Consulting is a great way to pick up new skills, connect with industry players, and break out of a traditional schedule. But success in consulting is not guaranteed, even if you have lots of experience and expertise. Finding your first consulting assignment is just like looking for any kind of work – there is a right and wrong way to go about it. With that in mind, follow these three do’s and three don’ts as you start to connect with clients.
Do’s
- Study Opportunities Carefully – Not all consulting opportunities will be a great fit for you, even if you seem completely qualified. You might be asked to take on more than you can deliver, or work for rates that fall below your expectations. It’s important to understand the full details of any assignment before pursuing it.
- Look for Development Potential – In the process of taking on new assignments at new companies, you will unavoidably pick up new technical and professional skills along with lots of industry contacts. Be sure to prioritize the opportunities that provide the most development potential.
- Check the Schedule – It’s always a mistake to commit to more than you can deliver. Find out early how much time you will have to dedicate to an assignment in terms of daily commitment and total project duration. If that conflicts with work you’re already obligated to, it’s a bad fit.
Don’ts
- Negotiate Too Early – It’s common to negotiate the terms of a consulting contract. This can work in the consultant’s favor, but only if she understands the full extent of the project before committing. Get a perfect understanding of the delivery requirements, scope, and timeline expected before accepting or declining any offer.
- Exaggerate Your Skills – A big benefit of consulting is learning new things, and you always want to be challenged in your work. But inflating your credentials or making promises that are impossible to deliver is a huge professional mistake. Don’t overreach and end up with permanent damage to your consulting reputation.
- Shrink Your Timeline – There are only so many hours in a day, days in a week, weeks in a month, etc. If you have a busy consulting calendar (or personal calendar), you can’t take on more work than time allows for. Like the previous entry, you just end up with a disgruntled client and a bad reference.
The hardest part of transitioning into consulting is convincing your earliest clients. Find resources to help you make meaningful connections sooner by contacting The Squires Group.
