Why consulting? Top six reasons IT professionals make the switch

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From time to time, we interview a 451 Alliance member who’s chosen to leave their job and set up their own shop as a consultant. What motivates IT professionals to become self-employed consultants? To leave jobs in organizations and be their own boss? The reasons vary, but here are some common factors:

1. A desire for a flexible schedule – IT jobs can be extremely demanding timewise, and at any stage in life, sometimes even working remotely might not offer enough scheduling freedom. Being your own boss means you set the hours, you choose the meeting times, and you arrange the travel to suit your own calendar.
2. Organizational friction – Sometimes a work situation seems so bad that leaving appears to be the best, perhaps only, option. And when that need for departure triggers a wish not to be managed or bossed by others, maybe being an individual consultant is the answer.
3. Need for novelty – While most of us have times when we’ve been bored with our day-to-day responsibilities, sometimes a regular IT job can’t provide the constant challenge of something new on a regular basis. Solo consulting gigs can satisfy that need, allowing fast forward movement as an individual problem-solver.
4. Money – Finances are an important part of any discussion about a job. Some IT professionals believe they can make more money with consulting, since working alone means low overhead, plus there’s an expectation of higher compensation rates for consultants.
5. Sharing wisdom – At some point in a career, there’s an inevitable feeling of mastery of the subject area. Working as a solo consultant can provide a way to demonstrate and capitalize on the accumulated expertise that is so often built up in an IT professional’s working experience.
6. Retirement – Building on some of the previous reasons, solo consultancy can be seen as a segue to retirement. Working as a self-employed consultant can provide an opportunity to share wisdom, find a more flexible and more accommodating schedule while keeping or perhaps increasing income.

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