Bad opinions of consultants (Re: [Courses] [Careers] From 'I must have a job' to 'I must have a wonderful job')

[Mary]

On Sat, Jan 22, 2005, Julie Bovee wrote:
> I've encountered employers on job interviews (in the U.S.) who did not
> look favorably on consulting jobs. They actually considered it a
> reason not to hire someone. I found that same negative attitude toward
> work experience at start-up companies, too. I never did understand why
> some had those attitudes.  Does anyone have any ideas on that?

I can think of a few reasons. Like all employer prejudices, they're not
all valid all the time:

 - people sometimes use "consulting" as a replacement for "unemployed"
   -- eg they were unemployed for a year but they got the odd 10 hour
   job fixing someone's Windows install so they say they were
   "consulting"

 - in Australia, consulting is seen as "better money" so the employer
   asks themselves why you suddenly want to move to a salary

 - consultants are used to short-term work and to not committing
   themselves to a client forever. Employers really want employees who
   will commit to their company for a long time.

Karine, is any of this the case in France where consulting is so common?
Or is it just viewed as simply an alternative way of working?

I don't know why startups would be considered bad, maybe because the
culture at startups can be "gotta work 80 hours weeks just to get a
prototype out the door" -- ie its perceived as gung ho and fast paced at
the expense of quality. And also because startups are often
venture-funded, perhaps employers think that you won't be used to
working within the more limited and long term budgets of ongoing
profitable companies? But I'm not really sure.

In any case, my perspective is very employee oriented: I think that most
jobs have something to teach people who are willing to learn.

-Mary