To consult or not...

As noted in my early postings - I've been in and around I.T. for a long time, almost 30 years. I can honestly say that I like I.T. and I like leading and being part of I.T. organizations. For the past 6 years I have been both an employee (Vice President Information Technology) and an independent consultant.

I've been asking myself lately which I like more and what do I want to do next. I enjoyed my last "real job" - great company, great people (just in a place that ultimately didn't work). In fact I've enjoyed virtually every real job that I've had (a couple of exceptions which we won't get into now).

I have also enjoyed every consulting "gig" that I've had over the past 6 years. I've "unplugged" a business unit from one company and helped plug it into the acquiring company and in the process helped build a small I.T. organization to run I.T. for that business. I've developed a survey instrument designed to quantify the cost of storage for a small advisory service. I've helped integrate a major acquisition for one of the biggest printers in the country and along the way helped refocus the I.T. Field Service organization. I've done an I.T. assesssment for a really interesting small division of a large pharmaceutical company.

Contributing to a business by bringing an "I.T. Toolkit" to bear on company systems, processes, issues and opportunities is the goal. It can be done in either a consulting capacity or as a permanent employee. I'm now spliting time between the search for a permanent role and looking for another consulting assignement. I've got good people helping me in each pursuit. I've got a good (maybe great) network of people who I trust. I've got a supportive family.

Perhaps the only real issue is uncertainty - consulting is by its very nature uncertain. But permanent roles/jobs are now more uncertain than any time in the past. Jobs bring benefits (health care, vacation time). Consulting brings flexibility. I'll meet great people either way that I go.

The journey continues...