Aramis
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Sep 9, 2017
- Messages
- 53
Seasons Greetings!
I am on the cusp of calling time. I have had some trouble firming that up, partly because of lingering probably unnecessary, money concerns and partly because I wouldn't be able to participate in my chosen retirement activity, travel, right now anyway. That has lead me to flesh out a hybrid option......
My primary target would be to see if I can scale back with my present employer. I would propose they hire a replacement and that I continue either part-time or as a consultant but on something of a defined schedule. I want blocks of time off, not a reduced but regular weekly/monthly workload. No 2 or 3 day a week solution will work. What I am looking for would be to work specific months and not work others, arranged in advance. I will be available January - April, but not May - July, and Aug - Sept,, but not Oct - Dec, for example. The working periods could be full time or part time and I would do whatever was needed; support the replacement, special projects, training, etc.. This would be preferable to me over marketing myself in the industry to other potential clients and trying to shoehorn their needs into my schedule.
I am not naïve, I know that this approach limits my marketability; companies want to hire people to solve problems and have their own temporal needs around that, but I am a subject matter expert in a high knowledge, but low participant field (not scientific or IT) and have some leverage/appeal resulting from that.
I am wondering if any of you have taken this, or a similar, approach to your transition and how you managed it. If not, what were your individual experiences in moving to consulting with your employer at retirement?
More specifically, how does one price oneself in this environment? I have no idea what similar consultant roles command. Taking the existing employer arrangement as an example, would I price my services as some factor of my current salary, either converted to hourly, or monthly? What factor are employers prepared to assign to this arrangement? Would this existing employer rate be expected to be at as discount (home town discount) or premium to the market rate I might command with other clients? It would be easier for me to continue than try and source new clients on my preferred scheduling terms, for sure.
I know everyone's situation is different but hearing other people's experiences would be great, as would any reference to external material on how to develop a "consulting" business.
I am on the cusp of calling time. I have had some trouble firming that up, partly because of lingering probably unnecessary, money concerns and partly because I wouldn't be able to participate in my chosen retirement activity, travel, right now anyway. That has lead me to flesh out a hybrid option......
My primary target would be to see if I can scale back with my present employer. I would propose they hire a replacement and that I continue either part-time or as a consultant but on something of a defined schedule. I want blocks of time off, not a reduced but regular weekly/monthly workload. No 2 or 3 day a week solution will work. What I am looking for would be to work specific months and not work others, arranged in advance. I will be available January - April, but not May - July, and Aug - Sept,, but not Oct - Dec, for example. The working periods could be full time or part time and I would do whatever was needed; support the replacement, special projects, training, etc.. This would be preferable to me over marketing myself in the industry to other potential clients and trying to shoehorn their needs into my schedule.
I am not naïve, I know that this approach limits my marketability; companies want to hire people to solve problems and have their own temporal needs around that, but I am a subject matter expert in a high knowledge, but low participant field (not scientific or IT) and have some leverage/appeal resulting from that.
I am wondering if any of you have taken this, or a similar, approach to your transition and how you managed it. If not, what were your individual experiences in moving to consulting with your employer at retirement?
More specifically, how does one price oneself in this environment? I have no idea what similar consultant roles command. Taking the existing employer arrangement as an example, would I price my services as some factor of my current salary, either converted to hourly, or monthly? What factor are employers prepared to assign to this arrangement? Would this existing employer rate be expected to be at as discount (home town discount) or premium to the market rate I might command with other clients? It would be easier for me to continue than try and source new clients on my preferred scheduling terms, for sure.
I know everyone's situation is different but hearing other people's experiences would be great, as would any reference to external material on how to develop a "consulting" business.