Lessons I’ve Learned from Sitting in the Middle

By Amanda Zais, Logisolve Client Engagement Manager/Recruiter

In consulting, there’s a space that people don’t always see clearly: the middle.

It’s the space between a consultant navigating a job change and a client under pressure to deliver. It’s where expectations meet reality, and outcomes are shaped by how well both sides communicate. It’s where the consultant wants to do meaningful work, and the client needs the right person on the team as soon as possible.

That’s where I spend my time at Logisolve. I hold a unique role that spans both recruiting and account management, giving me visibility into both sides of every conversation. It means I see the full story, from the first conversation with a consultant to the behind-the-scenes discussions with a hiring manager. I live in the middle and it has taught me a lot.

Sitting in the middle gives you a unique perspective. You see what clients are up against: tight budgets, shifting timelines, multiple layers of approvals, and high expectations from leadership. At the same time, you see what consultants are carrying with them: excitement, career uncertainty, personal stress, or the pressure of a job search that often feels out of their control.

One of the first things I’ve learned is that most people are doing the best they
can with limited information. Consultants often walk into interviews without a full project scope. Clients, meanwhile, are making fast decisions without complete alignment. Things move fast, but clarity doesn’t always keep pace. What helps most is honest communication, realistic expectations, and keeping the dialogue open even when timelines shift.

Feedback is another area that matters more than most people realize. When clients take the time to share why they chose one candidate over another or
what stood out in an interview, it has a real impact. Consultants appreciate it
more than they often say. It builds trust, helps them grow, and strengthens
future conversations. The same goes for consultants who offer thoughtful feedback after an interview. These exchanges create lasting relationships, not just transactions.

Another pattern I see is the importance of team and personality fit. Clients sometimes assume that if someone has the right experience, everything else will fall into place. But how a person communicates, adapts, and meshes with a team can make or break a project. The same goes for consultants. They often do their best work when they feel respected, supported, and aligned with the team’s dynamic. The intangibles matter, and the people side of the work is just as important as the technical side.

Being in this space also makes it clear that both sides are under pressure, but in very different ways. Consultants may be navigating a layoff, wrapping up a contract, or trying to land a role that offers long-term growth. Clients may be short-staffed, behind schedule, or facing new leadership direction. When you recognize that everyone is balancing something, it becomes easier to lead with empathy and patience.

The thing that consistently stands out the most is how trust is built in the small, often unseen moments. It’s a consultant being open about what they want or what else they’re exploring. It’s a client responding quickly or being honest about challenges on their team. These simple gestures create strong partnerships. They’re what keep people coming back and choosing to work together again.

The middle is not always a simple place to be. It can be fast-moving, ambiguous, and a little chaotic at times. Still, it’s where
the meaningful work happens. It’s where consultants find new opportunities, and where clients connect with the right people
to move their goals forward. Most importantly, it’s where relationships grow over time, built on honesty, understanding,
and collaboration.

At Logisolve, we live in this space. It is where we do our best work, bridging the gap between clients and consultants with trust, care, and consistency.

If you are a consultant or a client, thank you for staying open, for trusting your partners, and for continuing to build something better even when things are constantly shifting. You may not always see it, but the work you are doing matters. Those of us in the middle, like me and my team at Logisolve, see it every day.