A consultant is one of the most commonly used freelancing or contracting terms to describe a professional who provides expert advice and services to another individual or business.
Consulting can be an incredibly rewarding job as it entails using your knowledge and expertise to help a client achieve their goals. Consultants can work with clients on an hourly basis or as part of a longer-term project and they can specialize in almost any field, from marketing and finance to business strategy and more.
When working with a consultant, clients typically provide the consultant with a brief outlining what they want to achieve. The consultant then uses their experience and knowledge to come up with a solution that is tailored to the client’s needs. They will present their findings and give advice on how to go about achieving the desired result. Clients will also often expect the consultant to provide ongoing support and advice after the initial solution has been implemented.
Consultants are usually paid a fee for their work and this fee is typically based on the complexity and duration of the project.
See also: Contingent Worker, Expense Category, Contractor, 1099 Worker