Are You Fit to Be A Consultant?

In any business venture, your work ethic and personality have to be suited for the demands of the job in order to have longevity and success.

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself to determine if you are fit to be an independent consultant.

Are you a self starter? As a consultant you are your own boss. You set your own schedule. You contact and follow up with current and potential clients. You negotiate your pay rates for projects. You work with vendors to purchase and gather materials. Therefore, you have to be a self-motivated initiator. You must be able to create a plan, set the guidelines, and follow through.

Are you an extrovert? Though you may work from home or out of a small office, you still have to maintain ongoing relationships with your clients, vendors, and other consultants in your field. They are the key to your success. Without them, you will not be in business for long. Therefore, it is important that you foster those relationships and keep all lines of communication open and enjoyable.

Are you organized? Most consultants, and especially those just starting out, are their own Marketing Specialist, Sales Representative, Scheduler, Human Resources personnel, etc. Therefore, it is important that you be well-organized and keep up with important documents, emails, contracts, dates, and deadlines.

Are you creative? As a consultant, you must have a high level of creativity. You have to be able to think outside the box and come up with unique ideas to set yourself apart from the competition. There will be other consultants and small businesses going after the same opportunities. You must differentiate yourself so that a potential client has a reason to choose your services as oppose to someone else’s.

Are you flexible? Your clients are your source of stability and income. If you are continuously unable to accommodate their needs, they will soon send their business to another consultant, regardless of the relationship. To avoid this, you must be as flexible as possible with your schedule, and go above and beyond to ensure that your customers are happy.

These questions are by no means an exhaustive list to determine if you are fit to be an independent consultant, however they do provide a good starting place. Most successful consultants are leaders and initiators, they are effective communicators, they think strategically, they are well-organized, and they keep a flexible schedule, even if it means working longer hours.

This article was featured in the January Edition of “Career and Job Advice” at Ask the Career Counselor. For more career tips, visit the January 2008 Carnival of Career and Job Advice.

Posted on December 1, 2007
Filed Under Consulting