Hi ladies, going to an opportunities event in January! Very keen to be a sw consultant. Anyone any tips/advice?
If you decide to give it a go think really hard about when you are going to do things, you will be told exactly what SW expect if you and it will sound achievable but consider how to fit it into your life, for example:
1) You've just spent the last 3 weekends doing a promotional campaign which you planned for, you're looking forward to a weekend off but your TD expects you to do some extra promoting the following weekend as your group numbers aren't as high as they'd like.
2) It's group night, you've been at work all day, rush home to pick the kids up from an after school club, one of your children is really upset and needs to talk but you can't give them time as you have to load up the car straight away and get out for your group and members.
3) It's support call day, you've put time aside to make those all important support calls, half of the people you ring aren't in, some want you to ring back another time. So your support rolls into extra days when you had other things planned.
4) It's your day off, no SW work for you today but then your zoom arrives and you get a stock delivery, there's a new campaign you need to promote a new product, initiative, competition etc suddenly you're making display boards as you have to get them done in time for group next week.
They say its 10-12 hours a week but if you genuinely support all your members in the way expected, new member calls, support calls to those struggling, calls to those who ask you to ring, admin in the laptop to record all if your support and notes, upload to HO etc it can be a lot more.
Those are just some things to get you thinking. It didn't work out for me but I'm glad I gave it a go. It was just too hard for me to fit it in with family life and another part time job.
Lots of people have a rewarding and successful career as a consultant so good luck but it's not for everyone.