In my 12 years as a consultant and an entrepreneur, professionals in different industries have often asked me about consulting as a career. Is it for them? And how can they decide?
To answer this question fairly, I have always touched on four things that in my experience have been key in building my career.
1. Consulting is not for everyone
Consulting is not an 8 – 5 job. You might feel like you’re always on call and it can be exhausting. I became a consultant because I value freedom and flexibility in terms of when I work, where I work, and what I do.
2. Get comfortable with failure
In consulting, you’ll be working with a lot of data and facts and you’ll need to make many decisions. Becoming a great consultant means that sometimes you make an error of judgment and that’s okay. If you screw up don’t beat yourself up about it and don’t try to fix the mistake alone. Seek out experienced resources to understand where you went wrong and how you can fix it.
3. You have to be patiently ambitious
Don’t expect to reach the top at the age of 30. On average, a consulting career can last 35 – 45 years. Embrace that long-term perspective and carefully plan your own path while being flexible enough to challenge your own thinking once in a while. And before you know it, you’ll have achieved your goals.
4. It’s all about the soft skills
You’ll meet many people and have to build relationships sometimes from the ground up. The old thinking of consultants being all-knowing experts is obsolete. Focus on key skills and building relationships with the right clients can create a rewarding career in the field. However, you need to be honest about your readiness. Organizing your approach and be clear in defining, meeting, and addressing these goals.
Like a consultant is a unique space that helps you build this through bi-weekly podcasts, blogs as well as free and premium interactive trainings. So, if you are ready to try your hand in consulting, listen to our podcast episodes to help you grow in your professional career.
