Tips for Transitioning to Consulting

"Want to move from PeopleSoft technical expert to trusted advisor? Here's the truth most won't tell you 👇 Your deep technical knowledge? That's just the price of entry. 🎫 Here's what actually drives consulting success in 2025: 𝟭. 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 > 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲 Forget writing flawless PeopleCode. Your value is spotting issues before they become problems—because you've seen it all before. 𝟮. 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 👑 Understanding why a client chose their approach matters more than knowing every technical option. Start with "What business problem are we solving?" before touching App Designer. 𝟯. 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 > 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 Trust me: Your ability to build stakeholder trust will impact success more than your PeopleTools expertise ever will. 𝟰. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 I've seen brilliant technical solutions fail because they weren't explained well. And decent solutions win because they were crystal clear. 𝟱. 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 > 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Clients aren't buying your time—they're buying outcomes. Start measuring and communicating business impact. 💡 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮: Technical Excellence + Business Acumen + Relationship Skills = Trusted Advisor Ready to level up? Try this tomorrow: 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀. What's your biggest challenge in making this transition? Let's solve it together in the comments 👇"

There’s a progression I’ve seen time and time again with senior leaders transitioning out of the military or government. After three years of walking alongside clients as they build their portfolios, a clear pattern has emerged. And I’ll tell you this—if you understand the steps ahead, you won’t be nearly as frustrated with how long this takes. Because it does take time. But it works. Step One: Accept an Adjunct Professor Role This is where many begin. You’re an expert—let that be known. Taking a teaching role is more than just a job; it’s a public signal that you’re stepping into a thought leadership role in the civilian world. Step Two: Say Yes to Speaking Engagements Panels, keynote talks, moderating events—these aren’t just about being seen. They’re about learning how the private sector talks, what matters to business leaders, and how to frame your experience in language that resonates. Step Three: Consulting Opportunities Once you’ve shown up publicly, companies start to notice. You’ll be approached for help on specific projects or asked to contribute your insights to proposals. You will also be able to identify ideal clients based on their challenges or concerns. This is your entry point into the business world. Step Four: You Become a Strategic Advisor Months—maybe a year or two—into doing all of the above, you’ll start seeing bigger opportunities. The companies you’ve consulted for now trust you. You understand their ecosystem. And suddenly, you’re no longer a guest—you’re at the table helping shape the company’s long-term strategy. Step Five: You’re In Demand You’ve put in the reps. You’ve attended events, had countless coffees and cocktails, contributed to your clients, and stayed consistent. Now you’re not just “available”—you’re requested. And that’s when doors to private company boards start to crack open. Someone you’ve built a relationship with knows of a seat opening and thinks you’d be a great fit. Here’s what I know: none of this happens overnight. And no, you (the majority) can’t skip steps. Yes, your 30+ years of experience matter—but they’re not a fast pass to the front of the line or a guaranteed seat on a public board. You still have to invest in yourself. You have to develop new skills, hone old ones, and show up—consistently and with value. If you do that, it will come. If you’re ready to take those steps and want a more intentional, efficient way to navigate this path, Leadership Reimagined was built for you. I created the road map, designed to guide leaders like you through each stage—so you can show up with clarity, build momentum, and step into this next chapter with a clear understanding of not what to do but HOW to do it. #servantleader #consulting #advisor United States Marine Corps US Navy US Army Air Force United States Space Force U.S. Coast Guard

Most career transition advice is garbage if you're mid-career and don't want to start over as a junior. I'm tired of seeing experienced professionals told to "take a step back" or "pay their dues again." That's not how smart transitions work when you've already built serious expertise. Here's what actually works: 1. Reverse mentoring - Find senior leaders in your target industry who need what you know. Tech adoption, generational insights, emerging markets - you're the expert they need. 2. Build thought leadership first - Start speaking at industry events, writing for trade publications, getting on conference panels. Establish credibility before you make the move. 3. Join advisory boards - Startup or growth company boards give you industry experience and senior-level connections without leaving your current role. 4. Skill arbitrage - What's common knowledge in your industry but rare gold in another? That's your unique value proposition right there. 5. Interim executive roles - Get intensive industry exposure and network building at the C-suite level, not the intern level. 6. Partnership development - Use your expertise to help companies expand into your sector. These often become bridge opportunities. 7. Innovation projects - Cross-functional initiatives expose you to new business models and industry applications. The goal isn't to abandon what you've built, it's to leverage it strategically. You're not starting over; you're expanding your empire. What unconventional transition strategies have you observed or implemented in your career development? Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://vist.ly/3y8qb #deepalivyas #eliterecruiter #recruiter #recruitment #jobsearch #corporate #careertransition #midcareer #executivetransition #careerstrategist

I fumbled my transition from business school to Boston Consulting Group (BCG). It wasn’t a failure per se, but I made some mistakes that slowed my career progress. Looking back, those early stumbles were some of the most valuable learning moments of my career. Here’s what I got wrong and what I’d do differently if I could do it all over again: ➡️ Mistake #1: I didn’t pro-actively invest in the right relationships In business school, I started to learn how important relationships were. But in practice, I forgot just how critical it is to have people who can offer guidance, advocate for you, and help expand your influence within a company. I didn’t make it a priority to seek out mentors or sponsors, and I didn’t make sufficient efforts to embrace the culture of the organization. As a result, I often felt a bit lost, unsure of how to navigate the unspoken rules that really mattered. ➡️ Mistake #2: I let my pride get the best of me Coming from a mission-driven leadership environment in the Navy, I struggled with some of the management styles I encountered. Instead of approaching those differences with curiosity, I let frustration get the better of me. What I missed was the opportunity to learn. That experience could have been a great chance to grow as an individual contributor, observe different styles, and figure out how to operate in a new context. ➡️ Mistake #3: Forgetting to be the manager of my own career I took a passive approach to the case assignments I was given, without a focus on building an area of expertise or getting multiple reps with specific partners who could learn more about my skills and interests and take a vested interest in my development. Eventually, it became clear that I wasn’t on the right path and that I needed to make a change. That change brought me to executive search, where I get to use more of my natural strengths and stay closer to the kind of work that energizes me. Since then, I’ve tried to do everything differently:  ➡️I prioritize relationships ➡️I stay focused on what I can control ➡️I take full ownership of my development and direction If there’s one thing I’d pass along to anyone early in their career, it’s this: Be intentional. Build the right relationships. Stay humble. And always be the one driving your own growth.

10 years ago, I had no idea how to start fractional consulting. If I were to start today, here's what I'd do: 1/ Don't overthink the admin 🖱️ Register for an LLC, get a basic bookkeeping invoicing tool, solid contract, and you're good. A quarter in, snag a free CRM. You don't need a website or newsletter at this stage. ⏩ Goal: Get to your first engagement as soon as possible 2/ Define your Highest & Best Use 🏋♀️ Consider all the things folks call you about, narrow down to the 3 business outcomes you are best at, put some metrics behind it and pivot your pitch and LinkedIn to focus here. ⏩ Goal: Do your best, don't do the rest 3/ Design your ideal schedule ⚖️ Consulting means you have many more options over how, when, and where you work. Think through an ideal week and ideal month, reverse out your work blocks you want. Full-time isn't the default. ⏩ Goal: Mindset shift from 9-to-5 to organizing work around your life 4/ Finalize your pricing 💰 Use a bill rate calculator to determine your hourly or retainer rate. Don't forget to layer the cost of PTO, benefits, and taxes IN your rate. Test if you prefer hourly engagements vs fractional residency vs project-based to see what works in this season for you. ⏩ Goal: Get that bread, on your terms 5/ Call the folks you want to be your clients 👯♀️ Almost always, your first clients are from your network. The barrier to start is just way lower. Who's values align with yours? Consider: - Previous employers who almost hired you - Former managers and leaders you would love to see win - Peers you worked alongside who you can talk in short-hand - Where there's a friendly leader with the exact business challenge you know how to solve ⏩ Goal: Run familiar water through new pipes Now, friends, there's one thing that so many folks miss... 6/ Align your skills to the business problem 🎯 I see so many consultant pitch their skills ("Hire me, I'm rad!") and it's up to the reader/client to fill in the blanks around how you'd fit in their world. Take the extra step to suggest where you can help the client achieve their goals. Do some research here. If you don't know, you can model their role + industry in ChatGPT and ask questions for likely scenarios. ⏩ Goal: Your expertise is a gift, make sure it's easy to see Use something like this pitch: "Hey __(friendly potential client)___, after __(X)__ years in corporate, I'm pivoting to fractional consulting and you are first on my mind. I remember ___(problem they need fixed)____ was something keeping you up at night. With ___(trend)___ ahead, I wanted to raise my hand to help. Recently, I achieved ___(exact problem you just solved with proof points)____. I think that experience could mitigate some risk for you next quarter. Do you have interest/budget for us to chat about a possible engagement to move the ball forward for you?" So, I'm curious - for those of you in it, what did I miss? What are the must-have tech tools for #Independent work right now?