Interim manager … And I like that!!

After these 5 years as an Interim Manager, I can say “I love my job!!” and, again thanks to WAYDEN Transition, from Monday, a new adventure begins!
In a few days, I will celebrate the 5th anniversary of my life as an interim manager, and I wanted to share here, a progress report of my career.

 

I love my job!

In 5 years, I have carried out 6 missions, the shortest lasting 3 months, and the longest, 15 months, in beautiful companies, operating in sectors as different as the environment, luxury, telecoms, automotive, transport and finally, specialized trade.
Each time, the culture of the company, the context of the missions were different and brought me new experiences, deepened my skills, and allowed me to meet great professional people.

 

Why did I choose this specific path in the French world of work?

The main reason was, I think, this desire for rapid changes in my professional career, this prospect of joining a company each time, with a project to carry out, in a limited time, having the opportunity to implement the acquired knowledge of my past experience, and adapting each time to the context, the teams and the means made available.
Another reason is that I am convinced that this mode of intervention in companies is destined to develop strongly in the future: companies will need more and more experienced resources, available quickly, able to adapt to complex, geographically and intellectually mobile situations.

 

How did I become an interim manager?

First of all, I tried to understand the ecosystem of interim management in France: specialized firms, associations, the SNMT, the FNMT, the A2MT, the groups on LinkedIn, not so easy to find your way around…
I got several interviews in specialized firms, to test my CV, and make myself known for a future assignment, and I understood that to enter the ecosystem, I had to develop my network.

 

Which network?

A former colleague told me about the Oudinot Network, an association that brings together nearly 500 members in a benevolent and friendly setting, which organizes many professional events including the famous “Speed networking”, an “obstacle course” that teaches you how to build your professional “pitch”. Thanks to the co-optation of my former colleague, I was able to join this magnificent network, and in particular the Interim Management Commission, where the members of the network share the “good tips” of the profession.

 

Training?

While looking for information, I discovered that there were also training programs. So I followed the 3rd promotion of the certificate in Interim Management, now organized by the IFMT, with the support of the SNMT and the FNMT.
I really appreciated this training program, the speakers, and the colleagues I meet regularly within the alumni association, the AECMT.

 

What status?

In the Interim Management ecosystem, I must also mention wage portage.
I have chosen not to create a legal structure, so my missions are carried out, at the choice of the client company, either under the internal status of fixed-term contract, or as a service provider, as an umbrella company. This activity, now well regulated by legislation, is developing strongly and allows “freelancers” to work on their clients’ premises, while maintaining the employee’s social security coverage, and without worrying about managing the accounting of a personal company.
I met the team of the umbrella company Le Monde Après, and I take advantage of this article to salute them, they operate in startup mode, provide their “umbrella companies” with coworking spaces, training workshops, friendly events, and all this, with good humor and for a very competitive management cost!

 

The intermission periods?

What is quite special about interim management, beyond the fact that you have to adapt to each new assignment, is of course that you have to know how to “prepare for the next move”, i.e. anticipate the end of the current assignment and prepare for the next one.
This is the most difficult, from my point of view, because on a mission, you are “head in the handlebars”, and it is not easy to devote time to the network, maintain friendly and professional relations, participate in events organized by firms and associations.
So there are the periods of inter mission, which we want to be as short as possible, of course, but these periods are essential, to rest, of course, to devote to one’s family, to one’s hobbies, and also to reactivate one’s professional and friendly network, to attend conferences, to train, to open up to new horizons.

 

The conclusion?

After these 5 years as an Interim Manager, I can say “I love my job!!”, and again thanks to WAYDEN Transition, from Monday, a new adventure begins!

Olivier LLIBERIA