Interview with Rolf Berg

Back then, I was a global HR manager at Oriflame. It was 2012, and after five years there, I felt like trying my hand at starting my own businesses. I launched three different ventures, and after about a year, two of them were doing so well that I began to think about what was next and how I could leverage my HR expertise even more. That's when L'Oréal reached out to me, and I took on the HR Director role – but this time as an interim consultant.

The huge amount of freedom is definitely one of the biggest perks. In my experience, you always have more options; you can pick assignments and challenges that really interest you and help you grow, and you can also wrap up projects faster if you want to. Of course, you still have a responsibility and a 'reputation' to uphold, and you always need to deliver as an independent consultant and business owner. Plus, you often get some downtime between assignments, maybe a month or two. Even though you need to focus on finding new gigs, it's also a chance to do completely different things. I love to ski or head off on various expeditions, everything from mountain climbing to crossing Greenland. That just wouldn't be fully possible if I were a permanent employee.

As an HR manager, I often need to bring in consultants. I usually look for people with solid experience, so it's really important that you've worked for a good number of years – and ideally, as a permanent employee before. That way, you've got experience implementing changes, projects, and you've truly 'seen' how things work. On top of that, you need to be flexible. You can't just waltz in and 'tell everyone how it's done' right off the bat. As a consultant, you won't know everything after just a few weeks and shouldn't start spouting 'truths.' You need to be very humble about not having the full picture. And discipline is a must. You've got to hit the ground running – you're only as good as your last assignment. You have to deliver, and you have to deliver consistently. You also really need to prepare and do your homework for new assignments, and that's on your own time. It's crucial for the long run.

I actually think interim consultants are often better at social interaction than many others. They're used to it and are generally very outgoing, social, curious, and happy to join in various company activities. That's how they quickly become part of the team. As someone in HR, I always make sure all consultants are included in everything, even social events like Christmas dinners, after-work gatherings, and so on. It's also key to share information and data with them. Companies are making a pretty big investment, so it's important that the interim consultant gets every chance to participate and deliver results.

It's pretty clear in the construction and civil engineering sector right now that things are getting tougher. We're seeing more bankruptcies than usual. The job market overall is going to get harder, but that could actually be really good for the interim industry. It can offer more flexibility and make it easier for companies to bring in talent without having to hire permanent employees.

First off, make sure you're really delivering on your current assignment. After that, you'll need to put in the effort to land new gigs. Update your CV, keep learning, stay current with what's happening in different industries, and so on.