Why Consulting Feels Like the Smart Move

During the 2020 pandemic, I found myself unexpectedly back on the job market — and I was what people politely call a “mature job seeker.” I had years of experience, deep expertise in my field, and a strong professional track record.

And almost immediately, I started hearing the same advice again and again:

“You should get into consulting.”

Not once.
Not twice.
Over and over.

At the time, it sounded logical. If you’ve spent years building specialized expertise and suddenly you’re out of work, consulting seems like a natural next step — maybe even a smart one. I actually took the advice seriously. I spent time developing a consulting effort and even helped a company during that period.

But I learned something that I wish someone had told me early on…

Consulting Is Tempting — Especially When You’re Under Pressure

When you’re laid off or let go, the impact isn’t just financial.

It hits you mentally.
It hits you emotionally.
And it can hit your identity.

Most of us tie a lot of our sense of worth to being productive, useful, and needed. When that gets disrupted, the brain starts scrambling to restore stability. Consulting can feel like the perfect solution:

✅ You get to use your skills
✅ You stay in “work mode”
✅ You feel valuable again
✅ You create a sense of momentum

And if you have deep industry experience, it makes total sense why your network would encourage it.

But here’s the truth…

The Consulting Trap Most Job Seekers Fall Into

I can’t tell you how many job seekers I’ve seen do this:

They start job searching…
…and at the same time, they try to launch a consulting business.

They “split their efforts.”

They build a website.
They start crafting an offer.
They create a LinkedIn page.
They spend hours thinking about pricing.
They work on messaging.
They take calls.
They chase leads.

And before they know it…

They’re doing two full-time jobs with zero stability and no guaranteed return.

Here’s the Hard Reality: Consulting Is a Business, Not a Side Hustle

Let’s be real:

If you’re unemployed and burning cash, starting a consulting practice during your job search can make things worse.

Because consulting isn’t just “getting paid for what you know.”

It’s:

• lead generation

• sales conversations

• contracts and pricing

• scope management

• client delivery

• financial management

• credibility-building

• marketing consistency

In other words… it’s starting a business.

And building a business takes focused attention — the same focused attention you need to find your next job.

Why Splitting Your Attention Slows Down Your Job Search

When you’re job searching, speed and momentum matter. You need consistency. You need volume. You need strategy.

A real job search is:

• disciplined

• systematic

• creative

• adaptive

• relationship-driven

• and time-intensive

If you’re serious about landing a strong role, you should be investing 30–40 hours per week into the search, not 10 hours into job searching and 20 hours into consulting “experiments.”

Because every hour you spend trying to become a consultant is an hour you’re not:

• networking intentionally

• applying strategically

• following up

• building a stronger resume

• preparing for interviews

• improving your positioning

• expanding your target list

• refining your outreach messaging

• running a structured pipeline

A Better Strategy (That Actually Works)

If consulting is something you truly want to pursue, that’s great.

But here’s the better approach:

✅ Focus on getting the job first
✅ Restore financial stability
✅ Reduce stress and urgency
✅ Then build consulting on nights/weekends
✅ Gradually grow it with less pressure
✅ Create a real plan while employed

Because consulting is much easier to build when you’re not trying to survive.

Final Thought

The idea of consulting during unemployment often comes from a good place — your network wants to help, and you want to feel productive.

But productivity isn’t the goal.

Progress is.

And if your immediate goal is employment, then the fastest path forward is focus — not splitting your energy across two high-effort, high-pressure paths at once.

Closing Statement 

At Job Seeker Pro, we see this decision point all the time — and we understand why consulting is tempting when you're in transition. But your job search deserves your full attention and your best energy. If your goal is to land a strong role quickly, the smartest move is to stay disciplined, stay systematic, and avoid distractions that pull you off course. Build the consulting dream later — from a place of security, not stress.

— Brian, Job Seeker Pro