Second Lives : Becoming a Consultant

Second Lives is a series written for people who are considering starting a second career in their thirties, forties, or fifties--whether out of necessity (as a result of downsizing) , or because they are entering the work force for the first time (after their children have left home) , or simply because they want to find more interesting, satisfying work, and want to work for themselves instead of for a company. Unlike other career advice books, the Second Lives series is written for people who already know what their interests are, people who have already developed certain skills and a base knowledge in their first career. Each book shows how you can take what you already know and turn it into a successful second career. Each book is practical and very realistic. Starting with a description of the job and how you get into the field, it provides a questionnaire to determine whether you will really be happy working on your own and whether a particular field is right for you. Second Lives shows you how to take a personal inventory of your assets and liabilities, experience, finances, and personality, and shows how to find your niche in your new field. It outlines the concrete steps you need to take to get started and raises the basic questions any self-employed person needs to answer: Will I need a lawyer? An accountant? Should I incorporate? What about health insurance? Second Lives describes a typical day in this new life and shows how you should evaluate your new business. Becoming a Consultant is for people who have gathered expertise in their field-- usually working for a corporation--and now want to, or are forced to, go out on their own. Remember all those corporations that downsized? Today most are hiring independent consultants to fill the void. At a time when most of us will not remain in the same job for forty years, these books offer a handy guide for starting a second, more satisfying career in midlife.