Full-time role, fractional or my own consulting business: how do I choose after corporate?

Of the 35 people who filled in my diagnostic, 33 would consider going back inside in some form. Sixteen said the right full-time role would tempt them, and seventeen said fractional or part-time work would. Only two ruled corporate out.

That is sense. You are weighing a known salary against an unknown business, and you should.

Concentration risk

It took me a while to see it this way. One employer paying all of your income is concentration risk, and you would flag it in any risk review except your own.

I spent thirteen years at Credit Suisse, and Credit Suisse no longer exists.

I volunteered for redundancy at UBS. It was a deliberate decision, and it meant the timing was mine. Four others were made redundant after me.

None of that means a full-time role is the wrong answer. Every option carries risk. The question is which one you would rather hold.

How to choose

Put the three options side by side and ask the same questions of each:

• Who decides whether this continues: me, one manager, or several clients?
• How long until money arrives, and how much do I need in the meantime?
• What would I be doing on a Tuesday morning, and does that give me energy?
• What happens to the option if I choose another one first?

That last question matters most. A full-time role taken now usually closes the other two for a few years. A practice started in the evenings keeps a role open. Fractional work sits in between, and it is a business too: you still have to find the clients.

The golden handcuffs are designed. Bonuses are deferred, so there is always money you would be walking away from. Put some numbers next to it, so you are deciding on arithmetic rather than on a feeling.

Your next step

If a new role is the right answer for you, that is a real choice and I can help with it too: see The Next Move.

If you are leaning towards building something of your own, start with my free masterclass, Where on earth to start when becoming a solopreneur, and where AI actually helps. You leave with one thing to test, and what you are doing this week to test it.