I think it's basically the same deal PG is always talking about: Nobody is willing to pay triple for an employee which is actually three times as productive, bu

I think it's basically the same deal PG is always talking about: Nobody is willing to pay triple for an employee which is actually three times as productive, but a consultant can honestly charge three to five times as much in order to provide equivalent return on investment. I also find that in general, people who won't listen to an employee are excited about collaborating with a consultant - even when you're the same person making the same contributions. I find it pretty frustrating - I have long-term views and I want to make a significant, long term impact on the companies I work for, and being a consultant means it's all about quarterly results. That being said, I'll take sober consideration from day one over "time over grade equals seriousness" any day.