How to Get Into Interim Management

Interim management is a field that’s getting more and more popular. According to the Interim Management Association, use of these specialists has grown by 93% since 2006. It’s not hard to see why: many businesses are facing times of uncertainty and massive change. Specialists in guiding them through this difficult period will naturally be in high demand.

As more people are exposed to the idea, we’re also seeing more entering the profession. It’s an attractive proposition. Rather than becoming a victim to uncertain economic climate, specialise in it, and make it your career!

That said, not everyone is a good fit for the demands of the job, and it can be difficult to get a foot in the door. Today’s guide will help strip away some of the mystery and help you on your journey into Interim Management.

Firstly, do you have the right skills?

You need to be a dedicated and ambitious independent worker: you’ll have no permanent colleagues, and no structure guiding your development but the need to stay at the forefront of knowledge and expertise so you can continue to provide value. This means you need to motivate yourself to keep researching and reading between jobs, and swapping insights with contacts. You also need to be a good communicator: clear but diplomatic, as you’ll often be upending established processes and even recommending redundancies. It’s important to convey your ideas quickly, as you work, by definition, under pressure to deliver, but you also need to be sensitive to the people you’re talking to and achieve change by persuasion rather than force.

Secondly, getting jobs is a challenge. Once you’ve been working for a while, a record of success and endorsements from businesses will help to sell your services, but in the beginning you need more help. Establishing a relationship with a specialised executive search agency is helpful, as they are the first point of call for businesses looking for the service you provide.

It’s vital to point to a previous record of expertise in this area, so if you have previous consultancy work that’s helped a business transition through a difficult period, or have come off a project in a more traditional business where you’ve helped them pivot into a new market, talk about this front and centre. Experience like that is your qualification for work as an Interim Manager, rather than a CV of traditional office work, however impressive.

Mobile Security Across Africa

Mobile phones are getting more and popular in Africa and it’s not hard to see why. They can be charged from solar panels, so don’t need to rely on power line infrastructure that’s unreliable across much of the continent. Online top up services mean family members who’ve moved away in search of more opportunities can still send credit back to contribute to friends and relative’s lives back home.
Mobile phones have given people in Africa access to information and services that simply would not have been possible ten years ago. As well letting people communicate and coordinate in a way that was previously undreamt of, even simple SMS phones are being to revolutionise lives. mPesa is a mobile banking system that uses text messages to allow people living in rural Africa to access banking facility and begin to move away from a cash in hand existence. This also makes finance options more available for entrepreneurial spirits who previously weren’t able to obtain the money needed to kickstart their business ideas.

Health has also been an important focus for mobile tech developers in Africa. Mobile devices allow doctors to receive test results faster and so put treatments into effect more quickly. SMS programmes for patients suffering from ongoing conditions like AIDS offer regular reminders to take medication correctly and give advice about health, which has been proven to improve the outcomes for these patients.

All this development means that security is a newly important issue for mobile technology in Africa. More and more sensitive information and money is accessed with mobile log ins and is this vulnerable to hackers and indeed simple theft of the device in question.

Developers are clearly aware of the problem. Google’s new ICE 2 phone, aimed at being the first smartphone to crack the African market, is the first to launch with Google’s new Google Play Protect software. This is Google’s best attempt at keeping phones and apps and data totally safe from malign incursions. It also includes a fingerprint scanner to ensure unauthorised people cannot access the phone.

Nigeria’s aware of the problem of stolen phones being ransacked for data and sold on, and his created PhonReg that aims not only to identify stolen phones and remove them from circulation but also make it easier to buy legitimate handsets. With this understanding of the security concerns around mobile tech, it can be no coincidence that Google chose to launch their new smartphone in Nigeria.

Why Working Remote Is The Only Way To Go

Have you ever had the opportunity to work remotely? Is this something that has eluded you to this point in your career? Are you hoping to make a change in the near future?

While there’s nothing wrong with working in a traditional office setting, a remote setup can change your life forever (in a positive way, of course).

With this, you can work from anywhere in the world, as long as you have the tools and technology necessary to get your job done.

In the United States alone, the number of people working remotely is closing in on 50 percent. There is no way of knowing what the future holds, but there is good reason to assume that this will remain the trend. Here’s why: it benefits both employees and employers in a number of ways.

Here are several reasons why working remote is the only way to go:

1. Freedom To Do What You Want

When you’re required to work from the same office, day in and day out, you don’t have much freedom and flexibility. Instead, you know that you’ll spend a minimum of eight hours a day in this space. Talk about boring.

When you work remotely, you don’t have to be in the same place (unless you want). One day you can work from home. The next you can head to a local coffee shop or restaurant. From there, maybe you want to take advantage of the adventure tourism boom. It doesn’t matter where you are, as long as your company is happy with your performance.

Although the typical telecommuter works for a company with less than 100 employees, employers of all sizes are looking into this strategy.

2. The Best of Both Worlds

Depending on your circumstances and employment arrangement, you may have the opportunity to work remotely on a part-time basis.

According to a survey by GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com, 50 percent of the United States workforce has a job that is compatible with working remote at least part of the time.

With this arrangement, you have the opportunity to work on-site when necessary, but to also take advantage of the benefits of working remote.  

Tip: if you’re interested in working remote but your employer is unsure, offer to compromise with a part-time telework schedule.

3. More Time for the Things You Love

Have you ever held a job where you spend a minimum of eight hours per day in the office? Did this hold you back from dong the things you love?

This can be extremely frustrating, often to the point of having to ditch one or more hobby in order to make a living.

When working remote, this is never a concern. You’ll still put in your time, but since you’re not tied down to an office there is more availability in your schedule to do the things you love.

A good example of this is somebody who spends several hours each day commuting to and from the office. By cutting this out of your life, you’ll have more time for the things you love, from photography to sports and much more.

Find a Remote Gig

If there is no potential to work remotely within your current company, it may be time to start your search for a new gig.

There are many ways to find a remote opportunity, with these ideas a good jumping off point:

·         Online job boards. With the ability to search by “telecommute” or “work from home” you’ll find opportunities that suit your needs.

·         Social media. There is more to social media than fun and games. You can also use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to uncover your next job opportunity.

·         Your network. Do you know somebody who currently works from home? Would they be willing to help you land a job with their employer? Don’t hesitate to reach out to everyone in your network, letting them know what you’re trying to accomplish.

Conclusion

It goes without saying that some careers are more closely aligned with working remote than others.

For example, the United States Department of Labor notes that people in financial operations, business, and management, have the tendency to work from home more often than other professionals.

Regardless of your current career path, you should seek an opportunity that allows you to work outside a traditional office environment. In today’s day and age, this is the only way to go!

Do you have any experience with telecommuting? Are you doing your best to find a job that allows you to work remotely?