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IT Consultant
Mary Weilage
TechRepublic Staff
Mary Weilage
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How to tell whether a potential client is worth your time
Asking the right questions can tell you whether a potential client is serious about using your services or is just wasting your time. Find out what every consultant should ask and how to know when...
Posted by Meredith Little | May 2, 2009, 11:12 PM PDT
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Add client shopping to your weekly to-do list
Since losing all her clients during the dot com bust, Susan Harkins tries to add new clients to her IT consultancy on a weekly basis. Here are four strategies for acquiring new clients.
Posted by Susan Harkins | May 2, 2009, 8:21 PM PDT
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How friendly are you with clients?
When it comes to personal relationships with clients, Chip Camden admits that he has often erred on the outrageous side. Where do you draw the line with clients?
Posted by Chip Camden | April 27, 2009, 12:18 PM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Consultants: It's not the theory, it's the execution
Project success has less to do with the adoption of a specific methodology or theory and more with how well the people involved can adapt the procedures to new challenges. Chip Camden offers more...
Posted by Chip Camden | April 22, 2009, 9:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by PMPsicle
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Consultants, what is your IT specialty?
In November 2007, poll results indicated that top specialties among TechRepublic members who were consultants were Technical Support, Project Management, and Software Development. To provide us...
Posted by Mary Weilage | April 18, 2009, 1:41 PM PDT | Latest comment by vpraphulla
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Decline in job offers for CS graduates may fill IT consultants' needs
If your consultancy needs additional help but you can't afford an established IT professional, Susan Harkins says this is the perfect time to consider contracting with a recent Computer Science...
Posted by Susan Harkins | April 17, 2009, 9:03 AM PDT | Latest comment by Michael Jay
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Want stimulus money for your IT consultancy? Start bidding on government contracts
You might think winning a government contract for your small IT consultancy is impossible. The truth is, the U.S. government is looking for small businesses to bid for government contracts. Susan...
Posted by Susan Harkins | April 9, 2009, 8:01 PM PDT | Latest comment by frank@...
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When clients embrace innovation for the wrong reasons
There are various reasons why clients may want to innovate, such as to keep up with the competition or users are demanding it. IT consultant Chip Camden offers words of wisdom about what to say...
Posted by Chip Camden | April 7, 2009, 3:57 AM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Eight ways IT consultants can succeed in a turbulent economy
Committing to client satisfaction, marketing creatively, and guarding expenses are among the best methods any IT consultant can employ to succeed. Find out what else Erik Eckel recommends you...
Posted by Erik Eckel | April 6, 2009, 6:27 AM PDT | Latest comment by PMPsicle
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Member offers IT consultants advice about starting their own business
In this interview, TechRepublic member Glen Ford (aka PMP'sicle) provides three tips for IT consultants who are considering branching out and starting their own business. He also talks about when...
Posted by Mary Weilage | April 2, 2009, 12:47 PM PDT | Latest comment by PMPsicle
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Five resume tips for IT consultants
Writing a resume that grabs a prospective client's attention and gets you an interview requires quite a bit of thought. See what five elements of good writing that IT consultants should remember...
Posted by Chip Camden | March 31, 2009, 1:40 PM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Why specializing may help IT consultants cash in
The U.S. government and private industry predict growth in specific IT areas over the next five years. Susan Harkins says having a niche often means being able to charge more for your services.
Posted by Susan Harkins | March 31, 2009, 10:29 AM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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How independent contractors can avoid getting burned by too many client revisions
Don't let multiple client revisions lead you to do unpaid work that's beyond the scope of your contract. Meredith Little offers tips on how to handle these client requests.
Posted by Meredith Little | March 28, 2009, 4:50 PM PDT | Latest comment by PMPsicle
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Assess open source products' solvency for your client's sake
Open source products may disappear during the recession. How will that impact you and your clients? Susan Harkins explains what you should consider.
Posted by Susan Harkins | March 24, 2009, 4:57 AM PDT | Latest comment by teebes2004
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What to do when your client doesn't pay
Chip Camden offers tips on how to get your client to pay you on their own volition, continue to be your client, and pay you on time in the future. He also shares the single most important thing...
Posted by Chip Camden | March 23, 2009, 4:34 AM PDT | Latest comment by JohnMcGrew@...
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Resources for creating your independent contracts
When creating your independent contract, you don't have to go it alone. Meredith Little offers pointers on which books and online resources can help make this process much easier.
Posted by Meredith Little | March 20, 2009, 2:56 PM PDT | Latest comment by binarypc
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Encourage your IT consulting clients to embrace innovation
Have you encountered tension between the client's desire to move forward vs. their discomfort with having to adopt new practices and learn new technologies? Chip Camden discusses how IT...
Posted by Chip Camden | March 18, 2009, 11:22 AM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Time to add RIA expertise to your IT consulting credentials?
Rich Internet Application (RIA) platforms have been around for a long time, but these applications are finally catching on. IT consultant Susan Harkins explains why RIAs are no longer just for Web...
Posted by Susan Harkins | March 16, 2009, 4:23 AM PDT | Latest comment by ssharkins@...
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Independent contractors: Make sure your contract protects your interests
Writing a contract can help independent contractors and clients iron out project details ahead of time and avoid potential disputes down the line. Meredith Little outlines what verbiage and...
Posted by Meredith Little | March 13, 2009, 12:25 PM PDT | Latest comment by PMPsicle
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Answering client questions about perceived risks and benefits
Chip Camden notes that a client's decision to hire a consultant should come down to a risk/benefit analysis. With that in mind, here are seven questions prospective clients might ask you, along...
Posted by Chip Camden | March 10, 2009, 5:29 AM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Tips for choosing your professional email address
Your professional email address is like a handshake to clients. Chip Camden advises what to do and what not to do when creating that email address.
Posted by Chip Camden | September 13, 2011, 7:14 AM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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18 maxims of successful IT consulting
Chip Camden shares IT consulting lessons he's picked up over the years. After you read his pearls of wisdom, post your favorite consulting one-liners in the discussion.
Posted by Chip Camden | June 1, 2013, 5:39 AM PDT | Latest comment by Clendanielc
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Project management: One size does not fit all
Some projects are not suited to a Waterfall approach, and they're not a perfect fit for a 100% Agile approach. The solution might be a combination of the two project management methodologies.
Posted by Michelle Symonds | May 31, 2013, 6:03 AM PDT | Latest comment by sherry23
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Statement of work: essential or useless?
Chip Camden advises on how to write a statement of work that fits with an iterative development process, yet still provides assurances of value to the client and to the consultant.
Posted by Chip Camden | May 21, 2013, 11:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by Curtis_Wayne
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Maximize Office 365 for project management
Project managers can find a lot to like in Office 365 to keep their teams better connected and centralize their project information and communications.
Posted by Will Kelly | May 22, 2013, 5:55 AM PDT
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Learn BYOD policy best practices from templates
No two BYOD policies are or should be alike. Here are four BYOD policy templates that might help you seed your BYOD policy discussion and development process.
Posted by Will Kelly | May 1, 2013, 6:03 AM PDT
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Configure automated backups using SyncToy and Windows 7's Scheduled Task
Learn how to create a new SyncToy task that automatically schedules backups of the directories clients need regularly backed up to a network share or external hard disk.
Posted by Erik Eckel | March 9, 2012, 2:34 PM PST | Latest comment by wdpcpa
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Seven rules for flying with a laptop: Share these tips with clients
A client is planning on flying for an upcoming trip, and you know he may not have time to check the TSA's guidelines on traveling with a laptop. Be a good little elf and prepare your client for...
Posted by Susan Harkins | October 22, 2008, 5:00 AM PDT | Latest comment by Marty R. Milette
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Create a one-page status report with Microsoft Project 2010
See how easy it is to customize Microsoft Project 2010 to create a custom view that filters detailed tasks and highlights the major deliverables that need reviewing in a status report.
Posted by Andrew Makar | March 13, 2013, 12:51 AM PDT
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Define project scope to include deliverables, boundaries, and requirements
There are two places that scope is defined on your project. High-level scope is defined in your project charter. Low-level scope is defined in your business requirements document. High-level...
Posted by Tom Mochal | September 18, 2007, 1:01 AM PDT | Latest comment by user_786@...
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Microsoft Project Professional 2013 new features preview
After using the Microsoft Project Professional 2013 Preview, Will Kelly reports back on a handful of appealing new features and tools.
Posted by Will Kelly | September 18, 2012, 8:24 AM PDT
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Signs a client may not be ready for managed services
Warning bells should go off in your head if you spot any of these items indicating managed services are not a priority at a prospective client's site.
Posted by Erik Eckel | May 15, 2013, 9:44 AM PDT | Latest comment by secondstartech
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Customizable IT consultant sample contract
Chip Camden presents his standard consulting contract, along with explanations about each section. See if you can modify his contract to fit your needs.
Posted by Chip Camden | November 3, 2008, 6:31 AM PST | Latest comment by amilkh
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How to improve borderline client relationships
Here are four methods for reinvigorating a client relationship that has become strained. If these tactics don't work, it may be time to cut the client loose.
Posted by Erik Eckel | June 13, 2013, 8:44 PM PDT
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Use PERT technique for more accurate estimates
Regardless of the technique you use, the tendency in project estimation is to provide one number for each estimate. In other words, if you have 100 activities on your schedule, each activity would...
Posted by Tom Mochal | June 25, 2007, 8:16 AM PDT | Latest comment by joebailey77
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Independent contractors: Make sure your contract protects your interests
Writing a contract can help independent contractors and clients iron out project details ahead of time and avoid potential disputes down the line. Meredith Little outlines what verbiage and...
Posted by Meredith Little | March 13, 2009, 12:25 PM PDT | Latest comment by PMPsicle
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How to determine your consulting fees
In my previous post I mentioned that I'm raising rates for most of my clients this year -- which brings up the question of how we consultants should determine our rates to begin with. Most...
Posted by Chip Camden | January 4, 2008, 1:55 PM PST | Latest comment by DonnaMitchell
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Only novices daisy-chain switches
If you support so many network nodes that multiple switches are required, technology consultant Erik Eckel encourages you to do it right.
Posted by Erik Eckel | November 11, 2011, 11:56 PM PST | Latest comment by spglmn
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Three strengths of a technical project manager
A technical project manager straddles the line between technical savvy and organizational skill. As I mentioned in my earlier blog, this combination makes him prone to the same kinds of...
Posted by Shannon Kalvar | April 14, 2007, 5:25 AM PDT | Latest comment by Todder
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Free project collaboration tools that rock
Andrew Makar explains why these three project collaboration tools are worth a look: Cohuman, Asana, and Trello.
Posted by Andrew Makar | December 3, 2011, 1:45 PM PST | Latest comment by Johndenham
