[fiznool]

> A consultant is independent, for example; a contractor is not. The difference is that the client tells a contractor what to do, while a consultant tells the client what they should do.

As someone who has worked as an ‘Independent’ for the past 8 years, this really resonated with me. I aspire to be a consultant, but realise now that most of the time, I’ve been a contractor. I think the lines are a little more blurred (e.g. a consultant can still advise based on a set of requirements, which usually come from the client) but it’s one of the most concise explanations of the differences between these two roles that I’ve heard.

[WastingMyTime89]

> > A consultant is independent, for example; a contractor is not. The difference is that the client tells a contractor what to do, while a consultant tells the client what they should do.

It's not that rosy. At the end of the day, you still work for the client even as a consultant. You still have to produce things you would rather not. You still have to properly identify and solve the problem your client wants solved.

Also most people who work as consultants still occasionaly do some work which would be classified as a contractor job by this definition.