ISO 9001 is a world-recognized management system standard. When you see that an organization meets ISO standards, it helps you feel more confident about working with them or using their products and services.
To meet ISO standards, you need a consultant to guide you throughout the process. Your ISO consultant explains to you the requirements in full detail and how earning certifications can be beneficial to your business.
Because ISO consultancy is in demand in Singapore and many other countries, many are also seeking to become consultants. Here are some requirements that can help you become an ISO certified consultant.
- ISO 9001 certificates
Anyone can become an ISO consultant. But, of course, that doesn’t mean you can come unprepared.
Your work shall be reviewed and audited by a certification body. They will not probably request copies of your certificates beforehand, but they’ll focus on how you implemented industry standards.
That being said, you must be highly knowledgeable about the ISO standard system and have taken charge of related responsibilities.
It helps a lot if you’ve already been taking the role of a Lead Auditor and have already acquired certificates for it. You should also have adequate experience in internal audit and have taken courses or seminars related to it.
- Project management experience
Knowing theories and concepts isn’t enough. You should have built the related experience to kickstart your consultancy career.
Roles involving project management are beneficial as well as acquiring related certifications.
Implementing certification audits gives you a wealth of knowledge on what should and should not be done if you’re seeking to satisfy ISO standards. You can then pass on your learning and experience to your future clients.
- Professional background
How you build your professional portfolio also helps. Learning from ISO consultants gives you a better understanding of certification processes without you taking the project’s lead role or making major mistakes first.
On the other hand, taking the role of a quality assurance manager gives you insights into the challenges related to quality management systems.
You see firsthand how seeking expert advice and assistance can benefit a business, which you can later share with your clients. You also understand deeper how requirements are implemented and see all the work involved along the way.
- Leadership skills
To become a successful ISO consultancy services provider in Singapore, having good leadership skills is crucial.
You should be able to work well with both the top management and employees. You need to be able to walk everyone through the importance of securing certifications for your organization.
Good communication skills are valuable too so you can motivate, inspire, and educate everyone in the team.
Becoming an ISO consultant isn’t easy, but it’s worth the investment
As an ISO consultant, you’re in charge of taking projects to the next level. You need to plan and execute strategies to ensure that your business objectives are met or, even better, exceeded.
You need to be a great leader, listener, communicator, and problem-solver. You keep members of the team together as you strive to close gaps between those in the top management and the workforce.
It isn’t easy, but it’s worth all the hard work when you become a sought-after ISO consultant in your industry.