe there were around 8-9 of us.

In one incident, the client informed us that (despite requesting our deliverables and invoices be sent in a timely manner), they have other projects they’re working on. From multiple interactions with various staff, lack of clarity on internal protocols, and more, to say it was a challenge is an understatement, and it showed me how difficult it could be being a consultant.

It’s been a while since I’ve touched on a consulting-specific topic, and this month’s Ask Nicole touches on something I’ve been noticing more.

Why do organizations hire consultants? Specifically, why do they hire multiple consultants at the same time?

From a practical standpoint, consultants are hired because staff capacity is maxed out, and it can be financially feasible to hire a consultant as opposed to onboarding a full or part time staff member.

Also, consultants are viewed as a strategic resource to address specific organizational needs and can serve as an objective sounding board.

When a client informs me of other consulting projects happening in tandem, I’ll ask if my work aligns with what they’re doing and if I’m expected to interact with them in any way.

Sometimes, client organizations have a general sense of how all this will work. But sometimes, they haven’t thought about it.

Not only haven’t they discussed whether the consultants should engage with each, they may not have discussed their expectations for how staff engage with all of these external people either.

More funding + less staff = desire to hire consultants. What makes the most sense for your organization may be based on where your current circumstances.

But what happens when an organization realizes they’ve hired too many consultants?