Lost souls – joining the dark side
It’s fair to say there’s been a bit of criticism over the last few weeks about the role of consultants and consultancies and how they work with Government. The Times has lamented the “young souls lost to consultancy” in fairly blunt terms, describing a “bottomless slop bucket of frantic number crunching and feverish Excel spreadsheeting”.
While not wanting to get into semantics (50 Degrees isn’t that sort of consultancy!), the article did make me think about my own experiences.
Before joining 50 Degrees, I worked as part of an internal bid team for 4 years, working for the same company, in the same industry. The prospect of moving to work in a consultancy had always seemed slightly terrifying. The bid consultants that I had worked with seemed to possess an uncanny ability to seamlessly navigate different industries, mastering wide-ranging and complex subject matters, all while blending seamlessly into the world of their clients.
Then, in May 2022, the ‘dark side’ beckoned, and I found myself with the opportunity to join 50 Degrees. I was in equal parts nervous and excited. How would it be different? Did I possess said ‘seamless navigation’ skills? Would I need to instantaneously become an expert in every field? At what point would I lose my soul?
Now I can’t speak for all bidding consultancies, but it’s fair to say my worries were unfounded. What immediately struck me about 50 Degrees was the ethos of teamworking and collaboration, with a pool of best practice, insight and expertise shared across the team. I found a supportive environment in which people are encouraged to think creatively, develop their skills and are given the latitude to take their careers in the direction that most interests them.
Having survived (and enjoyed) my first ten months with 50D, I have been reflecting on some of the differences, challenges, and opportunities I’ve encountered while working as a consultant:
Working across different industries, with different clients: The 50D team has a rich tapestry of experience and expertise. Rather than each person becoming an expert in every industry, there is always someone happy to share their specialist insight with the team. Far from the whirlwind that I was expecting, working on such varied bids has only strengthened my understanding of the bid process. I have found myself developing a set of building blocks that can be tailored to each client’s requirements, and are continuously refined and updated.
Partnering with different clients: Where the prospect of working with new clients had previously intimidated me, it’s now one of my favourite parts of my role. It can be challenging to navigate new organisations and understand the breadth of their operations, but knowing how to ask the right questions really helps. In working with so many people, and being exposed to different insights, we are continuously challenged to widen our perspective on producing winning bids.
Mastering a wide range of bid elements: I’ve learned that meeting the needs of our clients means being flexible with the support we provide. This could mean translating complex ideas into a simple graphic one week, while supporting mobilisation the next. With this comes the opportunity to get involved in many different elements of the solution and develop a wide arsenal of skills. While this can sometimes seem daunting, the 50D team are a talented bunch and there is always someone who will happily provide support and guidance.
To summarise, becoming a consultant has definitely challenged me. But then that’s what I was looking for when I chose to make the move. To build on existing skills, learn new skills, take on new responsibilities, and become a better bid writer.
Jemma Gurd
Senior Consultant