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Human Resources: How to make your consulting business (service related) location independent?
JP
JP
Joseph Peterson, Names, Domains, Sentences and Strategies answered:

Really depends on what you do in HR, I imagine. Some aspects of human resources involve meeting humans.

Even if those humans can be regarded as resources to be evaluated and moved around remotely, some employers may see an advantage in hiring a local consultant who can come into the office. So that local consultant might have an edge.

Be that as it may, there are a lot of locations – many of them somewhat small and somewhat remote. Even the "local" consultant might bill for transit, which is a waste. And in those locations, there may be no consultant with your level of experience. So that gives you 2 advantages, since employers don't need to pay for your gasoline and commute time AND they have access to your superior talent.

Keep in mind, there is a generation gap to be dealt with. Younger people seem to be more open to hiring remote work, whereas moving up in seniority you'll find professionals (including bosses) who prefer meeting around the table.

In my own industry, I have literally never stood face to face with a single colleague, customer, or client. They're from virtually every country on the planet, and we get things done just fine. Yet the older guys continue to meet each other at trade-show like conferences, which I've never bothered to attend. Quite the paradox in an industry that's all about the internet!

Anyhow, it's up to you to convince your clients – many of whom will subscribe to the old meeting-in-person way of doing things – that hiring a remote HR consultant is a good idea. Here are a few bullet points to do that:

(A) They have access to you stupendously awesome talent, which isn't available locally.

(B) You can easily handle face-to-face interviews using tools such as Skype if needed. That includes group meetings.

(C) Remote access means you're available by almost instantaneously, if they require that. And they probably communicate even with their own employees via email and phone, which are utterly remote.

(D) Local consultants waste time and cost more due to any commute.

Maybe your question was only about technical resources for handling remote consultation. That's fairly straightforward, though. So I read it as a problem of presentation or pitch – branding even.

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