Consulting can be one of the most rewarding, yet challenging ways to go, says Elaine Biech, author of The Business of Consulting: The Basics and Beyond (Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer). The rewards include "waking up every day knowing you are going to do what you have chosen to do that day." You're making a difference, doing what you're best at and being genuinely appreciated. Not to mention no rush hour traffic and taking the day off without asking permission.

On the other hand, you will not be getting away from some of the most annoying aspects of work. Such as politics. Get ready to be involved in the politics of not one but ten or seventeen or thirty-three organizations, depending on the number of clients you have, says Ms. Biech. You'll have many bosses, not just one, and you need to be acutely aware of their needs and shortfalls, making some difficult decisions at times to ensure you stay on the job.

You'll probably have more paperwork--with no one to delegate it to. This includes tracking hours you work so you know what to charge clients, then billing so you don't have cash-flow problems, filing quarterly taxes and tracking invoices and expenses. And just because you've been an expert in your job doesn't mean people outside your company will shower you with the same respect. "You are about to face a never-ending task of proving yourself," says Ms. Biech.

If you're thinking it's worth it--considering all the money you'll make--take a realistic look at that too. Let's say you get a daily consulting fee of $1,000. You will most likely put in a twelve-hour day. You won't be billing 365 days a year (delete down time, holidays and vacation that you'll be paying for.) Figure in time for preparation, marketing, administrative duties, professional development (you'll pay for that too) and research. And don't forget the roughly 33 percent you'll pay in various taxes as well as benefits and other business expenses.

Consultants can make a six-figure income, says Ms. Biech. But some have trouble making any income. The potential is there. It depends on how hard you want to work.

Do you have what it takes? See how you fare by answering some of the questions Ms. Biech poses. Each time you're unable or unwilling to say yes to a statement, you show how closely you match (or don't match) this profession. These statements describe the reality of what it takes.

• I am willing to work sixty to eighty hours a week to achieve success.

• I love risk; I thrive on risk.

• I have thick skin; being called a pest or con man does not bother me.

• I am good at understanding the big picture.

• I pay attention to details.

• I am a good writer.

• I can balance logic with intuition and the big picture with details.

• I can say "no" easily.

• I am compulsively self-disciplined.

Becoming a successful consultant takes specific skills, characteristics and personal stamina. A week in the life of a consultant can be jammed with travel, working weekends and evenings, writing proposals, phone and face-to-face meetings, while staying on top of your profession through reading and seminars and continually justifying your existence to clients. These are things a computer and printer can't do for you. As Ms. Biech sums it up, "The most important reason to become a consultant is because you want to."

© by Andrea Kay