Partners and Associates

We encourage applications from experienced consultants whom we first screen through phone interviews to select those with the knowledge, skills and attitude we need. The rigorous selection process then involves the use of assessment centres at which applicants are required to demonstrate small business consultancy skills by working on a real case, to show us what they can already do and how well they can work with others. The next step involves psychometric profiling, followed by a final interview – all of which is designed to ensure that Associates meet our challenging requirements – and can meet our clients’ needs.

Each Associate undergoes 10 days of compulsory Hawick Group training covering:

• Project Planning
• Use of technology
• Business research
• Training & Development planning
• Data Analysis
• Performance management installation
• Business Planning
• Human resource management
• Marketing
• Consultancy and coaching
• Operations & Quality
• Investors in People
• Finance
• ISO 9000

Hawick’s Principals carry out a face to face performance review with each Associate every 6 months. This includes a detailed review of every project they are working on, the record of deadline achievement, standard of work submitted and independent feedback from you, the client. This process identifies areas for improvement which go into the Implementer’s Personal Development Plan which has to be acted upon before the next review in order to ensure continuous performance improvement.

In addition to passing through Hawick Group’s assessment and development processes, most Associates are certified members of the Institute of Business Consultancy and many are members of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development as well. These professional bodies demand high entry standards and insist on continuing professional development (CPD). Associates compare notes and share discoveries about what has worked particularly well, so that everyone else can benefit and grow.

We operate a rigorous project management system that ensures your programme stays on target and that the work quality maintains the high standards that we agree with you at the outset. All work carried out by your Associate has to be copied to the office where every Project and every Associate is reviewed each month by two Partners who take action in all cases of time overrun and apparently incomplete work. We will phone you at regular intervals to check your satisfaction with the work from the viewpoints of timeline achievement, quality, relevance and useful impact on your business. That provides you with an opportunity to tell us frankly how the project is progressing and the calibre of your relationship with your Associate. If you wish, we will change your Associate and do so with no embarrassment. If necessary, we will (and do) terminate the contracts of any Associate who fails to rectify the delivery of unsatisfactory work to a client, replacing them at our own cost (thankfully this is a very rare occurrence).

We currently have Associates based in every county throughout the southern half of the UK and are adding more in the Midlands and North in order to fully cover the whole of England by 2012. Ask us for CVs of one, two or three Associates close to you.