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The Pros and Cons of Consulting During Job Search

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January 27, 2011


The idea of consulting during job search sure sounds good. Sounds like I can:
– make some extra money or fill a growing hole in my bank account
– keep my skills fresh and perhaps earn my way into a full time role
– show employers that I kept busy working while I was “in-between”
Yes, it sounds good. And it can be.
But, as with most things, I like to look at both sides of the issue. Because there are times when “sounds like” isn’t good enough. After all, you don’t get a bunch of “do-overs” in job search. If you don’t do it right, you can damage your ability to get a first round interview and, eventually, make an offer hard to come by.
Why? Well, you’ll find your answers below:
The PROS
Well, you heard some of them in the “sounds like” section up above, but here they are in more quantity and more detail …

1. Clearly there is a significant financial benefit to consulting. If you were laid off and received a severance package, it can extend your nest egg for a few months. If you are into your savings already, consulting can ease some pretty big concerns. Consider this the number one benefit.
2. While there probably is not much real value to “keeping your skills fresh”, there is a perceived value here for employers who can see an extended job search as unproductive down time. The question you might fear from an employer: “Whatever did you do for 6 months?”
3. Consulting for a company, especially one on your target list, gives you a chance to test drive the environment, the culture and “the boss”. And, if you are a hit, you can build a nice story for yourself. One that can pave the way for a job offer down the road.
4. You’ve heard me say it before: you can’t search for a job 12 hours a day. So the benefit here is that consulting gets you out of the house in a business environment. This is important for two reasons. First, you are kept in business dress (even if business casual) which helps you get out of your shorts and flip flops. Second, you maintain active knowledge of the corporate culture. As you go in and interview for jobs, you have the correct sense of urgency. You don’t look like someone who has been shut-in staring at job boards for days on end.
5. Consulting is good networking. Not only does it get you out into the world of the working (the folks who are aware of those hidden jobs you’ve heard so much about) but it also opens a door to other companies. The boss who loves your consulting work should know that you are looking for full-time employment. They should also know a lot of other people with whom you could network.
The CONS
1. Consulting is a distraction away from your #1 objective – finding a job. How big of a distraction it becomes is up to you. A great consulting assignment can become all consuming, exciting and very financially rewarding. If you don’t manage your time, it can steal away precious hours of networking.
2. Contracts can be hard to come by. It takes really strong networking because consulting jobs don’t tend to show up on Monster or be bandied about by recruiters. You have to earn them and they can take time to find.
3. If you were expecting $200 per hour, you may be in for a letdown. Many consulting contracts are really not consulting at all. Rather, they are just contract positions. Glorified temp jobs. You are filling in for someone who is on disability or on maternity leave. So, don’t be surprised if the pay is less than you hoped.
4. Related to #3 above, consulting sounds nice because it carries the promise of a big, strategic assignment. That you’ll be brought in to solve a significant company problem or restructure a struggling department. Could happen. But, more likely, that project will go to a consultant who has done that before … as a consultant.
5. As a consultant, you are the person from the outside. Don’t be surprised if you are not invited to lunch and are not included in company functions. You come in. Do your job. Leave. If you are a social person who likes to be part of the fabric, this may make consulting a bit less interesting to you.
A Few RULES
1. If your name is Frank Johnson, everyone who sees that your last job was with FJ & Associates will know that it is just you. That there are no associates. Never were. So my advice is don’t create a consulting company just to do consulting. Unless you plan to move into that career full time and long term.
2. If you do consult for a company, list that company on your resume just like with any other job. However, instead of “Marketing Director” say “Marketing Consultant”. Everyone will get that it was a planned temporary engagement designed to generate income and maintain a tight grip on the pulse of business during your transition.
3. As a follow-up to rule #1, what’s the risk of establishing a personal name to go with my consulting assignment? Well, if I am a hiring manager spending many hours interviewing you and considering making you a formal offer, I’m going to want to know that you are intending to be a permanent employee. By establishing what appears to be a consulting practice, you now have entered doubt into my mind. How do I know that you won’t jump at the chance for another engagement?
4. If someone asks you about consulting, the correct answer is that was a great experience, one that helped pay the bills. And a practice that you will gladly cease for the honor of a full-time position with this new company. Any hesitation here turns doubt into fear and you go into the “hold pile”.
5. Set limitations on the hours you dedicate to consulting. Twenty hours a week allows you twenty-thirty hours left in the week to look for a job. Also, make sure the consulting hours are as much on your schedule as possible. What if a great interview opportunity comes up? “Sorry, future perfect new boss, I’m consulting that day” may not be the message to send.
The Final VERDICT
So, should you do it?
Absolutely.
In an extended search it can mean staying busy vs. feeling slow. Making money vs. spending savings. Being useful vs. Feeing unwanted.
Do it. But do it right. And make sure everyone you interview with knows your final objective.
Article by Tim Tyrell-Smith, Spin Strategy
Courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates seeking entry-level jobs and other career opportunities.

Originally posted on The Daily Recruiter

Originally posted by Candice A

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