Career Path

Communication: Effective written and verbal communication skills are essential in developing good consultants.  HF&H Assistant Analysts begin developing their communication skills by performing industry studies and surveys and interacting with clients under supervision.  As HF&H's consultants progress, their communication skill development becomes more and more critical as direct contact with clients increases in both frequency and level of importance.

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Analytical Abilities: HF&H has built its reputation by providing our clients with innovative, high quality, and reliable analysis.  HF&H's Assistant Analysts are trained by senior staff on the types of analytical tools and methods that our clients find most valuable.  Additionally, Assistant Analysts are instructed in our quality assurance and control practices to ensure that every HF&H consultant is equipped to provide our clients with the level of analysis expected of our firm.

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Industry Knowledge: HF&H's ability to serve our clients comes, in large part, from our expertise in our core service areas of recycling, solid waste, water, wastewater, and stormwater management.  HF&H's Assistant Analysts begin developing this industry knowledge in a myriad of different ways including membership in industry associations, attendance at formal and informal training seminars and classes, on-project training that is not billed to clients, and subscriptions to industry publications.  This prepares HF&H consultants with the latest and most comprehensive information about our industry so that we can provide the greatest value to our clients.

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Project Management: HF&H's consultants spend about 60% to 80% of their time working on projects for our clients.  Because of the unique nature of project-based work, HF&H begins developing project management skills in its Associates early and reinforcing those skills frequently with both internal and external project management training.  This training develops the focus on ensuring project scope, schedule, and budget are properly aligned and that our clients' project objectives are met or exceeded.

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People Management: Much of the value provided by HF&H relative to our competitors comes from our team-based approach to consulting.  This team-based approach requires that all of HF&H's consultants work effectively together and with our clients to meet the numerous demands of our project portfolios.  Because of this, HF&H Associates begin developing people management skills as they are given progressively increasing levels of responsibility for managing other people's time on individual work assignments and project phases.

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Advisory Service:  As the pre-eminent consulting firm in our industry, our clients look to HF&H's consultants for informed and objective advice.  This skill is one that is developed in our consulting staff through supervision and mentoring with senior consultants.  As Associates begin to interact with clients on a more regular basis, this skill is further developed by HF&H's Senior Associates, Senior Managers, and Executives who typically have ten or more years of consulting experience.

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Practice Development: When HF&H’s consultants reach the level of Senior Associate, they begin to take on responsibility for developing new business and improving the way that we serve our clients.  These practice development skills are honed through a combination of mentoring with Senior Managers and Executives and formal training courses.  Senior Associates are expected to spend a portion of their time each year developing new tools that improve the efficiency of our work, which translates into lower costs and improved service to our clients.

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Client Service:  At HF&H, the exemplary service that we provide to our clients is the reason that more than 70% of our annual work comes from returning clients.  As a Senior Associate with HF&H, consultants are expected to be the primary point of contact with our clients and to manage the day-to-day efforts of our consulting team on client engagements.  To prepare consultants for this responsibility, HF&H Executives work closely with Senior Associates to develop the client service skills that HF&H's reputation is built on.

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Practice Leadership and Management: Each member of HF&H's executive team is expected to independently lead and manage a staff of consultants in the service of our clients in a large project portfolio typically consisting of more than $500,000 per year in gross receipts.  In addition to managing a project portfolio, HF&H executives are expected to develop junior and senior consulting staff and spend a significant portion of their time each year in mentoring and training our consulting team.

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