Consulting life — the practical things no one says out loud

Going from a permanent position to consulting or self-employment can be one of the best career decisions you make — or one of the most stressful. The difference rarely lies in the hourly rate. It lies in how you handle the parts that don''t show up on the invoice. Tax is not the first challenge Most people think about tax first. It''s rarely the big problem — it''s solved with a good accountant and the right company structure. What actually drags more is cash flow: when the invoice is paid 30 days after the shift, and when you take two weeks off, the calendar becomes your real challenge, not the tax rate. Practically: count on a buffer of at least two months before you go from permanent employment to consulting. It gives you margin when the first invoice is delayed. Sick leave is more expensive than it looks As an employee, you receive compensation from day 14 (or day 8 if you''ve paid into the sickness benefit qualifying income). As a consultant or self-employed person, the waiting period can vary significantly depending on your employment structure. Don''t count on the same safety net you had as a permanent employee. Solve this properly: get private health insurance or sickness insurance before you need it, not after. Insurance companies won''t take you on after a sick period on the same terms as before. Vacation is an active choice As a consultant, there''s no vacation pay that just comes in. You need to plan your vacation as a revenue loss, and you need to book it with the client well in advance. Many new consultants say yes to too many shifts in the first year because the calendar always feels ''stretchy.'' That''s how you burn out in nine months. Practically: plan for four weeks of unpaid absence per year, even if you think you''ll work more. It''s a fundamental rule that holds over time. Pension doesn''t happen by itself Occupational pension is one of the parts that most quietly slips away when you go from employed to self-employed. Set up an automatic monthly contribution from the first invoice, regardless of size — otherwise you fall behind faster than you think, and it''s harder to catch up than it looks. Be careful about which assignments you take It''s tempting to say yes to everything in the first six months. That''s also where many colleagues crash. A few basic principles: • Say no to assignments where the pay isn''t visible from the start. • Say no to long shifts without breaks or pauses. • Say no to clients who don''t pay within 30 days. • Say yes to recurring assignments at the same place — the continuity is worth a lower hourly rate. The big misunderstanding Many people think consulting life is about freedom. In a way, it is — but the freedom you get is the freedom to say no. It becomes a worse kind of freedom if you don''t have a buffer to say no from. Build financial margin first, and then you get to choose assignments that suit you. — Redaktion Turen