It’s not a job it’s a life change

One of the questions I was asked a long time ago by an HR professional considering working with us, was “What happens if I get offered a job after 18 months of operating my franchise?”. My answer was quite simple – if you would take that job, then making this decision is probably not the right step for you.

Moving into HR consultancy is a huge decision, and it is a long-term one. It is most likely to work well, and be successful, if you throw yourself into it, commit to it, and understand that building a profitable business takes time. There is no immediate regular income, although this will come, and the job security involved in working for an employer is missing.

But the rewards are huge. It can definitely be very commercially successful and lucrative. But I also mean the rewards outside that. You are building something for yourself, rather than someone else. You have a degree of control over your own working life (and indeed personal life as it relates to work) that you will simply never get from working for an employer.  That’s extraordinarily empowering.

Work-life balance rewards are enormous. Want to organise your work around school runs and family? No problem. Fancy being able to take a day off just for you whenever you like and then be able to make the time up in the evening or weekends if that works better? Fine. And you won’t mind working evenings when it’s your own business, I’m prepared to bet!

Successes and new clients mean so much when you’ve worked for them and it’s your own business. The thrill of gaining a new client, or having one renew yet again because they think you’re great.

Your working life will no longer be just turning up to work and doing HR stuff. It will be about developing new skills around marketing, networking, writing and creativity. Stepping outside your comfort zone and seeing the impact as you learn.

It’s not buying yourself a job. The HR professional I referred to earlier had made a number of other comments during our conversation that led me to believe that was what she was doing – she’d not been successful applying for roles, and this was a way of ‘buying’ herself a job.

But it’s not a job, it’s a life change. It’s a commitment if you’re opting for a franchise, and whether you do that or work by yourself, it’s a long-term change to your working life, a long game. But a very rewarding one.

There are highs and lows, and it won’t be easy. But if it’s the right decision for you, you’ll probably wonder why you waited so long, and for many, returning to employment is something they can’t even contemplate.

If you are toying with the idea of setting up as an HR consultant over the next few months, do get in touch.