Interim careers: Making the switch

Year on year Macmillan Davies has seen an increase in interim hires up 80% which ties in with the latest statistics from Totaljobs which found temporary staff hires up 69% in 2024. Is this indicative of market hiring trends with less permanent roles out there, or is it an indication of changing expectations in what professionals want from their career? With more and more experienced professionals seeking interim or fractional opportunities as a career pathway, we wanted to offer advice on making that transition, what the considerations are, and what benefits interim professionals can bring to organisations. 

In our new four-part series, ‘Interim Careers’ Nick Allwood speaks to four specialist interims operating within the HR and People space – Wendy Ramshaw (ED&I Consultant), Sharon Bloor (Strategic HRD & Consultant), Melanie Bowes (HR Consultant & Coach) and Simon Schumann Davies (People Director) about their careers. In our first article, they discuss why they made the switch from permanent roles to become a specialist consultant, how they found the transition, and how you know when it’s the right time to make the switch.

Choosing to make the switch

It can be daunting making the switch from the perceived security of longer-term permanent roles to interim or consultancy assignments, whether it’s by choice or necessity. But all four of our panel have found the switch to be incredibly positive.

“Whilst working within a company in a permanent capacity has been really rewarding, I knew that I was ready to broaden my expertise and experience and work with a greater variety of organisations looking to mobilise resources towards an EDI strategy,” says Wendy. “For me, I paid attention to where my strengths lie and how much I enjoy being a specialist knowledge expert.”

For Sharon, she had a desire to step outside of her comfort zone which led her to finding her love for interim positions, “I made the switch about 8 years ago, having been with the same company for around 12 years. Throughout this time, I gained a wealth and depth of invaluable strategic HR Partnering and employment law expertise across the whole spectrum of private sector industries. However, having spent so long with the same business, I had a desire to step outside my comfort zone and see what else was out there. I chose the interim route initially to test the water before making a long-term permanent commitment to another company. You could say the approach I took was ‘try before you buy’ as I was keen to align to an organisation that fitted with my values, one that I felt I could connect with in terms of what they did and how they did it.”

For Mel, there are many reasons as to why she chose the interim route, from following in her parents’ footsteps, to supporting her family, ”My parents were small business owners, and I grew up admiring their incredible work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit. I think on some level I always wanted to follow in their footsteps and work for myself. More recently, I've wanted more control over my workflow to be more present with my young daughter. It's not easy, but I do have more control over when and how I work.”

Simon’s first interim role was born out of necessity when he was made redundant following an acquisition, “It was 2008 and the permanent market had crashed along with the global economy and, somewhat like today, employers were looking to avoid long-term financial commitments on their payroll. I was offered a role as a Consultant for a small but global manufacturing organisation, which I did for 12 months, and I really enjoyed it and I have, predominantly, stayed in the Interim/Consultant market thereafter. I have had permanent roles since then but have always migrated back.”

Since then, Simon has moved to a fractional working week. Fractional contracts can allow people to work for multiple clients simultaneously, providing their services for a specified duration, whether that’s a set of weekly hours or project dependent. The move, however, wasn’t planned, but has proven to be the right one, “The move into fractional working was a chance encounter. I had been approached by a Fractional HRD who was recruiting a permanent person for their role and called me. The sector, as it transpired was not for me but as a result, the HRD suggested I may want to think about Fractional working. I really enjoy it. It was not initially a deliberate decision but is one I have not regretted.”

Is there a right time to make the career switch?

Most decisions on timings are personal and subjective – which is something all of our panel agreed with, but there are some factors which can be beneficial timing-wise. For Sharon, it came down to financial security, “I was fortunate that I had managed to negotiate a voluntary redundancy package which gave me some financial security and helped me make the leap. I would recommend you have some sort of financial cushion unless you’ve already secured a decent interim role that you know will provide necessary income and allow you to build financial security.”

For Wendy, it was about creating a balance in her household, “Once I had decided that I wanted to explore a different career path, it took me a couple of years to finally make the switch but that was more to do with personal circumstances. My husband is also self-employed and so we decided that it would be prudent to wait whilst he established his business. Having that time, also enabled me to network, gain additional expertise and prepare myself financially.”

“I would say that a number of factors have to align to make it work. The individual must have an extensive enough back-history to be able to hit the ground running to be effective. Likewise, it is naïve to assume it is all plain sailing. There are times when the next job is not just around the corner and finances have to be considered” says Simon. “I would say that you have to be in a financial position to be able to slightly ‘gamble’ and you have to be aware that there are definitely frequent ‘squeaky-bum’ moments when the bills keep coming but the work doesn’t. I would say that a solid financial background, a wide enough experience base and, a real failing of mine, a robust little black book for networking are three absolutes. I have been fortunate enough in that most of my work has come from word-of-mouth referrals, but networking is something you must be adept at. Whenever these factors align in your career, that would be an appropriate moment to switch.”

Mel agrees, “I think it will be different for everyone. There will always be a reason not to make the switch, but for me the reasons for making the switch became harder to ignore.”

Next steps?

Considering making the switch but unsure on what day rate you can command for your role and sector? Download our HR Insights report and salary survey now.

Look out for our next issue where we cover tips to make a successful transition, and how to build your personal brand as an interim specialist.

Get in touch

Should you wish to have a confidential chat with Nick Allwood to discuss the current HR market or your search for work/recruiting into your team, please contact him directly at nallwood@mdhr.co.uk

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