How to Start Advisory Services While Job Hunting: A Step-by-Step Guide (With Example Agreement)

Frustrated, Upset, Angry

It is hard to be “chill” about what is happening in the world today. At the end of the day, real people in this world are losing their jobs. It almost feels like the old television show Survivor; you are either on the island or you get sent home. What’s worse than that? Many people that you thought you could count on may not know how to help, don’t want to help or may choose to help in a limited way just because of whatever circumstances exist. The job market is tough and even with all the connections, people find it difficult to find work. Many organizations don’t even know who their releasing and they make no attempt at all to get a person aligned into an open role. Organizational HR is the new overseas helpdesk.

We have to get past the stress, the anger, the fear, the uncertainty and none of this is easy. Many companies are playing games with recruiting and the automated systems. Hiring managers in many cases don’t know what they are looking for or they come up with crazy requirements that are either designed for a specific person or some purple squirrel. We put in a ton of resumes, make contact with a lot of people, do the networking thing, over and over, it starts to have us question ourselves. It tests us to our core.

For my post today, I’ll share some information on how you can take some of the energy you may have and invest it in yourself with the potential to make money along the way. While the approach will not work the same for every person, there is always more than one reason that you may choose to take some action on this approach.

This can help you to stay sharp, keep your network alive, and bring in some income while searching for your next full-time role. Start offering advisory services. It’s a flexible way to use your expertise, help organizations solve problems, and even open doors you might not have considered.

Here’s a practical, no-nonsense guide to getting started, plus a sample agreement or three you can adapt for your first client.

1. Know Your Value

Before you reach out to anyone, get clear on what you do best. What problems have you solved repeatedly? What do colleagues or past employers turn to you for? Maybe you’re great at digital transformation, process improvement, or team leadership. Focus on a niche where you can deliver real results quickly.

Write down your top skills and narrow them to those that:

• Solve urgent business problems
• Deliver measurable outcomes
• Set you apart from others
• You can use this for your one-pager or resume as well

2. Set Up the Basics

You don’t need a fancy business structure to start. I’ll put a few examples. Here’s what you do need:

• Legal check: Make sure you’re not violating any non-compete or conflict-of-interest clauses from previous employers.
• Simple business setup: In the U.S., you can use your Social Security number for tax purposes. Business cards and a basic website or LinkedIn update are enough for now. You should also expect to pay taxes quarterly, set additional money aside with taxes for self-employment. The government is absolutely ridiculous.
• Clear service offering: Write a one-pager that explains what you do, who you help, and the results you deliver.
• Pricing: Take your last annual salary, add 30% (for benefits you’re not getting), and divide by 1,000 to get a reasonable hourly rate. Round up to a confident, even number.
• Basic agreement: Prepare a straightforward contract outlining scope, payment, confidentiality, and how either party can end the engagement.

3. Find Your First Clients

Start with your network. Reach out to former colleagues, professional contacts, or even companies you admire. Let them know you’re offering advisory services while you explore your next full-time role. Instead of asking for a job, offer to help solve a specific problem. You may also consider volunteering, charity work and if you are passionate about something, reaching out to people in those areas. I also recommend if you are in IT joining the Society of Information Management. The SIM network is really very good and helpful. https://www.simnet.org/home

Tips:

• Share insights or resources freely in conversations.
• Offer a short-term or project-based engagement to make it easy for them to say yes.
• Use LinkedIn and industry groups to connect with decision-makers.

4. Manage Your Time

You’re balancing two priorities: landing a job and delivering value to clients. Here’s how to keep both on track:

• Block your calendar: Set specific times for job applications, interviews, and client work.
• Short-term projects: Structure advisory gigs to last a few weeks or months, so you can exit gracefully if you accept a new job.
• Daily business development: Spend 30 minutes each day reaching out to new prospects or following up on leads.

5. Use Advisory Work to Boost Your Job Search

Advisory work isn’t just a side gig-it’s proof of your initiative and expertise. In interviews, you can talk about real projects you’re working on right now, not just what you did in your last job. Employers love candidates who show drive and keep their skills current.

• Share client success stories (with permission).
• Highlight how you’re solving real-world problems.
• Gather testimonials or references from clients.

6. Another Example Advisory Services Agreement

When you land your first client, you’ll need a clear, simple agreement. Here’s a template you can use and customize:

ADVISORY SERVICES AGREEMENT

This Advisory Services Agreement ("Agreement") is made and entered into as of [Date], by and between [Client Name] ("Client") and [Your Name] ("Advisor").

1. Scope of Services
Advisor agrees to provide advisory services as described in Exhibit A attached hereto ("Services").

2. Term
This Agreement shall commence on [Start Date] and continue until [End Date] or until terminated by either party as provided herein.

3. Compensation
Client agrees to pay Advisor $[Hourly Rate] per hour, payable within 15 days of receiving invoice. Invoices will be submitted bi-weekly.

4. Confidentiality
Advisor agrees to keep confidential all proprietary information received from Client and not to disclose such information to any third party without Client's prior written consent.

5. Intellectual Property
Any work product developed by Advisor in connection with the Services shall be the property of Client, except for methodologies, templates, and frameworks developed by Advisor prior to this engagement.

6. Termination
Either party may terminate this Agreement upon 10 days written notice to the other party. Advisor reserves the right to terminate immediately upon acceptance of full-time employment, with reasonable effort to complete or transition any in-progress deliverables.

7. Limitation of Liability
Advisor's liability under this Agreement shall be limited to the amount of fees paid by Client.

8. Independent Contractor
Advisor is an independent contractor and not an employee of Client.

9. Governing Law
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of [Your State].

10. Availability
Advisor will make reasonable efforts to accommodate Client's schedule but may have limited availability due to job interviews and other professional commitments. Advisor will provide at least 48 hours notice of unavailability whenever possible.

11. Entire Agreement
This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties and supersedes all prior agreements.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

[Client Name] ___________________________ Date: ___________

[Your Name] ____________________________ Date: ___________

EXHIBIT A

Description of Services:

1. Strategic Advisory Services
   • Analysis of current business processes and identification of improvement opportunities
   • Recommendations for organizational efficiency and effectiveness
   • Strategic planning support and implementation guidance

2. Project Support
   • Development of project frameworks and methodologies
   • Stakeholder communication planning
   • Risk assessment and mitigation strategies

3. Deliverables
   • Initial assessment report (within 2 weeks of project start)
   • Bi-weekly progress updates
   • Final recommendations document with implementation roadmap
   • Knowledge transfer session upon project completion

4. Time Commitment
   • Up to [X] hours per week, scheduled in advance
   • Available for virtual meetings between [hours/days]
   • Response to emails within 24 business hours

7. Decide What’s Next

As you gain clients, you might find you enjoy advisory work enough to keep going, or you might land a full-time offer that’s too good to pass up. Either way, you’ve kept your skills sharp, built new relationships, and shown the kind of initiative every employer wants to see.

Remember: your expertise has value right now. Don’t wait for someone to give you permission to use it. Start small, deliver value, and see where this path takes you.

What else?

There are many ways to do advisory or consulting work. You can integrate this with all sorts of approaches. Offer free or introductory consultations with no obligation. Propose a short-term engagement when talking with people. Write, make videos, podcasts or posts in whatever way you are comfortable. You have always had a brand, and you are the CEO of you.

1. Clarity.fm: This platform allows experts to offer paid advisory calls, letting you share your insights by the minute. It’s great for one-on-one consultations and building credibility as a thought leader.
2. Catalant (formerly HourlyNerd): Designed for high-caliber consultants, it connects experienced professionals with companies looking for strategic advice on demand.
3. Expert360: Similar to Catalant, Expert360 helps freelance consultants find engagements—from short-term projects to longer-term advisory roles.
4. GrowthMentor: Particularly useful for startup advisors, this marketplace connects skilled mentors with founders needing guidance on scaling their business.
5. GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group) and AlphaSights: Although these platforms primarily focus on expert networks and market research, they also offer avenues for advisory calls and consultations with industry leaders.
   
6. Freelance Platforms with Consulting Categories
   • Upwork and Fiverr: While known primarily for freelance gigs, these websites also have sections dedicated to consulting and advisory services, where clients post projects across various industries.
   • Toptal: A platform for top-tier professionals, Toptal connects elite consultants with clients in need of specialist advice, though it requires a rigorous vetting process.
     These platforms offer exposure to a wide range of clients, from startups to established businesses, and can be particularly useful when you’re starting out or looking to supplement your income temporarily.

Conclusion:

You may question or wonder how you can make this happen. You may question or wonder if it is worth the effort. You may be frustrated from your efforts in trying to get a job right now and you don’t need to take anything else on. Maybe you don’t want to write. Maybe you don’t want to post. Maybe you don’t want to do anything. Here is the thing to consider, if and when you chose to work for a company or whatever organization you chose to work with, you had an employment agreement. This agreement was never in your favor and the HR people were never ever about the people. It was an agreement of perceptual value. You gave your time for the value the organization believed you had. It was a contract just like any other contract. You were always your own brand, you were always consulting, advising, contracting or whatever we want to define it as. The only difference was that you were exclusive to the organization mostly at will and mostly their will.

You have value, you know what it is. Now, decide what you want to do, figure out what it is you want, and go get it. Go get what you want because you have the knowledge, the skills and you know what you can do. Do what you WANT to do NOT just what you CAN do. A person driven by purpose and passion has potential to be an unstoppable force. Be unstoppable.