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What constitutes as a "consultant" ?

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by timnmb2

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I am in the IT field (no kidding, ehy?). I am starting out just repairing computers. I have read many post and stumbled on the "consultant" threads. Now, I am wondering, if I am the one taking apart the computer, telling the customer what they need and then advising what should be done to resolve the problem, aren?t I also a consultant? Albeit a low paid consultant/repair man.

Now, my REAL question is this. I saw a post where someone said "I administer all the computers, LAN setup, 30people, 16 printers"....yada yada yada. He then says "when I need a consultant for what I don?t know, I call one in. Okay, now, if he can do all that, what the HECK does he need a consultant for??????? What then is a consultants exact job (I might want to be one)??

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by shiny_topadm

Hi, I understand your question, but there really isn't a universal answer. If I need to add/change something on the company's network and it happens to be outside my area of expertise, I might get a "consultant's opinion". That consultant could bean engineer, a manufacturer's rep, a salesperson, or a peer(etc.) so the line between "consulting" and "selling" might be very indistinct. I use this approach for those things that it really isn't worth my time to learn in depth, or for something that there isn't time for me to learn enough before the company needs to make a decision. An example: The company decided that they wanted Internet access provided over our internal network. Even though I know the nuts & bolts of how to do that, I had a planning session with someone who is a security expert. That was an "informal" consultation. I hope that helped your understanding.

---Will

by hal 9000

Simply put someone who a company ect calls in to give advice on a certain area of expertiese like intergrating an internet connection over a network but still maintain security. Or how to implement a WAN when there is a merger or something similar.For an EXPERT answer to this question you should seek Maxwell Edison as he know everything about anything you would need to know.

by oldefar

Consult: to get information or advice from a person, book, etc. with special knowledge on a particular subject.

Consultant: an individual whose primary function is to provide information or advice on a particular subject.

Everyone does some consulting. After all, opinions are like rectums - everyone has one and they all stink but mine. When giving that opinion for a fee becomes the primary job function of an individual, they move into the function of consultant. (This may not apply to security consultants sense they are often so anal retentive as to make the existense of a rectum questionable. :))

Please remit payment of $100 US for this consultancy engagement.

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