How to Start a Career in Education Consulting?

Starting an education consulting career is my big, scary dream, yo. I’m typing this in my cramped Denver apartment, surrounded by empty Red Bull cans, a pile of teaching books I haven’t cracked, and a sink full of dishes I swore I’d do last Monday. My cat’s chewing on a stray sock, and my phone’s buzzing with LinkedIn notifications I’m too stressed to check. I’m 30, stuck in a retail job while taking night classes, trying to become an education consultant without losing my entire mind. Here’s my sloppy, embarrassing take on how to start an education consulting career in 2025, with all my dumb mistakes and education consultant tips I’ve learned the hard way.

Why an Education Consulting Career Makes Me Wanna Scream

I’m legit awful at kicking off an education consulting career. I once sent a networking email with “consultant” spelled “consulant”—my contact never replied. Total facepalm. But consulting in education is a dope way to help schools and make bank. I read on EdSurge that education consultants can earn $50-$100 an hour, which is way better than my retail paycheck. These career in education tips are my attempt to stop my dream from being a total train wreck. professional development practices. And she goes, “You know a lot about this. Have you ever thought about consulting?”

My Tips to Start an Education Consulting Career

Here’s my list of education consultant tips to start education consulting without imploding. I’ve tried some, botched some, and learned a bit.

1. Get Some Teaching Experience: Work in a classroom first. I subbed for a year and it gave me cred.
   • My Dumb Moment: I forgot a kid’s name during a sub gig and called them “buddy” all day. Cringe.
2. Earn a Degree or Cert: A master’s in education helps. I’m grinding through WGU’s online program (check it here).
   • Cringe Alert: I missed a WGU deadline ‘cause I was on X watching “career tips” reels.
3. Network Like Crazy: Hit up LinkedIn and education conferences. I met a consultant at a local EdCamp (see EdCamp).
4. Build a Portfolio: Show off lesson plans or workshops you’ve done. I made a Google Site for mine (check Google Sites).
   • Oops: I forgot to update my site and it had a typo in the header. Kill me.
5. Learn the Business Side: Understand contracts and invoicing. I got this from a Forbes article (read here).
6. Specialize in Something: I’m focusing on curriculum design ‘cause I like it. Find your niche.
   • My Fail: I pitched a generic idea to a school and got ghosted. Be specific.
7. Get Certified: A coaching cert like ICF adds cred (check ICF). I’m eyeing this next.
8. Market Yourself: Make a LinkedIn profile that slaps. Mine’s half-done and it shows.
9. Shadow a Consultant: I emailed a local consultant to shadow and learned a ton.
   • Embarrassing Bit: I showed up to a shadow session with coffee stains on my shirt. Ouch.
10. Stay Organized: Use Trello to track gigs (check Trello). I forgot a meeting once without it.
11. Give Yourself Grace: This career’s tough, and I beat myself up when I mess up. Chill out, yo.

How I Keep Screwing Up My Education Consulting Career

Real talk: becoming an education consultant is not my forte. I once spent three hours tweaking my LinkedIn bio instead of emailing a potential client—classic procrastination. Here’s what I’ve learned from my chaos:

• Start Small, Yo: Don’t pitch to huge districts right away. I tried and got laughed off.
• Stay Professional: I sent a casual email with “yo” and got no reply. Tone it down a bit.
• Use Tools: Trello or Notion keep gigs organized. I lost a contract ‘cause I forgot to follow up.
• Learn from Fails: I bombed a pitch meeting ‘cause I didn’t prep. Now I practice like a nerd.

EdSurge says networking can open 70% of consulting gigs, which I’m trying without screwing it up again (read here).

Finding Your Own Education Consulting Career Groove

Picking education consultant tips is like picking a burrito topping—personal and a little stressful. Here’s my advice, straight from my burrito-crumb-covered couch:

Check Progress Weekly: I review my goals every Sunday. Sounds lame, but it keeps me from derailing.

Know Your Strengths: I’m good at curriculum stuff, so I lean into that. What’s your thing?

Start Slow: Don’t take on too many gigs at once. I did and crashed hard. Pick one or two.

Use Cool Tools: Trello’s free and keeps projects organized. Notion’s dope too (check Notion).

Wrapping Up My Education Consulting Career Chaos

So, yeah, I’m still a hot mess at starting an education consulting career, sitting here in my Denver chaos with my cat judging my life choices. I’ve cried over ignored emails, eaten too many burritos while procrastinating, and still forget to update my portfolio half the time. But these consulting in education tips have kept me from giving up on my dream to become an education consultant. Check out EdSurge or Forbes for more career in education advice if you’re curious.