Consulting during the search

As you may remember, a key part of my work with clients is helping them find the right next role on their terms.

Often times that means…

At an organization that prioritizes kindness and respects boundaries.

In a new industry.

At the right level.

Full transparency–sometimes these opportunities take awhile to find.

It takes thoughtful, persistent working of your search.

It takes turning down the roles that are “good on paper” but don’t meet your non-negotiables.

A higher title is not going to make a toxic culture easier to tolerate.

And if you truly can’t meet your financial responsibilities with the salary offered–passion is not going to pay the bills.

So–one very viable and popular temporary solution my clients choose is to take on project or consulting work while they are pursuing the right next role.

It’s both a way to experiment with new skills and leverage your deep expertise in an area that’s in-demand for the companies and colleagues in your network.

It’s also a way for you to choose the type of partners with whom you want to collaborate.

And my favorite part of this approach is that it’s a way to test out a company culture before you commit to a more full time opportunity.

With many of my clients who choose this path–they make themselves invaluable and then are asked to join the company full time. They say yes only when the opportunity aligns with their terms.

One of my recent clients consulted for nearly a year before committing to a full time role.

She needed the time to refuel after her last role, truly reflect on what she wanted next and ONLY say yes when the role met her criteria.

Yet she was earning the entire time she was job searching so she was able to be more selective and avoid desperation (not the best fuel for effective decision making!).

Job searches unfold at different speeds and I encourage you to get creative, give yourself some grace and stick to your path, your true north, your terms.

Sending you love and strength on your way to what’s next.

And here’s my annual reminder–November and December are POWERFUL times for networking.

Every single year I have clients who accept their new roles in the last six…even two weeks of the year. So don’t take yourself out of the game. Keep going. This year it could be you!