The IT Counsulting Skill Set

In chapter two the author brought about some very good points. The most obvious is the first point, if you plan to venture into the consulting business; it’s wise to become an expert in the area that you plan to consult in. Your technical, or, should I say your, expertise in your technical area are a great part of what makes you a consultant. As a client, one would hate to pay anyone who really does not know what they are talking about. As far as the business aspect, is concerned I find it some what difficult to comprehend. Being a good business person is not something you can purchase. I know of a man in the Brownsville area who began his business by selling cars and shoes. It sounded strange to me when I heard his story; it just seems that cars and shoes do not go together. This man would ride the bus up north; he would then find a vehicle he thought he could sell in the Rio Grand Valley and purchase this vehicle. Then, he’d go to a shoe outlet and fill this vehicle full of shoes. He would then drive the vehicle full of shoes down to the Valley; he would sell the vehicle in the U.S and the shoes in Mexico. He would do this once a week; he now owns a car lot worth an estimated 1.5 million dollars. I guess what I’m trying to say is that good business people are self made and not taught. You could be an expert in your area, but if you lack the business skills you will not make a good consultant. This leads to the last skill mentioned in this chapter. I personally believe that this skill is the most important; this skill makes the difference between a good consultant and a great consultant. Communication is the key to everything, a consultant could be the most knowledgeable person in their area, they could be the best business person but without effective communication this means nothing. The author states that “without clear, open, and effective communication between the parties, consulting cannot take place.” This pretty much summarizes the chapter; a consultant can not exist without good communication skills. These skills are essential in this particular field; an IT that can not communicate with the client will be out of a job.