What to Consider before Transitioning to Engineering Consultant

Considering a transition from your current engineering position to more of an engineering consultant role? If so, you’re not alone. Whether you’re looking to make that change due to burnout or you feel you’d get more fulfilment from working in a more specialized role like helping clients that own a 61000, it’s a choice many other professionals just like you are making every day.

However, changing careers is not a decision to be taken lightly. It takes lots of consideration and planning to make such a move. Fortunately, for you – that’s what this piece is all about. So, dive in as we share a primer on how to become an engineering consultant.

What an engineering consultant does

Instead of solving problems for a single employer, engineering consultants or consulting engineers, as they’re also called offer their science, engineering, and project management expertise to clients. It may be a sole client or multiple clients and clients come in all shapes and sizes, from government bodies to individual corporations, or industries themselves.

In some instances, the engineering consultant may work with a team of consultants. Additionally, the role could be managerial or more scientific in nature. It all depends on the specific needs of that project or client.

Required skills

Engineers wishing to become engineering consultants must first possess a specific niche to focus on. High demand areas of expertise include robotics and automation, integrated systems design, and programmable logic controllers.

Engineers who specialize in a given field get the added benefit of attaining more marketable certifications.  In turn, the specialized training helps the consultant establish him or herself as a subject matter authority.

Land a position at an established engineer consulting firm

Possessing an engineering degree isn’t enough to launch a career as a consulting engineer. You’ll also need the right connections. This is simply a matter of finding employment with a consulting firm. It doesn’t have to be a consulting position. In fact, many consultants get their start working in supporting roles.

Know the risks

Before making a career change it never hurts to understand the stakes ahead of time. Without a doubt, one of the best ways to go into a consulting career with your eyes open is to speak with other consulting engineers and ask them what their job entails, what they like or don’t like about it.

This is something you can do even if you don’t have a position at an engineering consultancy. For example, you can reach out to professional associations or use professional networking sites to connect with consulting professionals.

Plan your transition

Some consulting roles offer income that’s tied to billable hours or commissions, whereas others provide more definitive pay. Either situation can work for you and provide a terrific lifestyle. However, you just need to be aware of any significant changes in pay.

The saying ‘look before you leap’ applies doubly to career changes, especially when you’re moving to any position that could potentially offer less financial stability. Of course, if you know this beforehand you can prepare by saving six months to a year of living expenses.

Additional Considerations

So, when you look at the choice ahead, you’ve got to ask yourself whether you have what it takes from a ‘skills, experience, and education’ standpoint to make the leap from salaried engineer to engineering consultant.

If the answer is yes, the next factor to consider is whether you have the necessary funds in reserves to aid you while you get the ball rolling. If you’re able to answer yes to that one, as well – then perhaps you’re much closer than you thought to a decision!