Reinventing yourself as a Consultant

The other day I was catching up with a client who is conducting a job search. While seeking a full-time job, he has successfully re-positioned himself as a consultant. So successful, that he is thinking of growing his new consulting business.

Not long ago, I read a cautionary article about calling yourself a consultant when you are out of work. While it is a convenient "gap filler," can you back it up, the author asks. Good question.

If, like my client, you are a highly experienced professional and you have just been fired, it's definitely something to think about.

So, if you are thinking of calling yourself a consultant, take some time to understand what it means to be a consultant.

One of the essential things to understand about consulting is that it is all about helping. Helping a client to solve a problem that improves their business. 

The next thing to think about is your "sweet spot." What sorts of problems are you very good at solving? What are you known for by people who have worked closely with you?  If the problem that your client is experiencing, is well within your "sweet spot" of expertise, your chance of success is great.

Another thing to know and deeply appreciate is that a highly effective consultant does more than solve the client's problem. He or she also leaves the client stronger and smarter than they were before your intervention. So a consultant teaches, develops, and strengthens the client.

You could say that a good consultant works him or herself out of a job.

There's a great deal more to learn about consulting. For some additional thoughts on the power of consulting:  https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/power-consulting-terrence-h-seamon

Also here are some classic books that have been very helpful to me in my development as a consultant in the Organizational Learning and Development field, as well as in career transition coaching:

Peter Block's Flawless Consulting

Gerry Weinberg's The Secrets of Consulting

Alan Weiss' Getting Started in Consulting

Ethan Rasiel's The McKinsey Way

Ed Schein's Process Consulting and his recent Humble Inquiry

Terrence H. Seamon is an organization development consultant and coach who provides leadership and team development services to employers in New Jersey. His book Lead the Way explores the challenges of leadership. Additionally, Terry is a job search and career coach whose book To Your Success provides a motivational guide for anyone in transition. His third book, Change for the Better,  provides leaders with a guide to navigating through organizational change. Terry co-founded and co-moderates the St. Matthias Employment Ministry in Somerset, NJ. He can be reached at thseamon@yahoo.com and via his website:http://about.me/terrenceseamon