As I mark 10 years working as an interim director/manager and consultant, mostly in communications, customers, coaching, and transformation, here are 10 reflections on what I’ve learned to date.

1 Don’t be afraid to take on an assignment that is a little outside your comfort zone. If you have the expertise and experience to meet most of the brief, you’ll be able to navigate your way through some new areas.

2 Equally, don’t be afraid to say no to opportunities in organisations that don’t seem to ‘fit’. Go with your gut, you don’t want to end up doing something that suits neither you nor your client. Your impact on organisations is a major part of your personal brand, don’t risk it unnecessarily.

3 When considering whether to take on an assignment, make sure you are clear about the brief, and that both you and the client have agreed it. Check, check, and check again on the expected outcomes, and what they actually mean.

4 Once on an assignment, report back regularly on your progress against the expected outcomes. Also, if the reality of the assignment is different to what you were originally told, work with the client to modify the brief and expected outcomes to reflect that reality.

5 Try and connect and work with good and nice people, on both the interim provider and end client sides. Working as an interim and consultant can seem quite clinical at times, so working with people you both like and trust is incredibly helpful. If you’re not comfortable with certain individuals and providers, don’t work with them.

6 Have the confidence to tell your client that you think you’ve met the brief when you think you have, and that you both should be thinking about bringing the assignment to a close. You’ll be respected for not dragging out an assignment for the sake of it.

7 Be comfortable with periods of silence from the interim providers you’re registered with, the interim and consultancy market is not consistent. The best providers will check in with you regardless of what you’re up to at the time, but many others will only contact you when there’s a potential opportunity to work with them.

8 If, like me, you’re not always comfortable with approaching individuals in your network directly to seek potential opportunities, get over it. You’ll be amazed at how, when, and where some assignments originate.  

9 Don’t fret about being inside or outside IR35, it’s not that big a deal. Just make sure it’s very clear why an assignment has been classified as such, and then get on with it.

10 Don’t underestimate the importance of luck and timing. For all the skills and experience you have, sometimes you’ll just be in the right place at the right time. And sometimes the opposite!