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IT Consultant
Mary Weilage
TechRepublic Staff
Mary Weilage
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How Managed Services Provider University can help your IT consultancy
If your IT consultancy is introducing or refining its managed services provider offerings, find out how MSP University can help through training, best practices, and assistance.
Posted by Erik Eckel | October 8, 2012, 10:28 AM PDT
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Review: LivePlan business planning service
LivePlan is an online service for entrepreneurs who need to develop a business plan. Consultant Chip Camden gives his opinion about whether LivePlan is worth the $20 monthly subscription.
Posted by Chip Camden | October 5, 2012, 10:29 AM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Take your project management application open source with ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is an open source alternative to Microsoft Project. Will Kelly reveals what he likes and what he thinks needs improving in ProjectLibre.
Posted by Will Kelly | October 3, 2012, 9:17 AM PDT
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Tracking your performance as an independent IT consultant
Are you meeting your client's expectations and your financial requirements? These are just two of the questions you should answer when tracking your performance.
Posted by Chip Camden | October 2, 2012, 11:38 AM PDT | Latest comment by mbaizman
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How IT consultants can deal with language barriers
Verbal communication can be a challenge when you're working with resources all over the place as an IT consultant, but you can't abandon it entirely. Get pointers for handling this potentially...
Posted by Ken Hardin | September 27, 2012, 11:48 AM PDT | Latest comment by Brian Barker
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Identify tasks to update in Microsoft Project 2010
Learn how to customize Microsoft Project 2010 to use simple indicator flags. You can apply these formulas to baseline dates, cost fields, and a variety of other Microsoft Project fields.
Posted by Andrew Makar | September 24, 2012, 9:40 AM PDT
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Twitter demonstrates troubleshooting capacity in tech crisis
Erik Eckel recounts how his IT consultancy used Twitter with great success during a recent tech crises, thanks to the real-time assistance and collaboration with other consultants.
Posted by Erik Eckel | September 21, 2012, 1:32 PM PDT | Latest comment by Jaqui
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Be courageous when your client calls in another consultant
Chip Camden reflects on how he will respond if a client brings in another consultant who muddies the working relationship.
Posted by Chip Camden | September 19, 2012, 3:15 PM PDT | Latest comment by JohnMcGrew@...
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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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Sell clients on solutions not your tech skills
Greg Miliates cautions against falling into the trap of thinking that your IT skills are important. Customers care more about the end result than your resume.
Posted by Greg Miliates | September 14, 2012, 11:10 AM PDT | Latest comment by pmerighi
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Devise a business plan before becoming an independent consultant
The first step in becoming an IT consultant is creating a business plan in which you evaluate why a client would use your services. Here's expert advice on this process.
Posted by Chip Camden | September 12, 2012, 10:24 AM PDT | Latest comment by JohnMcGrew@...
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Project managers get social with #PMChat
Project managers around the world can get answers to management questions in 140 characters or less every Friday at 12:00 PM ET thanks to #PMChat.
Posted by Andrew Makar | September 6, 2012, 12:06 PM PDT
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When to recommend a research project to a client
Chip Camden explains how to know when you should recommend a research project to a client and what two priorities are extremely important to get right when you do.
Posted by Chip Camden | September 4, 2012, 1:47 PM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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How to identify and target a profitable IT consulting niche
Charge more than burger-flipping rates for your IT consulting work by specializing. Read tips on how finding and evaluating a niche market.
Posted by Greg Miliates | August 31, 2012, 9:10 AM PDT
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Agile strategic planning and innovation at Pandora
Internet radio service Pandora's CTO and VP Tom Conrad describes how the company's agile strategic planning process diverged from the traditional, annual, all-hands product planning session.
Posted by Rick Freedman | August 29, 2012, 1:51 PM PDT | Latest comment by glen.jackson@...
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Want to be an IT consultant? The grass isn't greener
Before you switch gears and follow your dream of being a full-time independent tech consultant, try to align your expectations with reality.
Posted by Chip Camden | August 22, 2012, 7:51 PM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Steps consultants should take before hiring corporate IT pros
Erik Eckel shares three tips that will help ensure corporate IT pros your tech consulting firm interviews are hired for roles in which they will succeed.
Posted by Erik Eckel | August 20, 2012, 9:33 PM PDT | Latest comment by John_LI_IT_Guy
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The softer side of Agile: Leading collaborative teams to success
Feedback, communication, and motivation are key factors in three Agile Manifesto principles that lend themselves to successful project team collaboration.
Posted by Guest Contributor | August 16, 2012, 2:38 PM PDT
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Dealing with mindless consulting tasks
How well do your consulting engagements make use of your intellect? Answer this poll question, and read tips on getting boring tasks out of the way quickly and avoiding procrastination.
Posted by Chip Camden | August 15, 2012, 8:19 PM PDT | Latest comment by sann_mcghee@...
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Create a project issue log in Trello
Trello is a collaboration tool that organizes projects into boards and cards. Andrew Makar describes how to create a project issue log in this innovative PM tool.
Posted by Andrew Makar | August 14, 2012, 9:10 AM PDT
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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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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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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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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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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
