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").

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.

The reaction of extreme interest always intrigues me because I know that I´m in for interrogation. Why? Because many people who are not 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.

Do consider consulting if you ...

• Have some expertise in what you do and are not afraid to share that expertise.   
• Have excellent customer service skills. A large part of consulting entails taking care of your customer.
• Have networks built up so you can find solutions to problems.
• Are committed to making yourself available to customers.
• Enjoy traveling and staying in hotels.
• Can tolerate being absent from home & family for several nights in a row, several weeks of the year.
• Are highly organized and able to use word processing software, spreadsheets, simple databases, and email efficiently.

Don´t consider consulting if you ...

• Think joining a consulting firm will mean you have "magic bullets" to solve all problems. There are no magic bullets.
• Don´t like to travel. If you can be guaranteed assignments in your city of residence, then it may work for you.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 all the time and waking up in strange beds.

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.

If you feel that can describe you, it may be worth a try!