Transitioning to Consulting
Thinking about leaving the Corporate world and transitioning to independent consulting? One of the biggest fears is the perceived instability of going out on your own. Here are some tips in making this transtion more secure and for ensuring sustainability and success over the long haul:
Secure one or two projects before leaving your job
- Have a signed contract in place
- Have the hardware and software required to do the project
Have a workplace set up
- Create a private workplace
- Have the essentials, but don't overbuy for your new business
Keep good records
- Get the proper licensing
- Create a separate bank account for your business
- Establish good bookeeping
Be professional
- Keep to a schedule; set personal deadlines
- Have excellent business etiquette: call people back promptly, check emails often; be professional in your communications
- Feel bigger than you are: you may be an indiviudal, but represent yourself as a professional company
Keep those you trust close
- Have a network of clients, partners, contractors, peers
- Use trustworthy vendors (accountants, systems help, printers, etc.)
Do great work!
- Keep to your deadlines
- Overdeliver
- It's okay to have a few "loss leaders" if your reputation as a professional is building
- Learn from your mistakes
- Foster all relationships
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What's in Demand for Consulting?
According to Entrepreneur
, here are the top 20 consulting businesses thriving today:
- Accounting
- Advertising
- Auditing
- Business
- Business writing
- Career counseling
- Communications
- Computer consulting
- Editorial services
- Executive search/headhunter firms
- Gardening
- Grantsmanship
- Human resources
- Insurance
- Marketing
- Payroll management
- Public relations
- Publishing
- Taxes
- Writing services
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for the following upcoming conferences:
Anaheim, CA
May 15-18, 2016
Over 80 sessions covering all aspects of technical writing, editing, project management and publication production.
Mountain View, CA
(Silicon Valley)
April 14 - 15, 2016
Two days of User Assistance specific learning - for
Design & Writing and for
Tools & Technologies.
Tacoma, WA
October 14-15, 2016
Two separate sequences of education - one for design and writing and the other for tools and technologies
Las Vegas, NV
October 26 - 29, 2016
Multi-day conference for content strtategists, documentation managers, and marketing professionals.
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