Rank: Forum user 
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I achieved grad status a few months ago and I am hoping to have achieved CMIOSH by summer 2011. My long term career plan is to cut the apron strings and start up on my own. My plan was to wait until I achieved CMIOSH and then start small whilst still working in the day job.
Can anyone offer any advice on the pitfalls, routes to take, people to speak to, how to find clients, networking etc.
Many Thanks
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Rank: Forum user
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This has been covered many times before on the forum, so if you search the forum, you should get the answers you need.
The main priority is sales, sales, sales, sales sales - lack of clients and poor cash flow easily finish off small one man bands.
Also depending what your 'day job' is, it is probably any contact of employment you have will restrict you from taking alternative work and almost certainly if the extra work you propose could be seen as working in competition with your employer.
i.e. if you already work for a consultancy, taking your own clients will not go down well! You will get given the push!
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Rank: Super forum user 
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I am thinking along the same lines but only as a hedged bet. You need to be filling up your business card holder with...business cards. People doing work for you may meet other clients who need H&S support and, when you go solo, you can contact them
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Rank: Super forum user
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Now is not the time, there is no work either for experienced consultants or newbies on the block.
If you're already a consultant then read your contract, generally you won't be able to use any contacts you've made for 6-12 months.
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Rank: Guest
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Clairel, Totally agree with you.
Being blunt, flukey unless you are a Sadomasicist, don't even think about it.
If you have a secure job, be thankful, stay there and just do whatever job you do to the best of your ability. Unless you are a specialist and there are very few others engaged in your type of work, then of course you are laughing.
Otherwise you're cutting off any route to benefits etc cos once you're self employed, the shutters come down hard from the benefits agency (or whatever they're called in the UK)
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Rank: Forum user
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Blimey! Its all doom and gloom- maybe I will have a re-think.
Thanks for the advice
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Rank: Guest
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Take heed flukey, this is very good advice indeed from Ciaran and clairel and I ditto these responses
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Rank: Super forum user
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Flukey, the posts are correct.
We have consultants with decades of experience and qualified with post-grads; masters and doctorates who operate as consultants and have done so for many years.
These people are struggling to obtain work, due to the current climate?
If your working, don’t make yourself unemployed to start doing freelance consultancy work just yet.
Unless you actually have clients lined up ready to sign on the dotted line and that this income is one you can live off, I’d take the advice of the people on this forum and wait.
Good Luck.
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Rank: New forum user
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I started up my own consultancy last year and went down to a 3 day week with my employer which suited them and me. I am due to end my employment with them at the end of this month and I will be totally on my own. There is work out there and its not all doom and gloom. My diary is nearly full til November already!!! Have faith as sometimes you have to take chances in life. I think the big consultancy companies are the ones that are struggling with their huge fees. I have 35 SME's already on a retainer basis and spend 40% of my time completing training. Keep your overheads down, your books in order and have faith!
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Rank: Forum user
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Safety Couch wrote:I started up my own consultancy last year and went down to a 3 day week with my employer which suited them and me. I am due to end my employment with them at the end of this month and I will be totally on my own. There is work out there and its not all doom and gloom. My diary is nearly full til November already!!! Have faith as sometimes you have to take chances in life. I think the big consultancy companies are the ones that are struggling with their huge fees. I have 35 SME's already on a retainer basis and spend 40% of my time completing training. Keep your overheads down, your books in order and have faith! Hi Safety Couch, Thanks for the upbeat and positive advice, its good to know that it not all doom and gloom. Perhaps you would be willing to have an offline chat. I wish you the best of luck with the career move- 'fortune favours the brave'.
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Rank: Forum user
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Rank: Guest
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I certainly hope that my comment has not been perceived as 'doom and gloom'. It was based on realism and the current 'climate' and not my own position - personally speaking my 'order book' is full until the end of 2013 and thats great for me, but there is enough evidence around that would suggest this is not the 'norm'. Only this afternoon I've had two calls from consultants who have 'nothing doing' and had I got anything to 'pass' their way. These are long established 'lone' consultants who are not charging high fees and have been slowly building there business over many years.
I would hate to 'paint' an unrealistic picture looking through my own 'rose coloured spectacles' and advise someone who is now gainfully employed to take a chance, currently.
What's the rush anyway, things will pick up, eventually, hopefully. I just wouldn't advise it right now - personally I'd stay where I am and try and see if you can obtain some part-time consultancy stuff first. Find out if you're good at it, can get the work, retain it, obtain 'retainers' and/or contracts and most importantly enjoy it - then maybe take the 'leap'......it worked for me....in a much better 'climate' but it doesn't for everybody.
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Rank: Forum user
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Victor Meldrew wrote:I certainly hope that my comment has not been perceived as 'doom and gloom'. It was based on realism and the current 'climate' and not my own position - personally speaking my 'order book' is full until the end of 2013 and thats great for me, but there is enough evidence around that would suggest this is not the 'norm'. Only this afternoon I've had two calls from consultants who have 'nothing doing' and had I got anything to 'pass' their way. These are long established 'lone' consultants who are not charging high fees and have been slowly building there business over many years.
I would hate to 'paint' an unrealistic picture looking through my own 'rose coloured spectacles' and advise someone who is now gainfully employed to take a chance, currently.
What's the rush anyway, things will pick up, eventually, hopefully. I just wouldn't advise it right now - personally I'd stay where I am and try and see if you can obtain some part-time consultancy stuff first. Find out if you're good at it, can get the work, retain it, obtain 'retainers' and/or contracts and most importantly enjoy it - then maybe take the 'leap'......it worked for me....in a much better 'climate' but it doesn't for everybody. Hi Victor, I was after people's opinion based on their experience and that's exactly what you provided- I cant ask for more than that. To be honest the polarity of responses is what I expected. My plan is to start small in my current spare time and build from that, which seems to match what yourself and others have done. Many thanks for your guidance.
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Rank: Guest
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