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IT Consultant
Mary Weilage
TechRepublic Staff
Mary Weilage
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The worst client of all
Consultants, how do you deal with your IT needs? Do you schedule time for yourself, as if you were a client? Let us know in the discussion.
Posted by Chip Camden | May 11, 2012, 7:44 AM PDT | Latest comment by JohnMcGrew@...
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Download TechRepublic's Server Update and Patch Management Policy
Consultants can better prepare clients for required server patch and upgrade maintenance operations by using this TechRepublic policy.
Posted by Erik Eckel | May 11, 2012, 6:40 AM PDT
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Open letter to tech vendors: Stop circumventing IT consultants
Tech vendors should focus on making quality products and offering good service rather than circumventing IT consultants in an attempt to increase the vendor's revenue stream.
Posted by Erik Eckel | May 4, 2012, 1:32 PM PDT | Latest comment by ananthap@...
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Fortinet firewalls, a potent UTM option for consultants
Fortinet ranked at the top of Gartner's leaders/visionaries quadrant in a recent Magic Quadrant report. Learn more reasons why Fortinet firewalls are worth a look.
Posted by Erik Eckel | May 3, 2012, 8:45 AM PDT | Latest comment by sberman
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Don't let your niche become an empty buzzword
When a reader asks for advice about whether to be a cloud migration specialist, Chip Camden suggests how to expand the substance of his niche offering.
Posted by Chip Camden | May 1, 2012, 7:38 AM PDT | Latest comment by apotheon
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Reduce injury risks and gain efficiencies with ServerLIFT devices
If your large consultancy can justify the cost, an IT equipment lift such as ones from ServerLIFT offers a number of benefits.
Posted by Erik Eckel | April 27, 2012, 4:15 PM PDT
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Post-close requests from clients: When is enough too much?
Read advice on how many hours you should eat on clients' post-final invoice tasks, and how to avoid these requests in the first place.
Posted by Ken Hardin | April 25, 2012, 7:37 AM PDT | Latest comment by sullivanacctg@...
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The most stressful elements of breaking in to full-time consulting
When you became an independent consultant, was the most stressful part finding enough business to stay afloat, the feast or famine syndrome, or something else?
Posted by Chip Camden | April 24, 2012, 9:04 AM PDT | Latest comment by matt.rodela@...
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Download TechRepublic Pro's Data Backup Policy to avoid data loss
TechRepublic Pro's customizable Data Backup Policy will help your organization determine what needs backing up and specify where to find that information.
Posted by Erik Eckel | April 20, 2012, 11:43 PM PDT
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The fine line between persistence and stagnation in IT consulting
Ask yourself these five questions to determine whether you're persisting in progress or stagnating in your IT consulting career.
Posted by Chip Camden | April 18, 2012, 2:34 PM PDT | Latest comment by PMPsicle
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Five cloud-based PM tools to suit a wide range of projects
Learn about Zoho Projects, Planbox, ProWorkflow, Basecamp, and Milestone Planner to determine if one of the project management tools might be the right fit for your client.
Posted by Ken Hardin | April 17, 2012, 6:37 AM PDT | Latest comment by kkubova
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VMware VSP accreditation: What consultants can expect
The VMware Sales Professional 5 accreditation helps consultants understand and sell VMware's virtualization solutions. Learn what each VSP training module covers.
Posted by Erik Eckel | April 14, 2012, 11:50 PM PDT
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Why 'Value Dials' is a game-changing concept in portfolio management
Learn how disciplined portfolio management helps organizations select and deliver the right projects to fulfill their strategic goals.
Posted by Rick Freedman | April 11, 2012, 1:45 PM PDT
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IT consultants' four overselling mistakes
Chip Camden identifies common overselling mistakes consultants make and boils down the basic formula for avoiding this practice.
Posted by Chip Camden | April 10, 2012, 10:43 AM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Image-based backups add recovery flexibility
Erik Eckel describes the specific ways in which image-based backups are critical safeguards for IT consulting work.
Posted by Erik Eckel | April 4, 2012, 9:36 AM PDT | Latest comment by RickLaw38
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Break the cycle of project push back
Justin James advises development project managers on how to resolve issues with clients and IT departments about workflow processes.
Posted by Justin James | April 3, 2012, 11:30 AM PDT | Latest comment by Tony Hopkinson
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Landing that all-important first client
Find out why Chip Camden thinks that if you decide to become a consultant and then start looking for business, you're doing it wrong.
Posted by Chip Camden | April 2, 2012, 8:10 PM PDT | Latest comment by Sterling "chip" Camden
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Don't let car problems bring your consulting business to a halt
A road warrior IT consultant recommends applying the same troubleshooting skills to your car emergency that you would employ when confronting a downed server.
Posted by Bob Eisenhardt | March 31, 2012, 2:03 PM PDT | Latest comment by mjd420nova
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Don't cold call prospective clients
Chip Camden explains why he doesn't think cold calling is the best way to contact a prospect and suggests more helpful modes of communication.
Posted by Chip Camden | March 28, 2012, 1:33 PM PDT | Latest comment by mongocrush
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Tactical tips for creating a successful deliverables-based SOW
When you're creating a deliverables-based Statement of Work, Ken Hardin advises that you err on the side of clarity.
Posted by Ken Hardin | March 26, 2012, 1:50 PM PDT | Latest comment by mikewor
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Mitigate project role confusion for staff wearing multiple hats
If you expect your developers or contractors to take on business analyst or project manager roles, here are three ways to help them be effective and stay motivated.
Posted by Rick Freedman | July 23, 2012, 5:01 PM PDT | Latest comment by lars.aarby@...
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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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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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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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Marketing trends and strategies for consultants
These survey results indicate what types of marketing consultants spend time on compared with how those varying time commitments result in income.
Posted by Chip Camden | April 23, 2013, 7:07 AM PDT | Latest comment by joerejeski
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Herding tigers: How to manage subcontractors for your consultancy
Chip Camden tells a reader who is starting an IT consultancy that she has to coordinate efforts between clients and her genius subcontractors. Post your advice on managing subcontractors.
Posted by Chip Camden | May 7, 2013, 1:25 PM PDT | Latest comment by realvarezm
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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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Telling clients 'I don't know' is acceptable
Consultants should market themselves to clients as providing the right answers rather than having all the answers. This is why it's beneficial to know how to conduct reasoned research.
Posted by Chip Camden | August 23, 2011, 7:49 AM PDT | Latest comment by bobp@...
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Huddle: a worthy SharePoint alternative for client collaboration
SharePoint is the go-to collaboration suite for most professional services firms. Find out why the SaaS-based Huddle might be a more expedient and user-friendly client extranet option.
Posted by Will Kelly | May 16, 2013, 12:40 PM PDT
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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
