To be a successful consultant, you've got to be a little bit sales person. You need to be able to step into interviews and convince the hiring people that you are the right person for the job. Not only that, but you deserve every dollar that they are putting out for you. You need to have a job interview with each new client. It can result in a lot of pressure. At least after a while, you get used to it. And if your consulting business flourishes, the interviews will become easier for two reasons. First, you will be used to the process. And used to the rejections that you will have to face occasionally. Second, if you have successfully built your career, you will have plenty of years of experience and numerous satisfied clients that you can use as references. Ideally, you will reach a point where potential clients call on you because of your reputation and no longer need to interview you.

This brings me to another point about selling. Selling your consulting skills is much easier than selling any other widget or manufactured good or service for two reasons. First, you are selling yourself. If you don't feel that your skills are more than adequate for the job, you shouldn't be interviewing for the position and maybe you shouldn't be consulting. The fact that you are a consultant means you are already very confident in the product you are selling. Second, when you talk to a company about a contract, typically they have already identified a position that needs filling. Many sales people must first convince a potential customer that they have a need for their type of product and then must convince them that their product fills that need. Your job is easier. They already know the need, you only need to convince them that you are the right person to fill that need.