When I was trying to decide what to do about a recent job offer, a friend proposed a “thought experiment” she thought I might be helpful as I made the decision about joining that particular company.
Think about a person you have worked with that you really respected for his/her skill and professionalism – someone who was a boss or mentor to you (let’s call her Jane). Now imagine you are at a business lunch with the folks from the team that’s been interviewing you, and Jane walks by and stops to say hello. How do you feel about introducing Jane to your new colleagues and saying that you just took a job reporting to these folks? Are you proud of that decision / accomplishment?
My friend then described a job she had once accepted with a small firm that seemed to have a lot going for it, with the benefit package and flexibility that she needed. She still felt she was “settling,” though. While she was able to do good work for them, there was something about the whole arrangement that didn’t quite fit.
One day we were all out at lunch and it hit me, “If “Jane” (a former boss that I just loved – professional, smart, you name it) walked by, how would I feel about introducing her to this crowd?” I realized I would be embarrassed to let her know I had taken a job with them – I felt like I had settled. Not because they are “bad” people or anything, but because I knew I was capable of something much different in my professional life. I realized I couldn’t work somewhere that I felt embarrassed about, so I resigned the following week.
My friend didn’t just leave, however. Because she was valuable to the company, she was able to negotiate a consulting arrangement with them. “It works much better for me because I can be more forthright and open with my ideas and suggestions since I’m not as tied into them as I would be with an employment relationship. And it works better for them because I truly believe they are getting better advice from me now.”
Career strategist and consultant William S. Frank heartily endorses this approach, recommending that any job offer that seems unsuitable in terms of duties, responsibilities, or earnings may work very well if reworked into a consulting opportunity instead. In an article he wrote for Careerlab.com, Frank lays out some very practical ground rules one should consider in making such arrangements, most particularly how to calculate an appropriate fee. It is better, he firmly believes, to give a few hours away than it is to undercharge… a trap he’s seen many first-time consultants fall into.
Consulting may lead to full-time job offers, or it may very well prove to be an attractive career choice in itself. In the end though, Frank’s most compelling argument for consulting is this:
No one should be unemployed, even for a day. The world is full of problems waiting to be solved. Someone out there needs you and your talents badly. It wouldn’t hurt you to volunteer a few hours a week for a charity or for a business in need of your skills, and it certainly couldn’t hurt you to accept a few small consulting assignments while you pursue full-time employment.
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