From Corporate Salary to Your First Paid Consulting Invoice

By Sarah Hamilton-Gill FCIPD | Founder & MD of Globus HR Consulting Ltd

So, you’ve taken the leap into HR consulting. You have years of experience, you know you can do the work, and you are looking forward to having more control over your future. Now comes the small matter of finding someone who will pay you!

This is often where the doubt creeps in. You could advise a board or manage a complex restructure, yet suddenly sending a message about your own services feels uncomfortable. Sound familiar?

I hear this from experienced HR professionals all the time. You haven’t lost your expertise by leaving employment. You are learning how to turn it into a business, and that takes practice.

You already have more sales skills than you think. 

Think about your corporate role. How often did you listen to a manager’s concerns, suggest a solution and persuade them to take action? Those skills come with you. The difference now is that you also need to agree the fee and ask for the work.

In my book, Leap into HR Consulting®, I explore how confidence, clarity, credibility, collaboration and courage support this transition. Finding clients draws on all five. You need to know what you offer, explain why it matters and have the courage to start the conversation.

Here are 15 ways to get moving.

Please don’t turn them into 15 new things you must do by Friday. Choose the ones that suit you and give them a proper chance.

1 Start with people who know your work

Who have you worked with who would happily recommend you? Former colleagues, managers and professional contacts are a good place to begin. Tell them what you are doing and ask what is happening in their world. A personal conversation gives you far more to work with than hoping everyone notices your new LinkedIn headline.

2 Make it easy for people to introduce you

“Do you know anyone who needs HR?” is a big question. Help people recognise your ideal client. You might be looking for owners of growing businesses whose first-time managers need support. Be specific about who you help and why, then offer a short introduction they can pass on, with permission.

3 Give clients a manageable starting point

You may be keen to secure a retainer, but your potential client may want to get to know you first. Could you offer a paid onboarding review or a focused piece of advice with an action plan? Explain what is included, what they receive and what it costs. Make the first decision straightforward.

4 Explain the project in their language

An SME owner has a business to run and people headaches they would love to resolve. They shouldn’t need an HR qualification to understand your offer. “Helping your new managers handle difficult conversations” gives them something to picture. Be clear about the outcome, timescale and what you need from them.

5 Consider associate work

This is how I started in 1994. Other consultancies may have clients and need someone with your expertise to help deliver the work. Introduce yourself to those where there is a good fit. Agree the rate, payment arrangements and who owns the client relationship before you begin. Collaboration deserves proper commercial conversations too.

6 Revisit the corporate world as a consultant

An in-house HR team may already have the expertise but lack the time to complete a project. Your understanding of those pressures can help you offer useful support. Ask where they need additional capacity. Just remember that procurement and supplier approvals can take time, so factor that into your plans for income.

7 Get to know complementary advisers

Accountants, business coaches and other specialists often work with the same business owners you want to reach. Find out what their clients ask for and where your expertise could help. Think about what you can offer in return. One enthusiastic coffee is a lovely start, but you will need to keep in touch!

8 Find the groups where your clients spend time

If your ideal clients are business owners, make sure you are meeting business owners. Try local groups and business breakfasts before committing. In my early days, I worked from an incubator hub for new businesses. It was good fun and got me out of the house. Find a group that suits you, turn up consistently and follow up on your conversations.

9 Use LinkedIn with a purpose

Have a look at your profile through a potential client’s eyes. Can they see who you help and what you can do for them? Join relevant discussions and connect with people you want to know. If your activity ends at posting and scrolling, ask yourself how you could turn an appropriate connection into a conversation.

10 Look for a relevant reason to get in touch

A new site, recruitment campaign or growing team may create a need for your support. Do some research and ask a useful question. Avoid sending a long list of everything you have ever done. A short message about something happening in their business is much easier to respond to. Respect their answer, including a no.

11 Share your expertise with an existing audience

You don’t have to build a webinar audience from scratch. A business group or partner may welcome a short session on a problem their members face. Start small if presenting feels daunting. I remember when a room of eight delegates was enough for me! Give people a useful session and a clear way to discuss paid support afterwards.

12 Package a workshop around a real need

What do managers regularly struggle with that you could help them practise? Giving feedback, delegating or managing absence may provide a focused starting point. Explain who the workshop is for and what they will learn. Include preparation in your fee, or that short workshop could become a very long week.

13 Create something useful and keep it simple

A short checklist can help a business owner spot something they need to address. Choose one problem and include a next step for anyone who wants help. You don’t need to write the definitive guide to HR before you can start a conversation. Test it with a few people and learn from their questions.

14 Remember the experience you already have

You may be a new business owner, but you have solved plenty of problems. Use relevant examples to explain what you contributed and what changed as a result. Keep confidential information protected and seek permission for recommendations. Your former employer isn’t a consulting client, so be clear about the context. There is value in your experience without dressing it up.

15 Go back to conversations that went quiet

Someone said they were interested and then disappeared. It happens. Before you decide they have lost interest, ask whether the need is still there. Priorities change, budgets need approval and people get busy. A short, relevant follow-up can help you understand what to do next. You don’t have to guess.

A promise of work will not pay the bills

When I speak to people preparing to leave employment, they often tell me about work promised by former employers or friends. It is encouraging, but please keep looking for other opportunities until you have a clear agreement.

You will already have considered your personal finances. Allow for the business costs and the time between agreeing work and receiving payment too. Confirm scope, fees and payment dates before you start. Interim or associate work may give you breathing space while your own client base develops.

What will you put into practice this week

Choose three routes: one involving people who trust you, one involving collaboration and one putting a clear paid offer in front of a potential client. Put time in your diary and protect it. Otherwise, there will always be another job that feels easier to do first.

Keep track of conversations and agree the next step. If proposals are going quiet, ask for feedback. If you are getting visibility but few enquiries, look at who you are reaching and what you invite them to do. Use what you learn to make your next approach better.

I remember over-preparing for an early solo workshop, right down to what I would write on the flipchart. Confidence didn’t arrive all at once. It grew as I gained experience. Give yourself that same opportunity, and remember to notice what you have achieved along the way.

If you would like support, our HR Consulting Bootcamp helps you prepare and launch, and The HR Consultancy Academy® supports you as you build and grow. Find out more at leapintoconsulting.com.

Who could you reconnect with this week?

Decide what would make the conversation useful for them, then send the message.

I look forward to hearing how you get on!