Summary: this post explores some of the personal implications of becoming a freelance consultant, such as ‘relevance deprivation’ and leaving the comfort of having an established systems for managing your time, performance and career path.
One of the reasons for jotting down some thoughts about becoming (and being) an independent consultant is that people are frequently fascinated when I tell them about my work. Although I think this in-part comes from my work being genuinely interesting, I suspect the lions-share of their fascination comes from them not having seriously considered it as an option. But, it can also sound like a really attractive idea to somebody that is bored of their job, hates their boss or feels stuck in a rut. Which is why whenever somebody starts phoning their boss to quit, I gently mention some of the financial, personal and professional downsides of making the shift.
One such challenge that doesn’t get talked about enough, is learning how to live without a set of formalized set of organizational structures that tell you what to do, when to do it and whether you’re doing a good job. Although it might seem like an imposition, knowing what’s expected of you can be helpful so you know where your responsibility starts and ends; having a set schedule can make it easier to plan your life, know when to ignore an email or attend a meeting; and having formalized systems for managing performance and career progression can provide a comforting set of sign posts for guiding your career.
Becoming an independent consultant means jettisoning all of this, which can be liberating, but also might be overwhelming for some as you’ll need to:
- Learn how to manage unstructured time without an external set of schedules to guide you.
- Figure out how to built and maintain personal and professional networks outside of work.
- Create your own vision for your career that don’t rely on job titles and pay increases for feeling like you’re making progress.
- Find a way to define your worth and meaning without relying on workplace achievements, promotions and the evaluations of your colleagues.
In a sense, one of the challenges of becoming a freelance consult is creating your own structures to replace those you relied on in the workplace. But, I also think a big part of the challenging is overcoming ‘relevance deprivation syndrome‘ – as you shift from being an integral part of an organization’s machinery to an external specialist trying to create change from the outside. Consequently, even if you think you can tick all the financial and professional boxes to make freelance consulting work, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
Personally, when I made the switch, I did so with my eyes wide open. I love the work I do, the clients I do it for and the possibility of being responsible for deciding how to make it work. But, that doesn’t mean it’s right for everybody, so my suggestion is before calling your boss to quit, that you seriously consider whether the structures offered by traditional employment better suits your temperament and work style. After all, making good decisions isn’t about mindlessly following trends, but honestly assessing where you’ll genuinely flourish, be happy and make an impact.
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