The Best Online Consulting Jobs To Consider In 2024

Does your breadth of expertise extend beyond the norm in your industry? Do you have the skills or knowledge people seek?

You could turn your talents into an online consulting business for a side hustle.

Working as an online consultant is a rewarding occupation that can start as a side gig and potentially blossom into full-time work. 

How do you get started? What kind of money can you make in online consulting jobs? We'll explore those questions and many more ahead. 

Types of Consulting Jobs 

As you contemplate how to get into online consulting, consider these roles: 

HR consulting

Human resources is a consistently evolving field with a strong emphasis on compliance.

HR consultants work with businesses or individuals to help them strengthen their human resources services.

Management consulting

Perhaps you decide to explore management consulting as your next online gig.

Management consultants work closely with businesses to understand their challenges and recommend methods for improving performance and productivity.

Marketing consulting

Showcase your marketing chops as a consultant. Marketing consultants build successful marketing campaigns for their clients.

They discuss a client's marketing goals, challenges, and budget, then get to work on ideating a plan for achieving those goals.

Sales consulting

Consider a future gig as a sales consultant, especially if you're an expert in negotiation, leadership, and closing deals.

The clients who hire you have an underperforming sales team or division.

They'll seek your guidance on revitalizing company sales, following the tactics and strategies you recommend.

Strategy consulting

Strategy consultants work with managers and executives to help them devise and execute business strategies.

Although it sounds similar to operations consulting, strategy consulting is its own job type.

How Much You Can Make as a Consultant

Your annual earnings as a consultant vary depending on the role you select. Here is an overview: 

• HR consulting:  $86,607 to $113,970 
• Management consulting: $102,168 to $137,393
• Marketing consulting:  $69,194 to $117,000 
• Sales consulting: $60,135 to $97,000 
• Strategic consulting: $87,000 to $151,000 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Better to Work for a Company or Independently as a Consultant?

Both offer their pros and cons. Salaried consultants have reliable work hours and income but are confined to an office, whereas independent consultants can work when, where, and how often they choose, earning as much money as time allows.

Do Online Consultants Work Full-Time?

That's up to you! You can work remotely part-time as a side hustle or pursue this role full-time. Clients might offer flexible working arrangements or longer-term contracts for more reliable work.

Top 5 Platforms to Find Online Consulting Jobs 

With online consulting such a fulfilling career path, naturally, you'll wonder where all the good jobs are.

The following platforms are springboards for starting your new gig in consulting.

Upwork 

Many project management and HR consultants use Upwork to find jobs.

That's because new projects are available for short and long-term work, allowing budding consultants to quickly fill their portfolio with relevant experience.

Upwork requires you to bid for a project. Successful project completion will increase your rating, making you more appealing to high-paying clients seeking consultants. 

Pros

• Diverse clients: The variety of jobs and projects is sure to keep any aspiring consultant busy. You'll work with many unique personality types and strengthen your consultancy skills.
• Easy to use: You can join and begin using Upwork for free. Once you're accepted, you can apply to as many consultancy roles as your experience fits. 
• Upfront payment information: You're often aware of compensation amounts per consultancy project or job before applying, making it easier to plan your monthly income. 

Cons

• Not free to bid: The bidding system Upwork uses can cost real money if you run out of points, which is easy to do if you push your bid to the top often. 
• Tough to get a foothold: Users on Upwork are highly competitive, so your applications can get drowned out, especially if you're a new consultant.  

LinkedIn

With millions of users, consultant jobs live on LinkedIn. This long-time platform for professionals is multifaceted.

You can search for HR or management consultant jobs, read articles and resources on your consultancy niche, join groups, network, and post on your feed.

The biggest consultancy brands advertise jobs on LinkedIn. You can sometimes apply through the platform, expediting your search to get work as a strategy consultant sooner. 

Pros

• Great information base: You can learn about contacts at a company and communicate with them before applying for a consulting gig.
• Build consulting contacts: Connect with an online network of consultants, informing each other about lucrative opportunities and sharing industry news. 
• The jobs come to you: Employers or clients could find you through LinkedIn, contacting you about potential consulting opportunities. 

Cons

• Limited for free users: You must pay for LinkedIn to use all the features. 
• The feed is almost too engaging: You can get easily distracted by the social media feed component, forgetting to search and apply for consulting jobs. 

PwC

PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwC) provides advisory, tax, and assurance services.

Consider this site if you're seeking a role as a sales or management consultant.

PwC has entry-level and advanced career opportunities, which are updated frequently via the above link.

You can also seek contract consultancy work if you're interested in a shorter-term role.

Pros

• Targeted searching: You can search for available consulting jobs on PwC by keyword, city, or region, expediting your search. 
• Sales-based: Many sales consulting and management job seekers use PwC to find an excellent gig.
• Upfront benefits information: You can learn about PwC's benefits program before checking out consulting gigs and applying. 

Cons

• Sales expertise required: This site doesn't apply to all types of consultants, so those in HR and marketing must look elsewhere. 

Robert Half

Find work as a marketing consultant and more at Robert Half.

This firm specializes in legal, customer support, administrative, creative, marketing, technology, accounting, and finance jobs, so aspiring sales consultants can also apply.

Robert Half posts new jobs daily, with thousands available to apply for. 

Pros

• Work your way: The variety of consulting jobs available on Robert Half's website include onsite, hybrid, and remote work.
• Extra assistance: You can work with a Robert Half recruiter to expedite your job search. Your recruiter will recommend tailored job opportunities. 
• Handy app: Robert Half has an app for taking your consulting jobs on the go. You never have to miss a job when it goes live. 

Cons

• Limited platform: Not all types of consultants can find roles on Robert Half. 

PeoplePerHour

PeoplePerHour is an excellent platform to seek for all kinds of work, so it's unsurprising consultants flock to it so readily.

The site has an easy-to-use layout and interesting roles and projects to consider.

What’s more, thousands of companies choose PeoplePerHour for consulting projects and longer-term work.

You can apply to work as a consulting freelancer, sharing your summary, skills, and preferences, then begin searching for jobs that fit your parameters.

Pros

• AI matching: PeoplePerHour's AI system will review your skills and profile to recommend projects that might interest you. 
• Upfront pricing: There will be no questioning what you'll earn as a consultant, as projects list pricing before you apply, much like Upwork.
• Jobs frequently added: The rate of new projects that appear on PeoplePerHour give you seemingly endless consulting opportunities to explore. 

Cons

• Bidding system: PeoplePerHour is another site that uses a bidding system for freelancers, making it tough to land gigs.
• Must be accepted: You can browse jobs on PeoplePerHour without an account, but you must get your application approved before you can use the platform.

Other Jobs to Consider

Online consulting is a broad field. Besides the roles above, you can also explore the following gigs:

• Online education: Share your knowledge as an online teacher. You can instruct small groups or large classes of kids or adults. Your students can learn new skills like business, sales, or marketing by enrolling in your course.
• Online dating ghostwriter: Crafting the perfect online dating profile is a struggle, but not when someone can do it for you! As an online dating ghostwriter, you'll use the power of words to craft listings that generate more right swipes.
• Online tutoring: Help others in an area they're struggling with as an online tutor. You might consider instruction in mathematics, coding, foreign language, history, or science.

Wrapping Up 

Online consulting is a multifaceted, unique role with many avenues to explore. You can share your sales and marketing expertise, engage in compliance consulting, or become an SEO consultant.

Consulting jobs utilize skills like strategic planning, software management, data analytics, and talent management.

Some consultancy roles require a high school diploma to begin, but most demand a higher education degree and on-the-job experience.

You can earn five or six figures helping others as a full-time online consultant.

Have you decided to become an online consultant after reading this article? Let us know in the comments below.