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The Pros and Cons of Going Solo

Administrator April 20th, 2007

PR people are “fortunate.” When unemployed, they always have the option to become consultants. My firm has been asked recently to refer more consultants to clients than in years past.

Depending on any restrictive covenants that may bind an executive after leaving a firm, the erstwhile PR entrepreneur can start a consulting business with a client or two already in the pocket.

Consulting, however, is not for everyone. Consultants fall into two groups — those who are seeking consulting assignments until they find a new, full-time job, and those who view it as their full-time profession.

Depending on a consultant’s specialty or industry, fees can range anywhere from $150-$200 per hour for more experienced executives.

Those with less than 15 years of experience are commanding hourly fees in the range of $50-$125, depending on their areas of expertise.

Since the freelance and consulting world is not for the faint of heart, let’s take a look at some of the pluses and minuses.

Obviously, the benefits and/or the deficits of becoming a consultant will vary in degree in relation to the economic state of PR and your own personal perception.

For instance, if you would only consider consulting between jobs as a stop-gap measure, then you may view a minus item as a plus or vice-versa.

The pluses of consulting 1) Choose your clients. Say good-bye to that client who thinks its service or product demands most of your waking hours and can’t understand why Leslie Stahl hasn’t called yet. This is a chance to move into industries that always intrigued you, but time didn’t permit it.

2) Eliminate the hierarchy. You are on your own, unfettered by internal PR firm politics.

3) Dare to be creative. Release that pent-up creative monster within.

4) Welcome praise, accept blame. These are the big leagues. A major screw-up could cost you a client. But a program, strategy or big idea that scores could win you a referral to another client. It’s all about performance.

5) Develop new relationships with editors, reporters, clients and professional groups.

6) Challenge yourself. Whether consulting is something you aimed for or is a last resort, it will test your entrepreneurial mettle.

7) Time management control. Whether it’s the decision to get on a plane and visit a client, or pick up your kid from school, your time is finally your time. No more spending nights, weekends and holidays working just because your boss thinks you should. How you spend your time is completely in your control. Be as inflexible or flexible with your hours as you want.

The minuses of consulting 1) “The buck stops here.” You might be wishing you’d majored in accounting in college! Uncle Sam and your consulting business have become instant partners. And the IRS can be pretty demanding. The key to running any business is staying financially sound. Prepare for the inevitability of losing three of your biggest five accounts in the same week. It happens.

2) Running the show. Often consultants find themselves unwilling or unable to gather the necessary support they need to complete big programs and run their businesses at the same time. There are mailings to do, events to plan and oversee and speeches to write. Without employee administrative and vendor support, running a profitable consulting business can actually absorb all those hours and days you’ve allocated for leisurely pursuits.

3) Me, myself and I . One of the most common complaints I hear from consultants is the lack of professional human interaction. People, and PR people especially, are social animals. Occasionally, the solitude of consulting can turn into loneliness and a yearning for someone else’s voice or opinion. Being your own best motivator can lead to a decline in creativity and productivity.

4) Dealing with distractions. Every day presents new opportunities for undisciplined consultants to become distracted by non work-related matters. The temptation to shut down the computer and pick up the car keys can sometimes be too great for some people on a beautiful day. If you are an in-between-jobs consultant, the job of running your business can take you away from the business of looking for a new full-time job.

5) Overservicing. There is a tendency to spend more time overservicing demanding or large clients. They can call you at home since that’s where you’re working from.

6) Accept rejection. A consultant must also learn to accept the rejections he/she will undoubtedly experience from clients or prospects who prefer larger, more established agencies.

Making the switch from being the client to being the outside consultant can sometimes become a daunting mental transition.

As with any business, PR consulting involves risk. The rest is all up to you and your perception of yourself and your PR abilities.

About the Author
Spring Associates, Inc. is arguably the most imitated search firm in public relations. Dennis Spring created his firm in 1980. In addition to executive search services, the company also handles communications audits, mergers and acquisitions, client/agency reviews and PR agency selection searches. http://www.springassociates.com/PRSalary2/PRSalary2.html

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Changing Careers? Avoid These 5 Classic Mistakes

Administrator April 12th, 2007

Most of the experts say that the average person can expect to change careers (not just jobs) 3 to 5 times in their working life. The reasons? Many people are burnt-out, underpaid, stressed out, bored, unsatisfied, or at a career dead end. For some, their careers have changed on them –thanks to corporate mergers, changes in technology, company restructuring, age discrimination, and a thousand other reasons.

After counseling thousands of people in finding new careers and jobs, we have found that there are 5 classic mistakes most career and job changers make:

MISTAKE 1: NO CLEAR GOAL. Not having a clear goal is like trying to run a race when you do not know where the finish line is. Many career changers have only a partial goal. They KNOW that they want a job with less stress, or more money, or more of a future, or more independence, or more satisfaction. A career goal, however, should be comprehensive, specific, clear, and realistic. It should include not only the practicalities of your situation, but also who you are, the realities of the job market, and the potential pitfalls.

MISTAKE 2: NO CLEAR PICTURE OF YOUR STRENGTHS. Most career changers (and job seekers) spend more time worrying about their weaknesses than their strengths. Most people don’t even know what their strengths are. But it is your strengths–not your weaknesses–that determine your career success. Get a professional assessment. This should also include your personal characteristics, motivation, aptitudes, goals, values, interests, and talents. A career and job decision is too important not to have this picture.

MISTAKE 3: NO CAREFUL PLANNING. Sure, most people think about it for a long time, but thinking is not the same thing as detailed planning. Most people plan a night out with friends more carefully than they plan their careers. Planning would mean researching the new career, talking to people who are in the new career, getting some hands-on experience, reading (books, trade journals, industry newsletters), developing strategies for any possible negatives or problems, consulting with a mentor, knowing what education or training you would need, and other actions.

MISTAKE 4: NO MOTIVATION. As a psychologist who has worked with underachievers of all ages, I can tell you that many have good intentions but fail to take action. This is, of course, a normal human trait. There are times when all of us procrastinate, give ourselves excuses, and do not do the things that will lead us to our goals. If you are changing careers, however, you had better be motivated. Only consistent, daily, well-considered action will get you where you want to go.

MISTAKE 5: NO INDIVIDUALIZED JOB SEARCH STRATEGY. If you are changing careers, you need something more than the usual job search tactics. You need a strategy that fits who you are as a unique individual and the fact that you are changing careers. For example, if you tell a job interviewer (or anyone else) that you are “changing careers,” it is the kiss of death. You see, if you are changing careers, then you are starting over–from square one–and are competing with kids just out of school. Instead, you should say, “I am taking the next step in my career” (which, actually, is closer to the truth for most career changers). Another example: Make sure your résumé is rewritten so that it doesn’t “lock you in” to the old career. Go light on the jargon. Emphasize skills in the old career that would be a real advantage (not just “transferable skills”) in the new career.

If you avoid these classic mistakes, you are well on your way to making a successful job and career change.

About the Author
Sander Marcus, Ph.D., is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Certified Professional Resume Writer in Chicago. He has over 3 decades of experience in providing career counseling, aptitude testing, job search coaching, and resume writing. He is the co-author of 2 books on academic underachievement, various tests, and numerous articles. He can be contacted at marcus@iit.edu, 312-567-3358. http://www.center.iit.edu/careermotiv8.htm.

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