For many independent professionals, the transition to contracting was not planned. It was a response to circumstances. What separates those who thrive from those who struggle is not the reason they made the move, but what they do with it.
In this session, Dhiren, a program and portfolio management specialist with over 22 years of experience, shares how a retrenchment at Deloitte during COVID-19 became the beginning of a sustained and rewarding independent career, including leading a finance transformation rollout across 11 countries for Old Mutual.
Watch the full recording here:
How Dhiren moved from software engineering to programme management, and what prompted each transition in his career
The realities of making the shift to independent work during a period of extreme uncertainty, and how his professional network made it possible
A candid account of leading a fully remote, 11-country finance transformation programme, including the mental, relational and delivery challenges it involved
How to choose the right delivery methodology for each engagement, and why being prescriptive about frameworks often creates more problems than it solves
The habits and mindset shifts that have helped Dhiren stay consistent across engagements: staying in his lane, maintaining professionalism regardless of interpersonal dynamics and never becoming complacent
An honest look at the trade-offs of freelancing, from income uncertainty to the absence of sick leave, and how to hold both the highs and the lows with perspective
This session is for anyone considering independent work, currently navigating it or simply curious about what a long-term contracting career looks like from the inside.