If you didn’t know, I work for a consulting firm as a software developer. I’ve never consulted prior to starting at Cardinal and I have to say that I do really enjoy it. It is kind of weird when you switch clients because it feels like you are always starting a new job but you get use to it after five years. Granted I have only had three clients, all of which were always extending my contract until I was no longer needed. I have to say, when you are at a client for a year+, its almost like leaving a full time job. I often try to ingrain myself into their office culture because it becomes easier to work with all the folks when you feel like you’re part of the team. I think that’s really the kind of thing Cardinal likes to encourage. We don’t want to be staff augmentation, we want to be a solutions provider.
All of that aside, the really rewarding thing about consulting and changing clients is it really does create a great environment for new learning opportunities. Obviously my primary goal at every assignment is to maintain a good rapport between Cardinal and the client. However, what I really enjoy taking away from all my clients are learning new skills and improving my skills. My bookmarks grow quite a bit as I’m always adding new tools and tips that folks from my clients share with me. You really start to develop quite an arsenal to take with you from client to client and its a great way not only to share what you have learned but really helps to build that positive rapport.
Today is my last day at my third client and while it is a little sad to be leaving these great folks I’ve been working with for 16 months, it is exciting to look forward to the next opportunity. The common cause of turnover at my firm are consultants leaving to work for a client, but I find that might be a difficult thing for me to do. Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t because my clients are bad places to work, its because Cardinal Solutions is such an extraordinary place to work! I’m not saying that it could never happen, but Cardinal has raised the bar pretty high!
/cheers