Over the past few years, much has changed in the workplace, economy, and world. The pandemic and its effects have caused numerous professionals to reassess where, how, and when they work.
Maintaining an in-house, full-time position is just one option among many for workers who have decided to explore opportunities they might not have considered previously, like consulting.
From Employee to Consultant
The dramatic shift to alternative work arrangements has coincided with the changing needs of businesses today. Many companies are searching for consultants to help accomplish their short or long-term projects because they don’t have the internal talent to do those jobs.
Sometimes, the right person for a position or project isn’t a full-time W-2 employee but a consultant who works remotely or in a hybrid situation.
Making the Transition to Consultant
Many people across multiple industries are looking to transition from an employee to a consultant and are identifying their next steps.
If you want to make a similar move, here are seven scenarios that signal it’s time to shift from working for someone else as an employee to working for yourself as a consultant or doing freelance work:
- Your job or workplace culture is no longer fulfilling.
You may be experiencing burnout or boredom with your position, or a once-pleasant company culture has turned toxic. - You have too many “other duties as assigned” in your current role.
Scope creep has set in, and you feel like you’re doing jobs created for two or more people while getting paid for one. - There’s no room for growth.
Despite your best efforts, such as training and enhancing your skills, you don’t see a continued trajectory of professional progress. - You’ve lost your drive to work as an employee.
You might be tired of feeling like a cog in a wheel while working for a company, or you want your pay to be more in line with the value you bring to a project. - You want more freedom with your schedule.
You don’t have the flexibility you desire to be in control of the number of hours you work, the time of day you choose to work, or whether you can work from home. - You want more autonomy with your work.
Perhaps you have a manager who continually oversees your efforts or sets the direction of your days, leaving you with little independence in completing your tasks. - You want more time for personal development.
Work-life balance may feel out of reach, and you want to work for yourself, set your own schedule, and make time for the priorities that matter most to you.
When it comes down to it, the decision to switch from employee to consultant is about taking an intentional look at your life — where you are currently headed and where you want to be in your career.
If any of these scenarios apply to you and you believe consulting is for you, take the necessary steps to bring it to fruition. Many resources are available to help, including our free TrainingPros Webinars.
How to Get Started in Consulting
If you are a learning and development (L&D) professional interested in changing things up in your career, now is an ideal time to pursue consulting and freelance opportunities.
To take advantage of the shift to consulting, reflect on your skill set and past successes.
Then, once you decide it is for you, here are three easy steps to get started:
- Update your resume. A good career summary is critical. So, avoid common resume mistakes and craft one worthy of your talents.
- Visit the TrainingPros Blogs regularly to learn more about the L&D industry.
- Register to join our talent pool.
These steps are a good jumping-off point if you are serious about finding innovative ways to apply your talents and expand your career opportunities.
Final Thoughts
There is no right or wrong answer. There is only what is the right fit for you.
When it comes down to it, the decision to switch from employee to consultant is about taking an intentional look at your life — where you are currently headed and where you want to be in your career.
Do you believe you’re ready to make a move to consulting? What may be holding you back to make a change? Share your thoughts and questions with me on LinkedIn or Twitter!
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