You Can Create The Life You Want As A Consultant

Lorraine Sinnott has always seized opportunities – both in her career, and when it comes to travel. As a consultant, she loves how the virtual remote work model perfectly complements her love of globetrotting.

While working as an accountant in New Zealand, Lorraine experienced firsthand the frustrations of grappling with slow and laborious admin systems. This drove her to learn the ins and outs of TechnologyOne, landed her as Manager of Finance Systems within the council she was working at, and established her as a key advocate for the software as it rolled out across the country.

When Lorraine was name dropped at Lánluas, we reached out to ask if she’d join our team. Once again, she seized the opportunity and moved to Australia to become a consultant.

“There’s never a good time to do anything – you have to just make it happen. Seize opportunities when they’re there. Take the leap of faith!”

Lorraine Sinnott

Only a few months after she started with us, COVID-19 hit. Like many, Lorraine felt worried about job security and being able to visit her family abroad – especially her children in New Zealand.

“John (Lánluas Chief Executive) was great! He and the Lánluas team helped me feel welcome in a new country, ensured my work was secure, and even supported me to go and see my kids in New Zealand when public health restrictions allowed.”

How a company reacts during extraordinary times is vital to job satisfaction. Lorraine greatly appreciates working for an organisation that cares about its people and understands that family is paramount.

“It’s really a family business. They look after us. They’re incredibly generous and mindful of their staff’s family commitments.”

But culture aside – there are many perks to being a consultant with Lánluas. Lorraine loves the collaborative nature of the work.

“It’s a very open and sharing environment. If someone develops something clever or finds a quick way of doing something, we’ll share it with everyone else. I’ve learned a lot from this collaborative working style.”

Lorraine Sinnott

When asked what she loves about working as a consultant, one aspect stands out above the rest for Lorraine: flexible work.

“I love that we work remotely now! That flexibility is great. There’s no wasting time commuting to an office, and I can get some life admin sorted during the day. Honestly, I’ve waited my whole life for a job like this.”

Lorraine Sinnott

In 2022, Lorraine worked from Ireland for 4 months of the year, spending time with her family while still managing her consulting workload. In addition, she spent 10 days working from Fiji while soaking up some sun!

Of course, to be a globetrotter and still meet client expectations, you have to be incredibly disciplined. But Lorraine is, and she believes all consultants need to have discipline to be good at their work.

“If you’re the sort of person that needs very clear directions and lots of hand-holding, then consulting probably isn’t for you. We aren’t micromanaged, and our work is respected. The key is being very self-directed and autonomous, and having the discipline to structure your day well.”

Lorraine Sinnott

Lorraine also stresses the importance of being able to listen carefully to clients and communicate well with them, simplify complex concepts and terms, and lead others through change management. To be a successful consultant, she believes you need to be reassuring, persuasive, respectful – and of course knowledgeable about systems and products. With TechnologyOne releasing twice-yearly software updates, it’s important to stay across the changes.

When asked what’s on the horizon, Lorraine hints at more travel in the years to come, while continuing to enjoy the stimulation and flexibility her consulting work brings. 

For more information about a career at Lánluas, and to check out available opportunities, visit our Careers page.