For many experienced HR professionals, the idea of working for yourself brings a mix of excitement and quiet hesitation. On the surface, consultancy promises autonomy, flexibility, and the chance to build something that reflects your values. But underneath that, there are often very real questions that do not always get spoken about openly.
This second article in our February series explores the self-employment concerns for HR professionals that tend to sit beneath the usual online advice. Not the loud fears, but the practical and emotional ones that influence whether people take the next step.
A common self-employment concern for HR professionals: missing belonging
One of the least discussed concerns is not financial at all. It is the fear of losing a sense of belonging.
Senior HR professionals are used to being part of leadership teams, influencing decisions, and having trusted peers around them. Stepping away from that environment can raise questions about relevance, identity, and connection.
What often helps is recognising that you are not missing employment itself, but the ecosystem around it.
This concern often shows up as:
- Missing informal conversations and shared problem-solving.
- Losing the feeling of being “in the room” where decisions happen.
- Worrying about professional isolation over time.
Being self-employed does not automatically mean working alone. But it does require more intentional choices about where your professional connection will come from.
Practical tip: Before making any decisions, think about how and where you would stay connected to other HR professionals. Community does not have to disappear when employment does.
Credibility without a job title
Another common self-employment concern for HR professionals is whether credibility changes once a job title disappears.
After years in senior roles, titles can feel like shorthand for experience. Letting go of that structure can feel like starting again, even when your capability has not changed.
In practice, credibility tends to shift rather than reduce. Clients are usually far more interested in judgement, clarity, and trust than hierarchy.
Helpful reframes include:
- Your value sits in your experience, not your employer.
- Clients want confidence and insight, not internal status.
- Independence can strengthen professional authority.
Practical tip: Start reframing how you describe your experience now. Lead with impact, decisions made, and problems solved rather than job titles alone.
“I know HR, but do I know business?”
This is one of the most rational self-employment concerns for HR professionals, and one that deserves honesty.
Most HR professionals are highly capable, but few have been responsible for pricing services, managing cashflow, or marketing themselves. The mistake is assuming you need to master all of this immediately.
In reality, most successful consultants learn business skills gradually, alongside client work, and often with guidance in place.
It can help to break the fear down:
- What do I actually need to know in my first year?
- What can be learned as I go?
- Where would structure or support reduce stress?
Practical tip: Replace “do I know how to run a business?” with “what business skills do I need first?” That shift alone can make the move feel more achievable.
Worry about inconsistency rather than income
Income uncertainty is often mentioned, but what usually sits underneath is concern about inconsistency.
HR professionals are used to predictable salaries and rhythms. Consultancy can feel uncertain by comparison, particularly in the early stages.
Stability tends to come from systems and expectations rather than instant success.
Common worries include:
- Uneven workloads.
- Quiet periods between clients.
- Not knowing what “enough” looks like early on.
Practical tip: Focus on building momentum rather than perfection. Think in six-month phases rather than short-term outcomes.
The emotional shift of being the decision maker
Employment comes with an invisible safety net. Decisions are shared, responsibility is spread, and accountability is collective.
Self-employment changes that dynamic. Even confident HR professionals can feel the emotional weight of making final decisions alone.
This is not about competence. It is about adjustment.
Practical tip: Think about how you currently make decisions. If you rely on sounding boards, peer input, or trusted advice, make sure those still exist in your future working model.
Letting go of the idea that there is a single right path
Many HR professionals are used to frameworks, best practice, and defined routes. Self-employment can feel unsettling because it lacks a single “correct” way forward.
There is no universal blueprint. There are supported routes, independent routes, and blended models.
It can help to move away from comparison:
- There is no single timeline for success.
- Different models suit different working styles.
- Support and independence are not opposites.
Practical tip: Ask what works for you, rather than what looks impressive from the outside.
Rethinking franchising through a practical lens
Within discussions about HR franchising myths, many self-employment concerns for HR professionals stem from assumptions about losing autonomy or flexibility.
In practice, structured support can reduce decision fatigue and risk rather than restrict independence. For some HR professionals, franchising offers a way to step into self-employment with guidance and community already in place.
The key is understanding what support looks like day to day, not just at launch.
A more useful question to ask yourself
Instead of asking whether you are brave enough to do this, it can be more helpful to ask what would help you feel supported while making the move.
For many HR professionals, the real barrier is not capability but confidence, clarity, and structure.
Understanding your genuine concerns, rather than the loudest ones online, is often the first step towards making a decision that works for both your career and your life.
Thinking about your next step
If you are exploring HR consultancy or franchising and want a clearer picture of what it looks like in practice, you may find it helpful to download our prospectus or get in touch for an open, no-pressure conversation about your options.
As an established HR consultancy franchise, face2faceHR supports experienced HR professionals who want to work for themselves without feeling they have to do everything alone.