Consultant stories: Rut Evy Pettersen
Missed the consulting industry
After seven years as a permanent employee, Rut Evy Pettersen returned as a consultant to Omega 365 Consulting. Her desire for flexibility was one of the main reasons.
“I like to be busy, meeting new people, and being part of a project from start to finish,” says Omega 365 consultant, Rut Evy Pettersen.
“As a permanent employee of a company, you have the security, but as a consultant, you get more flexibility in the job. I particularly missed the environment in the oil and gas industry. In that industry, you rarely hire people in the kind of position I'm in. For me, the solution was to start up as a consultant again. I like to be busy, meeting new people, and being part of a project from start to finish,” she says.
Prior to her permanent employment, she worked as a consultant at Omega 365 from 2010. She is clear about why she wanted to return to her previous employer.
“I had a great time in Omega 365. The customer contact was great, I worked a lot with the IT department and implementation of Pims in new companies. Furthermore, I worked most with the project cost controller and cost control manager. I had great colleagues, which is one of the main reasons I'm returning.”
Personal development
Continuously developing at work is one of the aspects she appreciates in her consulting life.
“In my opinion, you develop even more when you are a consultant. You need to adapt to the projects and systems you work with, and be versatile since no assignments or tasks last forever. It is very exciting, and makes everyday life not boring.” Like most people, Pettersen is used to commuting to work, and sees the benefits of a flexible work environment post-pandemic where working remotely is appropriate.
“I live in Stavanger, but I used to have a long commute to work and was away 2-3 days a week. At that time, I was hired by Equinor and followed up on a contract in Sandefjord. Now I look forward to having a short distance to work as I will be contracted to Wintershall Dea here in Stavanger. The positive thing in the wake of the pandemic is that we can work from multiple locations, and still collaborate with colleagues digitally.”
Varied work schedule
She emphasizes that it is not for everyone to work as a consultant. But, at the same time, her experience is that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
“It can be tough, as you are often first in, but also first out in a project. You have uncertainty in your job, but at the same time, you learn a lot. Right now, I am working on a mission that will last for over two years, and I look forward to gaining new experiences and seeing the project come to life. I've also missed being "sickly busy"! When you are a permanent employee, you can master your tasks , and overtime they can become tedious and routine. As a consultant, you constantly get new tasks, and you don't get bored,” she smiles.