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IT Consultant
Mary Weilage
TechRepublic Staff
Mary Weilage
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Consultant referral services compared
We last left our hero pondering a question about consulting challenges. Out of the 202 of you who responded as of this writing, 50% answered "finding new business". Interestingly,...
Posted by Chip Camden | January 18, 2008, 3:28 PM PST | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Two ways to envision a project in order to select the correct resolution techniques
Every few months someone comes to me and asks for help with the same problem. They don't know it's the same problem. In fact, it manifests differently each and every time. Fortunately a wise...
Posted by Shannon Kalvar | January 13, 2008, 5:40 PM PST | Latest comment by Jaqui
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What are your biggest consulting challenges?
On this blog I share my experiences, observations, and lessons learned as an independent consultant -- interspersed with questions for my readers. Even though I've been consulting...
Posted by Chip Camden | January 11, 2008, 12:05 PM PST | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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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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Six resolutions for a new year of consulting
It's hard to believe that I'm about to kiss 2007 goodbye when it seems like we barely got to know each other. With 2008 right around the corner, it's time to make some...
Posted by Chip Camden | December 27, 2007, 11:45 AM PST | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Five tips for subcontracting out work
So you find that you have too much work to do, or maybe you're lacking in expertise on some facet of your project, and you need to subcontract part of it out. What steps do you need to take?...
Posted by Chip Camden | December 21, 2007, 2:57 PM PST
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What are your top five programming languages?
Here's a little exercise I'd like all of you who do any programming to try. First, list your top five programming languages, in terms of your expertise (how well you know the language, not...
Posted by Chip Camden | December 14, 2007, 12:33 PM PST | Latest comment by drednot57
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Should you charge more when you don't know what you're doing?
In the discussion following last week's post Seven reasons to turn down business, TechRepublic member burntfinger1 said: If I don't have a particular skill set and the client wants me to "do...
Posted by Chip Camden | December 6, 2007, 3:35 PM PST | Latest comment by rcosby
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How consultants are like Santa's elves
I know that I take myself and my profession far too seriously. After all, managing projects for other people is how I pay for the roof over my family's head and the food they eat. However,...
Posted by Shannon Kalvar | December 2, 2007, 6:29 PM PST | Latest comment by RoseJM1884
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Seven reasons to turn down business
When I first started consulting independently, I was a software prostitute: any opening, name your position, I'd do any job that came my way if the price was right. Now that I'm older and...
Posted by Chip Camden | November 28, 2007, 1:10 PM PST | Latest comment by ferencMantfeld
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Three things I wish someone had told me when I started consulting
Years ago I had a choice of what career path to take. I chose to be a consultant, working long hours for modest pay in a field which at the time seemed pretty stable. The roller-coaster ride...
Posted by Shannon Kalvar | November 25, 2007, 6:39 PM PST | Latest comment by buyer@...
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Three tricks for dealing with the holidays as a consulting project manager
Travel costs have skyrocketed. No one is available to finish off those last ugly bits of work before the budgets run out. Everyone seems to want to hang out with their families, generally in...
Posted by Shannon Kalvar | November 18, 2007, 8:03 AM PST
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What is your IT specialty?
Even though the name of this blog is "IT Consultant," I never call myself by that title. As TechRepublic member sheila said, everybody needs a specialization -- and "IT" is way too broad a term...
Posted by Chip Camden | November 16, 2007, 10:10 AM PST | Latest comment by IT.Consultant
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Some thoughts on passing as an extrovert
A lot of professional project management consultants choose to pass rather than reveal their true colors. We choose to pretend to welcome people to our cubes, to speak up during the unending roll...
Posted by Shannon Kalvar | November 11, 2007, 5:12 AM PST | Latest comment by ibd@...
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How to find new business
No matter how good your relationship with your clients, eventually one or more of them will become inactive. It's a fact of business, and it may or may not have anything to do with your quality...
Posted by Chip Camden | November 9, 2007, 5:55 PM PST | Latest comment by Maineword
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How to manage invoicing and receivables as an independent consultant
Once you're in business for yourself, the third question you have to ask (after you've successfully answered "Where do I find any business?" and "How do I get it all done?") is "How do I bill...
Posted by Chip Camden | November 2, 2007, 4:17 PM PDT | Latest comment by pochmans@...
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Three ways project managers give in to threats
We live in a corporate environment (and indeed a social one) where the fear of personal, financial, or political harm counts for more than the honest calculation of risk. Economists are slowly...
Posted by Shannon Kalvar | October 28, 2007, 7:14 AM PDT | Latest comment by imhorwood@...
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Handling office politics from the outside
One of the reasons I became an independent consultant was to get away from the various interpersonal conflicts that recur in an office setting. Simply by putting my stakes down off the org...
Posted by Chip Camden | October 23, 2007, 4:31 PM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Some advice on taking advice
Many project management blogs, including this one, talk a lot about what to do in a specific set of circumstances. We share “tricks of the trade�, ranging from organizational tips to silly...
Posted by Shannon Kalvar | October 21, 2007, 5:11 PM PDT
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Tips for growing your consultancy with government contracts
There's no doubt that there are downsides to working with the government. But if your small or medium business is awarded a government contract, it can help your business grow exponentially.The...
Posted by Toni Bowers | October 18, 2007, 5:44 AM PDT | Latest comment by frank@...
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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
