Henry ("Dr. Hank") Stevens ⋅ Fort Lauderdale, FL Human Resources Quality Assurance, LLC (Now Retired) ⋅ 50 years experience

My first of 2 thoughts is: Hello Dr. Williams! First of all, thank you for your service!

What a wonderful question and opportunity you have - to step back from your comfort zone and explore a different path! It takes courage - really! Now it is time to re-ask yourself, "What do I WANT to do with the rest of my life?"

As a vocational counselor and human resources professional (for many years), I find that most every applicant and employer wants to focus on experience and education. That is too bad because whether looking to fill a position or seeking other employment, the real question is, from the employers' perspective, "What are the TAlENTS necessary to do this job?"; and from the applicants' perspective, "What are my TALENTS and how do they fit in with the demands of the job?"

If you are nodding your head so far, then consider this: having a "good education" means that you CAN learn. Having an appropriate exposure to past like-experiences means . . . . well . . . . not much. But, if you have the talent (which cannot be taught) then you have the necessary building blocks that neither education nor experience can provide.

One simple example: If you were to be hiring for a receptionist position, do you want someone who is an introvert or an extrovert? Would you want someone who is shy or outgoing? I think the answer apparent . . . . as extroversion and an outgoing nature cannot be taught in the classroom or from experience. You either have it or you don't.

All of which baits the question, JUST WHAT ARE YOUR TALENTS?

Almost the first thing I do, when taking on a new client, is have them take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). That provides an initial assessment of someones' inherent talents. At the bottom of this note, I have provided you with a link to a FREE assessment tool. It helps you come to grips with defining YOUR talents and provides some good ideas about the career direction someone with your combination of talents should look into.

If you want my thinking about the results of this assessment (also FREE to Vets!), please provide me with the letter and number associated with each of them. It should look something like I- 20, N - 45, T - 28, & J - 10. Feel free to contact me off this channel at hlstevens42@GMAIL.com

TALENT trumps education and experience every time!

Here the link: http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/jtypesresult.aspx

My second thought is:

Your written communications, especially to a prospective employer is critical as it can provide the employer with a cause to reject you. For example, look at your headliner; i.e., "What advise would you have for a change in profession from education (teaching) to consulting or contracting?" I believe you really meant to say, "advice" and not "advise." Correct? If that phrase were in a communication from you to me (as a prospective employer), I would have a hard time putting you in the "right stack."

Dr. Hank

Kathy Durfee ⋅ Bradenton, FL TechHouse: Integrated Information System Solutions, inc. ⋅ 26 years experience

Hi Aprile,

I own a small business technology company; however, I started out my career in one of the larger consulting companies.

Networking is key to getting a job at a big consulting company. If you know someone who works there, they can get your foot in the door to speak with someone. They can also let you know what type of talent the firm is looking for. They are selling experience to their customers, so they effectively hire the talent that their customers are purchasing.

That said, the larger firms also work with a large volume of subcontractors. There is a whole portion of the industry that is called “staffing” that is really consulting companies subcontracting their labor to staffing companies. That may be another route as the staffing labor typically requires less experience and/or certifications. The work tends to be “Gig” or job-based, but it could build specific experience and networking to help get to the next level.

I started this consulting business over 25 years ago and have found this career meaningful and satisfying. It is an opportunity to constantly learn and to help others. We recently added online training to our offerings and are finding our customers increasingly interested. You have chosen a growth industry.

Private message if you'd like to chat further.

Sincerely,
Kathy

Jerry Welsh ⋅ Middleville, MI Master Military Transition Advisor/HPS GPO ⋅ 30 years experience

Aprile,
I would Google Informational Interviewing to set up what you are comfortable with and the format that would fit your style. The key factors are 1) be sure to mention you are a military spouse seeking assistance or help in learning more about consulting career 2) when you reach the point to set up an interview phone or in person be sure to request no more than 30 minutes. Time is a huge resource, especially people who may live on the road or operate on billable hours.
It would be key to do some research into the career and see if there are any professional associations or local groups you could possibly network with. It is is easy to set up a Google news search, for consulting or even educational consulting in your settings for Google news. That way you receive up to date articles on the career field, specifically newer trends.
Military spouses are in the spot light right now when it comes to their employment situations, specifically employment or underemployed. So you have both veteran status and spousal status! I know Kelly OCG is a very large manpower solution company to the educational market and they probably need consultants. Or you might be able to find someone willing to do an Informational Interview.
You have the education and credentials to provide accurate assistance in many areas, I think the key would be to gain a better understanding of the consulting world and what it takes to make the proposals and how does on go about entering that market. Thank you for your service and support in the multiple roles you are in. Our service members today are very much the professionals required in our rapidly changing marketplace. God Bless.

James Watters ⋅ Norman, OK Business Consultant, retired ⋅ 17 years experience

Dr. Williams here is an article you may want.

From MD Magazine-

Consulting- What Does it Take?
January 21, 2019
Heidi Moawad, MD

Physicians can often take on short-term consulting projects. Businesses such as pharmaceutical companies, device manufacturers, investment firms, health insurance companies, and legal service providers work with physicians to obtain medical insight as they are developing strategies for their various projects.

Attorneys often need the input of physicians when it comes to figuring out the facts behind complex medical cases. And developers of new medical products need input regarding the fine details of how to make their product appealing for physicians.

These companies may not need — or be able to afford — a full time physician, and instead, seek the short-term services of physician consultants for highly specialized projects. In general, a company that needs physician input would refer to themselves as the client or company, while they would refer to the physician as the consultant or contractor. Consulting- What Does it Take?

When you are considering applying or accepting a consulting project, there are a few things to consider making sure the job is the right fit for you.
Network

Physicians can find consulting options by networking and can even improve potential consulting options by sharing evaluations of client quality. This can be a challenge, as some doctors are understandably hesitant to share leads for fear of competition from other doctors. Yet overall, open dialogue can raise client standards when physicians look for a high level of professionalism in the companies they work with.

Department camaraderie, physician social media networks, professional meetings, and specialty associations are all great resources for finding opportunities and for evaluating the caliber of clients who request consulting services from physicians.
Ask the purpose or title of the project

Your input will be more valuable to your client if you understand the big picture, so ask about the objectives of the project to learn as much as you can in advance.
In some situations, however, the company might not want to share the big picture or overarching purpose of the project with you.

If they are dealing with proprietary information, or if they want your insight to be as unbiased as possible, they may provide you with limited information to assure that their objectives are met. This is fine as long as you don’t have any concerns about your client’s honesty.
Settle the payment

It can be hard to estimate the time commitment when you are working on a new type of project, especially if you have not worked with the client before. For example, if you are reviewing a legal case, it can take anywhere between a few hours to tens of hours. Consider this variability when you are negotiating payment, and decide whether a project fee, an hourly rate, or a hybrid system works best.

As with any business negotiation, supply and demand is the key to the reimbursement. If there are many doctors who would willingly take your place, you don’t have much room for negotiation. Yet, if you are highly specialized or experienced and tough to replace, the client might not want to lose you as a consultant. You are the only one who knows how much you want to take the project and you can gauge the degree to which the client wants you — so base your negotiation and compromises on that balance.
Ask for sample reports

When you are asked to provide a report, ask if you can see a model report for the format, they want you to follow. Ideally, if you review a sample or two ahead of time you can frame your own response based on the elements that your client considers important. This makes your report more valuable to your client and can save you time.
Select your words carefully

Don’t say anything that you wouldn’t want published. In some instances, your comments will be used as evidence to support a legal case, or may be used to provide guidance as a team defines the value of a pharmaceutical product. Be very careful about your words, both written and spoken. You might be quoted over and over again, and sometimes your words may be misinterpreted.

For example, if you say that a disease complication “Isn’t a major concern”, this can be interpreted as “This doctor says that the complication isn’t dangerous,” when you really meant that it is not common. Even if you are promised that you won’t be quoted by name, be aware that those who are taking your report or interview into account are not as familiar with the therapeutic area as you are, and can misunderstand your intended meaning.
Stay honest

As you are preparing your report or participating in an interview as an expert advisor, be careful not to exaggerate to please your client. If you are paid generously or taking on a project with a highly respected company, you might be very invested in pleasing your client. Yet, exaggerating the benefits of their product, or giving a false idea of the strength of their case can make you seem less trustworthy and actually decreases your value as a true expert.
Watch for red flags

As more and more doctors are looking to diversify income streams and widen professional experience, there is a risk of running into some less than stellar opportunities. Physicians have encountered situations in which clients are not what they initially seemed.

Some companies may be disorganized, some might ask a physician expert to support an incorrect conclusion or might just simply not be ready to work through the complexities of the product or case.

Conflicts of interest may also come up. For example, you may be asked to endorse a medication for indications that aren’t warranted. If you face a conflict of interest that you had not anticipated, you may be able to convince your client to do the right thing. If that isn’t possible—your reputation and conscience could be at stake. You may have to step aside from some or all of the consulting duties, and possibly negotiate a compromise on the payment if the time you spent on the project is far less than agreed upon.

Ask how to describe the project on your CV
You may be taking on a consulting project for other reasons besides extra cash. If you are advising a pharmaceutical company on how to position their product in order to gain that type of professional experience, you may want to include this on your CV.

Ask if and how your client would want this project listed. They may have certain legal restrictions against sharing information about products that are in development, and you may need to describe your experience using non-specific, yet descriptive, terminology.

Consulting projects can be opportunities to build wide experience in the medical field. While you can expect to be compensated well, these projects can also be interesting and often give physicians an influential voice in healthcare.