Posted By Descarte How to become a consultant? You can join an established practice - there are lots of big players and niche consultancies keen to recruit good people. To look for a job go to the job hunting sites, SHP etc. You could set up your own practice - a tough route if you don't have the experience or the contacts. You can become a portfolio worker where you work for a variety of companies concurrently. It means you have several income streams, and client organisations still get access to expertise that perhaps they don't need, perhaps can't afford to employ on a full time basis or beyond a specific event. You can become a freelance or contract consultant. This has been a very popular route especially for IT professionals. Essentially you work for, usually, one client or project at a time for the contract duration although you must be very careful of the HRMRC/tax implications of IR35. Freelancers often work as associates of other organisations. You may be self employed but 'wear the hat' so to speak of the organisation you might represent. Trainers and management consultants often register for work with several organisations as part of an informal network or bank of 'approved' providers. You can register as a consultant on the National Register It's certainly one way of getting in on the act of the substantial funds they administer. To become a successful consultant 3 things are really important 1. You do need to be really good at something i.e. have real expertise in an industry or a business discipline and have good interpersonal skills or you won't get any initial clients, repeat business or referrals. You need to be able to apply that expertise and knowledge in a setting other than your old company. Additionally, you must be able to think in a structured and objective manner, be good at problem solving, have the ability to write proposals that clients will be prepared to read and act upon, and be able to manage your team and your project. Whether you apply for a position in a consulting practice, or set up on your own, you must think about where you already fit or where you'd like to go if someone is willing to train you. Are you Big Four material? Would you fit in the financial consultancy sector? IT? Outsourcing? Engineering? Marketing? HR? Do you have any kind of unique skill, experience or a suitable qualification? 2. You have to be exceptionally good at selling and marketing - selling yourself, selling your ideas, selling your pricing, selling your methodologies. You may be good at what you do but how are you going to get the work? Selling in this context is hard for newcomers especially if you have either no experience or you have only sold to a captive internal audience in your previous role. You have to have the courage to ask for the order, learn how to close and be comfortable networking and looking for business. If you have no idea what we're talking about, get yourself on a course or work for a firm that will provide the right training because you won't survive otherwise. 3. You have to be good at building relationships with clients and understand your accountability to them or you won't get any business the first time or any time after that. Ref: http://www.newlifenetwork.co.uk for more info