fbpx
Should I Start a Part-Time Consulting Job?
Should I Start a Part-Time Consulting Job?

Last week a friend told me that she’s been thinking about working as a part-time IT consultant while continuing to work at her full-time job in a related industry. This friend has a diploma from a relevant 3-year program. Since graduating, she has worked in her field in a few positions within the same company. She has been promoted and she now has responsibility for a large geographic area. Basically, she’s established herself as a “go to person” at work and among her friends, family, and acquaintances.Part-Time-Business-Ideas

She has recently learned that the company where she works is being reorganized and as a result, she’ll soon have fewer responsibilities. This is where the part-time consulting comes in. Since she’s been thinking about starting something on the side, I told her that now is probably a great time to start. I suggested that she review the policies of her current employer to make sure that doing consulting work on the side will not create a real or perceived conflict of interest. I also suggested that she confirm that her contract does not prevent her from doing consulting work outside of her normal work hours.

Since her industry is knowledge-based, she does not need to spend a lot of money on equipment or even office space. Rather, all she needs to do is put the word out that she’s offering her services as an advisor/consultant. I suggested that she start small by telling her friends and family about her plans and asking them if they know anybody who could use her services. I also suggested that she could consider using social media to promote her services.

With all the changes happening in most of our workplaces, it’s probably wise to be prepared for large-scale “disruption” after which the status quo might actually change. Somehow, having a backup plan or a plan B (e.g., starting a business and an established network) seems to protect us from actually needing to use it …

Need help dealing with a delicate or high-stakes career or HR issue? I invite you to contact me privately. I offer a free 15 to 20-minute initial consultation by phone. Or, if you prefer, you can contact me by email, or via direct message on TwitterFacebook, or LinkedIn.

 

More than career coaching, it’s career psychology®.

 

I/O Advisory Services – Building Resilient Careers and Organizations.™

 

Easily share this article using any of the social media icons below.

Latest Posts

The Importance of Trust in Remote and Hybrid Workplaces

The Importance of Trust in Remote and Hybrid Workplaces

Many professionals are still working remotely or in hybrid work environments. While this type of arrangement can be great for convenience, productivity, fostering creativity and better use of resources, one issue I keep thinking about is the challenge associated with building trust.

Leaders and the Self-Awareness Gap

Leaders and the Self-Awareness Gap

Leaders: how accurate is your understanding of your impact on others? According to the Industrial/Organizational Psychologists at Psychometrics.com, 95 percent of leaders believe they are self-aware, while a shocking 10-15 percent actually are. Ouch, that’s a big...

Self-Awareness is Crucial for Leaders

Self-Awareness is Crucial for Leaders

Do you know how others view you as a leader? Regardless of where you are in your career, self-awareness is a key building block for effective leadership. Being conscious of our strengths and weaknesses helps us develop and provides insight into how others perceive us.

“The Great Work Breakup” and What Women Want (Part Two)

“The Great Work Breakup” and What Women Want (Part Two)

Women are demanding more from work, and to get what they want, they’re switching jobs at the highest rate possibly in history. The pandemic kicked off the Big Quit; now we’re into “the Great Breakup.” Women are no longer putting up with conditions that don’t work for them. Some of them are even “rage-applying” …