The Consultant’s Employment Paradox
After 17 years as a successful digital consultant, I’m caught in what I call the “consultant’s employment paradox”—a recruitment challenge where my extensive experience creates barriers rather than opportunities in the permanent employment market.
I’ve been interviewing since December 2024, with presentation-stage and final interviews for Pure Cremation, Rentokil, RAC (Bristol), Love Honey, and Space Engineering Services.
The market treats me as a “consultant only” rather than a potential permanent team member. Companies identify me as a high-level consultant with expertise their teams lack, invite me to interview processes that include presentation tasks, and ask me to solve their real business problems.
I share my techniques, methodologies, and strategic approaches in detail, essentially providing unpaid consulting that fills their knowledge gaps. They then hire internally or at entry level, using my freely shared expertise to guide their direction, while I’m left without an offer despite providing significant value.
When I apply for roles that match my genuine interest in permanent employment—often at more junior levels to demonstrate my willingness to “work my way up”—I’m rejected for being “overqualified.” Employers assume I’ll be dissatisfied, demand higher compensation than budgeted, or leave quickly when something better comes along.
This creates a professional limbo where I’m valued for my expertise but not considered for employment, where my experience becomes a liability rather than an asset, and where I’m consistently providing value without securing opportunities.
What’s happening to me is a form of professional gatekeeping where companies want senior-level problem-solving without senior-level commitment or salary. They extract strategic value through interview processes, fill knowledge gaps without paying consultancy rates, and maintain lower salary budgets by hiring junior talent with senior guidance that I’ve provided for free.
My perfect employer would be a UK SME or small company looking for digital solutions with immediate impact. I’ll only need 3 months (12 weeks) to showcase my skills—then I’m yours exclusively for the next decade. In 17 years, I’ve demonstrated improvement in the first month for over 200 SMEs.
DMs are open: Send me your domain and tell me your problems. My proprietary AI-driven GEO, AIO, AEO, and structured data methods will knock your accountant’s socks off before Christmas—and that’s a promise.
