Many learning and development professionals dream of the flexibility and variety that consulting offers. Consulting can provide exposure to different industries, opportunities to work on interesting projects, and the ability to build a diverse portfolio of work.
However, finding consulting projects requires a different approach than finding a traditional full-time job.
The most successful consultants do not rely on a single source of work. Instead, they build multiple channels for finding opportunities, developing relationships, and staying visible in the marketplace.
Whether you are an instructional design consultant, facilitator, eLearning developer, learning strategist, LMS consultant, or performance consultant, these strategies can help you find more consulting opportunities.
1. Build a Consultant-Focused Resume
Many professionals make the mistake of using the same resume they would use for a full-time position.
A traditional job resume is often designed to demonstrate career progression, loyalty, leadership experience, and long-term contributions to an organization. Employers want to know how you fit into their team and whether you can grow with the company over time.
Consulting clients have a different question:
Can this person solve my problem quickly and effectively?
As a result, consulting resumes should focus less on organizational hierarchy and more on demonstrated expertise, project experience, return engagements, and measurable results.
A client seeking a consultant is often more interested in questions such as:
- Have you worked on a project like mine before?
- Do you understand my industry?
- Can you use our tools and technologies?
- How quickly can you become productive?
- What results have you achieved on similar projects?
Your resume should emphasize:
- Project-based accomplishments
- Industries you’ve supported
- Tools and technologies you’ve used
- Business results you’ve helped achieve
- Repeat work with the same client
- Relevant certifications and specialized expertise
Make Your Specialty Easy to Identify
Many consultants try to appeal to everyone and end up looking generic. If you have a specialty, make it visible. When recruiters or clients spend only a few seconds reviewing a resume, clarity matters.
5 Tips for a knockout Consultant Resumé
2. Create a Portfolio That Demonstrates Your Expertise
For many learning and development consultants, a portfolio is even more important than a resume. A strong portfolio helps potential clients understand the quality of your work and your approach to solving problems.
For instructional design consultants and eLearning developers in particular, it’s almost impossible to get hired for a project without a portfolio demonstrating samples of your work. Facilitators who take the time to build a portfolio often find themselves much busier than equally talented facilitators who rely solely on a resume.
Depending on your specialty, your portfolio might include:
- eLearning samples
- Storyboards
- PowerPoint Decks
- Job aids
- Facilitation materials
- Learning strategies
- Performance consulting case studies
- Learning technology implementations
Don’t Let Portfolio Excuses Hold You Back
Many consultants avoid creating a portfolio because they believe they cannot share their work. Common excuses include:
- “Everything I’ve created belongs to my employer.”
- “My projects are confidential.”
- “I’ve signed non-disclosure agreements.”
- “I don’t have permission to show my work.”
While these concerns are valid, they are rarely reasons to avoid building a portfolio altogether.
Many successful consultants create sanitized examples, fictional projects, partial screenshots, process walkthroughs, or sample deliverables that demonstrate their skills without revealing confidential information.
Clients understand that some projects are proprietary. What they want to see is evidence that you can solve problems and produce quality work.
Respect Confidentiality Agreements and NDAs
At the same time, consultants should take confidentiality obligations very seriously.
If confidentiality agreements prevent you from sharing client work, do not assume that removing a company logo or changing a few details is sufficient. Always review the terms of your agreement and obtain permission when necessary.
Some organizations periodically review consultants’ websites and portfolios, even months or years after a project has ended. Discovering confidential materials, proprietary processes, internal screenshots, or unreleased content in a public portfolio can damage your professional reputation and potentially create legal issues.
When in doubt, create a new sample that demonstrates the same skills rather than risk violating a client’s trust. The goal is to show how you think.
3. Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile
LinkedIn has become one of the most important tools for finding consulting opportunities. Recruiters, staffing firms, and hiring managers frequently search LinkedIn for learning and development talent.
Your profile should clearly communicate:
- Your consulting specialty
- Industries you support
- Tools and technologies you use
- Types of projects you accept
- Certifications and credentials
Make Your Headline Work for You
Your headline should do more than list your current job title. For example:
Instructional Designer | eLearning Developer | Articulate Storyline Expert | Performance Consulting Practitioner
is more likely to be discovered than simply: Instructional Designer
Think about the keywords a client or recruiter might search for when looking for someone with your expertise. Your headline should help you appear in those searches.
Clearly Identify Yourself as a Consultant
One common mistake consultants make is creating a LinkedIn profile that looks like a series of short-term jobs. A recruiter reviewing your profile may see five employers in three years and incorrectly assume you’re a job hopper rather than an established consultant.
Instead, many successful consultants create a primary position such as:
Independent Learning and Development Consultant
January 2020 – Present
Under that position, they describe the types of projects they support and highlight major client engagements. This approach tells a more coherent story and makes it easier for clients to understand your consulting experience.
Complete the “About” Section
The About section is one of the most overlooked parts of LinkedIn.
Rather than repeating your resume, use this space to answer questions such as:
- What problems do you solve?
- What industries do you support?
- What types of projects are your specialty?
- What makes you different from other consultants?
A strong summary can help clients quickly determine whether you may be a fit for their project.
Showcase Your Work
Take advantage of LinkedIn’s Featured section. Consider including:
- Portfolio samples
- Case studies
- Published articles
- Speaking engagements
- Podcasts
Many recruiters and hiring managers will review these materials before requesting an interview.
Stay Visible Through Content
Many consultants only update LinkedIn when they need work. Unfortunately, that means they become invisible between projects.
You don’t need to become an influencer to benefit from LinkedIn activity. Consistently sharing thoughtful content can help you stay top of mind with your professional network. If you don’t feel comfortable creating content on your own, spend 5 minutes per day reading the posts of others and “repost” any that you find helpful with your thoughts.
Even one post per week can demonstrate expertise and keep your profile active.
Remember That Clients Will Review Your Profile
Many consultants assume LinkedIn is primarily for recruiters.
In reality, clients often review LinkedIn profiles before interviews, during the selection process, and sometimes after a project has started.
A complete profile with a clear consulting focus, strong recommendations, relevant keywords, and examples of your expertise can significantly improve your chances of being selected for consulting opportunities.
Getting Started as a Contract Instructional Designer:
4. Join Specialized Talent Networks
Most consulting projects are never posted publicly. Organizations often turn first to trusted staffing firms and talent networks when they need specialized learning and development expertise.
Working with a specialized learning and development staffing partner like TrainingPros can provide access to opportunities involving:
- Instructional design
- eLearning development
- Virtual facilitation
- Learning strategy
- LMS administration
- Learning technology consulting
- Performance consulting
- Project management
Unlike general recruiters, specialized learning and development firms understand the skills required for these roles. The best firms to work with are the ones that provide opportunities for the consultants to meet people in the company.
5. Build Relationships Before You Need Work
One of the most reliable sources of consulting opportunities is your existing professional network. Former managers, colleagues, clients, and project sponsors often become sources of future work.
The best time to build relationships is before your current project ends. Stay connected by:
- Participating in professional associations
- Attending industry conferences
- Joining virtual communities
- Sharing insights on LinkedIn
Many consultants discover that repeat business and referrals become their most consistent source of work over time.
6. Develop Skills That Organizations Need Today
Consultants who continuously expand their expertise often have access to a broader range of opportunities. While traditional instructional design skills remain valuable, many organizations are seeking professionals who can solve larger business problems.
Examples of in-demand capabilities include performance consulting, learning experience design (LXD), learning technology consulting, AI implementation for learning, and virtual facilitation.
The broader your ability to support business objectives, the more opportunities may become available.
Continue Learning New Technologies
Learning and development technology changes constantly. New authoring tools, AI platforms, video creation tools, LMS platforms, and analytics solutions continue to emerge. The consultants who remain competitive are often those who make learning new technologies a regular habit rather than waiting until a client requires a specific tool.
Many consultants assume they need a client project before they can gain experience with a new technology. In reality, one of the most effective ways to learn a new tool is to create your own project.
Learning by creating forces you to solve real problems, troubleshoot issues, and understand the tool’s capabilities in a way that tutorials alone rarely accomplish. An added benefit of self-directed projects is that they can become portfolio samples. Not only will you gain hands-on experience, but you’ll also have a portfolio piece that can support future job searches and consulting opportunities.
Invest in Skills Before the Market Demands Them
The most successful consultants don’t wait until a skill appears in every job posting before they start learning it. They pay attention to emerging trends, experiment with new technologies, and build expertise before demand peaks.
When organizations begin looking for consultants with a particular skill set, those who have already invested in learning and practicing those capabilities are often in the strongest position to win the work.
7. Understand Where Most Consulting Projects Actually Come From
Many people new to consulting spend most of their time searching on job boards. While job boards can occasionally produce opportunities, experienced consultants know that the best way find work is through other channels.
|
Source of Consulting Projects
|
Typical Effectiveness
|
|---|---|
Former Clients |
High |
Referrals |
High |
Specialized Staffing Firms |
Highs |
LinkedIn Networking |
Medium to High |
Industry Associations |
Medium |
Freelance Marketplaces |
Low – Medium |
General Job Boards |
Low |
This does not mean job boards should be ignored. Instead, consultants should recognize that relationship-based channels frequently produce the strongest opportunities.
Respect the Relationships That Create Opportunities
When a staffing firm, consulting company, or talent network introduces you to a client, they have often invested significant time and resources building that relationship.
Many consultants are tempted to bypass the intermediary and pursue direct business with the client. In most cases, this can damage professional relationships that took years to establish.
More importantly, it can harm your reputation within a relatively small learning and development community.
Successful consultants view staffing firms and consulting partners as long-term relationship channels rather than one-time sources of work. A strong relationship with a trusted partner can lead to project after project, introductions to new clients, and opportunities that never reach the open market.
The consultants who build sustainable careers are typically those who focus on delivering excellent work, honoring their agreements, and maintaining professional relationships with everyone involved in the engagement.
8. Be Ready Before the Opportunity Appears
Consulting opportunities often move quickly. Organizations may need someone to start within days or weeks. Consultants who are prepared can respond faster and make a stronger impression.
Keep the following updated and readily available at all times:
- Resume
- Portfolio
- LinkedIn profile
- References
- Certifications
Preparation can often be the difference between winning and missing an opportunity.
AI Won't Replace Learning Consultants,
But It Will Change the Market
Artificial intelligence is changing how organizations create content, develop training materials, and support employee learning. However, AI has not eliminated the need for experienced consultants.
In many cases, it has increased demand for professionals who can:
- Diagnose business problems
- Improve organizational performance
- Design learning strategies
- Guide AI adoption efforts
- Implement learning technologies
- Support change management initiatives
Organizations are increasingly looking for consultants who can connect learning initiatives to business outcomes rather than simply create content. Consultants who position themselves as strategic partners will likely remain in demand as learning and development continues to evolve.
Download Your Copy of AI Fluency Profile for Consultants
AI Fluency Profile for Consultants
Final Thoughts
Finding learning and development consulting jobs requires more than submitting applications online. Successful consultants build visibility, strengthen their professional networks, maintain strong portfolios, and continually expand their expertise.
The most reliable consulting careers are often built through relationships, reputation, and demonstrated results.
By investing in these areas, learning professionals can create multiple pathways to new opportunities and build a sustainable consulting practice over time.
Working Successfully with Contract L&D Professionals
Ready to Work with Us?
Does your L&D team have more projects than people?
Many organizations in this position turn to contract trainers and facilitators to deliver learning programs without overloading internal teams. If you’re exploring options or comparing learning and development companies, you should learn more about how organizations scale by using contract trainers.
TrainingPros is a learning and development company that connects organizations with experienced instructional designers, contract facilitators, and virtual classroom producers. We’ve been named a Top 20 Staffing Company by Training Industry and a Champion of Learning by the Association for Talent Development (ATD), recognition that reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality, tailored learning solutions.
If your learning initiatives require additional support, whether for a single project or a large-scale rollout, our relationship managers can help you find the right expertise quickly and confidently.
When you have more projects than people™, let TrainingPros find the right consultant to start your project with confidence.
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