The apathy I can definitely understand. I´ve met two kinds of consultants: those who can do it, and those who can not. <br> <p>I´ve had many interesting conversations with people who I´ve meet through work, training classes, and conferences. The inevitable question "What do you do for a living?" seems to come up in conversation. When I get to the point where I admit I was once a consultant for a big firm, I get one of two responses: apathy (exhibited by rolling eyeballs) or extreme interest (exhibited by "ooh" and "aah").</p>
<p>The apathy I can definitely understand. I´ve met two kinds of consultants: those who can do it, and those who can not. As a customer of some of those "can not" consultants (i.e. the kind where I, as the customer, end up doing all of the work and getting none of the credit), I definitely understand the apathetic reaction.</p>
<p>The reaction of extreme interest always intrigues me because I know that I´m in for interrogation. <b>Why?</b> Because many people who are <i>not</i> a consultant have an idea of what a consultant does that may seem like it is better than it actually is. So, if you were ever curious about the fabulous life <insert sarcasm here> consultants live, and would like that life for yourself, then read on.</p>
<p><b>Do consider consulting if you ...</b></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li>Have some expertise in what you do and are not afraid to share that expertise. </li>
<li>Have excellent customer service skills. A large part of consulting entails taking care of your customer.</li>
<li>Have networks built up so you can find solutions to problems.</li>
<li>Are committed to making yourself available to customers.</li>
<li>Enjoy traveling and staying in hotels.</li>
<li>Can tolerate being absent from home & family for several nights in a row, several weeks of the year.</li>
<li>Are highly organized and able to use word processing software, spreadsheets, simple databases, and email efficiently.</li>
</ul>
<p><b>Don´t consider consulting if you ...</b></p>
<ul type="disc">
<li>Think joining a consulting firm will mean you have "magic bullets" to solve all problems. There are no magic bullets.</li>
<li>Don´t like to travel. If you can be guaranteed assignments in your city of residence, then it may work for you.</li>
<li>Have a complicated family life or young children. Travel is often a must and it is important to have a supportive relationship with loved ones to be able to maintain a consulting lifestyle.</li>
<li>Value your private time. Consulting often entails 40-70 hour weeks, and there may be a lot of crossover between home & work life. If you must "shut off" work at 5 pm, consulting may not be the job for you.</li>
<li>Do not follow things through or are willing to go the extra mile for a customer. If you are disorganized and lose track of things, your job will be that much more difficult.</li>
<li>Think that it is a glamorous life. It is not. Well, OK, the first week is ... but then you do get bored of eating in restaurants <i>all</i> the time and waking up in strange beds.</li>
</ul>
<p>Overall, a consultant should, at minimum, help the customer improve their circumstances, achieve their goals, and learn from their experience. Even better, a consultant helps customers see the value of their experience, and makes the fees seem worthwhile.</p>
<p>If you feel that can describe you, it may be worth a try!</p>
