10 Ways to Fix the Worst Things About Being a Consultant

Nov 29

Wow. So many people have entered the wild world of consulting in the past few years. In this youth development-education-workforce space, I can share a few insights and observations from my past 13 years as a consultant.

This kind of work is not for everyone. On our team, I’ve seen people come and go. (Although, I do contend that once you are part of DWL, it’s virtually impossible to ever fully leave us…) Some people leave and take on full time jobs for years…some last a few months…some leave consulting and never look back. Why?

Here are the top three reasons consulting can suck:

Hustle–Lack of consistent work and income is the number one reason we hear consultants say is the worst. Most of us have gotten into this work because we are committed to the mission of youth development, youth agency, youth power. We’re passionate creatures. BUT–we also have bills to pay; families to feed; and student loans to pay off. We love doing the work, but constantly looking for work, responding to RFPs, connecting with potential clients, posting on social media…that’s not the part we love. And it doesn’t always pay off. Most consultants I talk with have said something along the lines of: I don’t know how to do the work while also trying to get more work. The “hustle” is no fun.
Loneliness–Most of us didn’t start out as independent or small consulting firms. We were at organizations, with people. We had top level jobs with responsibility. We felt connected and valued (at least some of the time!). When people make the leap to “go independent”, I often hear how lonely they are. They just want someone else to bounce ideas around with; someone else to commiserate with; someone else to say: “WTF!?” to. Many consultants are also hungry for conversation about consulting: How do you bill? How do you manage tough clients? What if you don’t know how to do what the client has requested? It can be a lonely world.
Busywork–As mentioned, we get into this work because we care deeply and we have the skills and wherewithal to do something about it. But sometimes, clients hire us to do basically busywork. This is a deflator or the consultant spirit. The busywork is usually something that is requested or required; it goes nowhere; has no effect; and ultimately represents a waste of time, energy and experience. You see it. You figure it out–either right from the start, mid-project or much later. Yes, you may take work because it’s work…but too many projects like this, and you will lose your heart. It’s not worth it. You will find yourself questioning whether this is all worth it. No good.

The good news is that you can avoid these sucky things…for the most part. How? Here are ten ideas to get you started:

Find community. Connect with other consultants doing work like you. Doesn’t have to be in our field, but it helps if they understand the nonprofit universe. Start here: LinkedIn Youth Development Consultant Group or go directly to sign up for the National Youth Development Consultant and TA Provider Network.
Stay mission focused. Try not to take work that devalues you, your experience and expertise. You are here for a reason. Lean into that.
Partner. There is no reason to try to teach yourself how to do things you don’t know how to do. Reach out to your amazing network from your previous life. Or connect with us.
Work on referral fee arrangements. In our sector, we don’t see enough of this. If you refer another person to do work and they get it, ask for a 10-15% referral fee. If they refer you to a client, and you get the work, pay them a 10-15% referral fee.
Put on your doctor coat. If a client comes to you, essentially asking you to “fill a prescription”...take a step back. So frequently what they *think* they need does not actually solve the problem they have. Ask questions. Listen closely. Determine what the issue is and then generate your prescription to help them solve whatever is going on.
Speak up. If a client has hired you for a discrete project, make sure you have regular update meetings. Share with them what you’re noticing and how you can help them solve that through future work.
Find the meaning for yourself. Sometimes, work is work. Take the time to figure out what your personal angle is–what do YOU want to get out of the project…even if it’s ill-conceived, even if it’s dead-end in terms of mission advancement…how can you hone your skills, how can you structure the work so you are making the deepest impact?
Get ahead of the work. Stay connected with past clients through your monthly or quarterly emails. Let them know about work you are currently doing. Schedule calls once a year just to touch base. Often, these will turn into opportunities to “pick your brain” and you can weigh in on upcoming projects.
Host a call. Invite a group of peers to join you in dialogue about a burning question you have. Put an all-call out on LinkedIn or through the National Youth Development Consultant and TA Network. Here’s a good example of this from our colleague at Reloveution, Marissa Badgeley.
Call random strangers. Look through your LinkedIn connections and identify who is doing other work like you or work that complements yours. Message them. Email them. Ask them if they have 20-30 minutes to offer their advice, insights and recommendations on something that you are working on. Or if they would just want to talk about what they do & look for ways to boost each other’s work.