There are so many different ways to work today: traditional full-time roles, part-time roles, job-shares, gig economy, consulting … the list goes on. At Ceres Talent we specialize in helping companies find both exceptional full-time marketers and marketing consultants. We recently talked to a few members of our talent pool who have chosen to be consultants – either now or in the past – to find out what makes that choice attractive.

Flexibility. It probably won’t surprise you that the number one reason people like consulting is flexibility. Consultants don’t just love flexibility because it helps with work-life balance, they also love the flexibility of working in different industries and trying new things. As a full-time employee, frequent job changes are often viewed with skepticism by the hiring manager – the dreaded “short stint.” As a consultant, that kind of diversity of experience is seen as a benefit. Sarita, a long-time Ceres Talent consultant who was hired as a director by our client, credits consulting with allowing her to stay in the field she loves, while still gaining new skills.

Avoiding politics. For some of our consultants, the ability to stay out of office politics is another benefit of their choice. You’re able to do good work, and at the same time avoid being pulled into worrying about distractions like who was recently promoted – or when you’ll be promoted. One of our partners likes to call it “healthy distance.”

A foot in the door. Consulting can give you an entree into a company that you may not have had otherwise. Many of our consultants have been hired by our clients, after proving themselves to be indispensable. It’s often said that hiring a consultant is a good way for a company to “try before you buy.” This benefit is just as valuable to the consultant. You get to take the company for a test drive, making sure you like the culture, the leadership and your peers before you commit to a full-time position.

Who makes a good marketing consultant? Keyvan, a former long-term Ceres Talent consultant, says that consultants need to be good at communication and willing to give advice, even if the advice isn’t taken. Rebecca, a serial Ceres consultant, stresses the need to be outgoing and willing to network.

Not an “or” proposition. Choosing to consult is not an “or” proposition; it’s an “and” option. Many of our consultants move seamlessly between full-time positions and consulting engagements, for a variety of reasons. For some, taking on a short-term consulting gig is the perfect solution for being in-between business cards, and the role could eventually result in a full-time offer. For others, the decision is a function of what’s happening in their lives. Perhaps it’s time to fly under the office politics radar and find some “healthy distance” for a while.

Whatever your marketing staffing needs, we’re here to help. Contact us to find the perfect employee or consultant.

If you’re looking for work, check out our job board.  We are really proud that each of the consultants we interviewed for this piece stressed that our team genuinely cared about them as people. Ping us to learn more about becoming one of our marketing consultants.

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4 Comments

  1. Heather Lawrence October 15, 2019 at 2:16 pm - Reply

    Great article. Makes a compelling case for consulting.

    • Sue Keith December 4, 2019 at 3:45 pm - Reply

      Thanks Heather. While every type of job has its pros and cons, consulting definitely has a lot of upside.

  2. Karen Gardiner November 6, 2019 at 9:57 pm - Reply

    Consulting and job seeking at the same time gives you the opportunity to hold out for exactly the right position.

    • Sue Keith December 4, 2019 at 3:45 pm - Reply

      Exactly Karen!

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