I read this post earlier this week about how to tell if you are a consultant or want to become one:
http://freelanceswitch.com/start/become-a-freelance-consultant/
What’s interesting about freelancing or running a professional services business is that as you work more and learn more about your trade, you start to gain expertise in your field and people start asking you questions. For example, for my web design business, people often end up asking me about internet marketing and designing for conversion and usability.
It’s important to be aware of when you are starting to fall into a consulting role. Often consultants get higher pay for their work and can get more referrals and clients. A consultant can have greater impact on a business and can contribute to the business’s success.
Some things to be careful about – be careful about managing your time. Once you become a trusted source of information, people will want to keep asking for advice and other things. So if you do find yourself playing a consultant role, then perhaps it is time to officially call yourself a consultant and charge accordingly.
About Brian Liang