Information Technology Consulting Blog

Guard Your References

IT Consultant — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 16:01:29 +0000

Just because a recruiter asks for a reference, doesn't mean you should give them out.

Recruiters Don't Work For You

IT Consultant — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:55:48 +0000

Don't be confused about your relationship with a recruiter.

Working for Free on a 1099

IT Consultant — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:39:42 +0000

I'm a first time contractor and have been at it for two years now, working for a friend's services company. There are four partners with the other four of us 1099 contractors. Within the last year they have been asking me to work from the office more which is fine, but there are times when there is nothing for me to bill my time towards so I spending 8 hrs at my desk but I'm only able to bill 4 of it to a client which is unsettling. Adding to my frustration is that I have not received a raise either. Should I be expecting one since I'm 1099?

Deductions for IT Consultants

IT Consultant — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:01:19 +0000

One of the advantages of being an independent IT consultant is that you can deduct expenses. This doesn't make purchases free, it just means you don't have to pay income tax on the amount of income equivalent to the expenses. In effect, this means that everything that you buy that is a valid expense is [...]

Presentation Tips for Consultants

IT Consultant — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 13:13:55 +0000

Giving a good presentation isn't easy despite appearances. They require preparations beyond just pulling together a bunch of slides. Here are some ideas to help you succeed with your next presentation.

Tips for Providing Consulting Services

IT Consultant — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 12:59:27 +0000

Following the engagement kickoff, you move into perform mode and provide the services you have promised. Naturally, the nature of what you do will vary with each engagement. The following are a few brief suggestions for carrying out successful engagements.

3 Skills a Consultant Must Have

IT Consultant — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:29:47 +0000

Whether you're a consultant in the traditional sense of the word or are simply in the role where your opinion is sought after, there are three skills, according to Peter Block of Flawless Consulting fame, that you need to have to be successful. Technical Skills It is important that you possess the technical skills i.e. the expertise [...]

Questioning Tips

IT Consultant — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 11:31:17 +0000

Asking questions is integral to all consulting jobs. Very, very rarely will the situation you're in be so simplistic or so well-defined that you won't need to ask questions. The following are some practical client interviewing tips which should help you achieve the best results.

Consulting Clients Don't Always Pay

IT Consultant — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:47:02 +0000

Here's a story about an IT consultant that got himself in a jam and his client wouldn't pay...

IT Consulting Guide

IT Consultant — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 10:37:43 +0000

Welcome to the Information Technology (IT) Consulting Guide. Hopefully you're a consultant in the information technology industry. The alternative is that some search engine has brought you here after you've searched for something I've written about. Either way, I welcome you.

Consulting Relationship Stages

IT Consultant — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:55:13 +0000

It's important to recognize that trust and rapport in a consulting relationship, like any other type of relations, takes time to develop. Consider that most relationships develop in the following way.

Legal Issues in Consulting

IT Consultant — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:25:26 +0000

In order to discuss liability that may arise under a consulting contract, you need to first understand two key terms.

Solution Design Feasibility

IT Consultant — Sat, 30 May 2009 07:40:39 +0000

When putting together an approach for addressing a client's needs for your consulting services or when comparing the pros and cons of different solutions, there are several questions that you should consider when it comes to design feasibility. The following are an example of the minimum questions you need to pose to ensure a successful solution design.

Job Boards Can Be Useful

IT Consultant — Wed, 27 May 2009 07:34:24 +0000

There is value to be had from job boards, just not necessarily in the way you'd expect.

Everything You Need to Know About Consultants

IT Consultant — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:13:30 +0000

A shepherd was herding his flock in a remote pasture when suddenly a brand-new BMW advanced out of a dust cloud towards him. The driver, a young man in a Brioni suit, Gucci shoes, Ray Ban sunglasses and YSL tie, leans out the window and asks the shepherd, "If I tell you exactly how many sheep you have in your flock, will you give me one?"

Listening Tips for Consultants

IT Consultant — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:17:52 +0000

Perhaps even more important than being able to ask the right questions, is being a good listener. This area is often neglected because few people think that there is skill in listening. It is assumed that if I hear what you say that I'm also listening to what you say. This, of course, is a bad assumption. Here are comments about listening that might help you improve your abilities in this often neglected area.

Answering Interview Questions

IT Consultant — Mon, 18 May 2009 05:13:08 +0000

There's no question that interviews can be nerve-wracking experiences. However, a lot of this nervousness can come from being unprepared for the interview questions that will be thrown your way. That's why preparing for an interview can really have a positive effect on the outcome.

Moving Beyond Recruiters Tip #1

IT Consultant — Fri, 15 May 2009 04:51:05 +0000

Claim the recruiter's usual fee for yourself.

The Lunch Interview

IT Consultant — Tue, 12 May 2009 03:41:07 +0000

It's rare that an interview will take place at a restaurant over lunch, but that doesn't mean it won't happen. The good news is that such an arrangement is unlikely to be a surprise so you can prepared ahead of time. Here are some tips to making the most of a lunch interview.

Finding Work

IT Consultant — Sat, 09 May 2009 02:19:45 +0000

The typical advice is to check in with your network to find opportunities.

What is Consulting?

IT Consultant — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:46:04 +0000

I was recently going through some slides from presentation on consulting and came across three definitions for consulting all of which take a different perspective. Which of these three sound the most accurate to you?

Determining Project Pricing

IT Consultant — Sun, 03 May 2009 00:16:03 +0000

Whether you are billing by the hour or attempting to maximize profitability by going with a fixed-fee proposal, time is money. Several factors could affect how long it will take to complete an engagement. These include: The availability of key resource people. Time spent traveling. The number of people on the project. The more people there are the [...]

Consulting Process Model: Phase 1

IT Consultant — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:34:23 +0000

There's certainly no end to the number of models you can use to approach consulting engagements. At the heart of all of them is a shared core that has been shown to be successful time and time again. As a starting point, I'm going to describe a model put forth in a consulting skills presentation.

Office Politics and Consultants

IT Consultant — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:16:18 +0000

No matter how good the people are to work with at your client's location, office politics will abound. That's the reality of corporate America. As a consultant you will have choices to make as to how to deal with the political issues that come your way. As a consultant, you might think that you can play [...]

Project Risk Control

IT Consultant — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 22:55:10 +0000

Risk is inherent in all IT consulting projects. There are usually so many players and so many variables that something can and often does goes wrong. That's why it is important to examine the potential risks and determine how to deal with them if they actually do come to fruition.