IT consultants are in demand and we should know. We are growing and are always on the lookout for our next super star consultant to join our team. Businesses have become reliant on IT as the world goes more and more online, and because of this, great IT consultants are in hot demand. So, if you want to forge a career in IT or indeed want to know what skills you need to make you shine brighter than the rest, here we outline six key skills that will help you be an excellent IT consultant.
Analytical thinking
Most IT consultants help a business to be more efficient and navigate the issues they are facing. Businesses rely on an IT consultant to not only help them operate on a day-to-day basis, but also help them to transform their business going forward. If you are a great problem solver and are always looking at new ways to tackle business issues – you’ll make a great consultant.
The bigger picture
Following on from the above point, if a business is looking to grow or transform itself, IT needs to be central to that strategic thinking. As an IT consultant, you need to know the business aims so that you can plan and deliver the right support to help the business develop and grow. It is not just thinking about what support and advice you can deliver today, but also thinking about how their IT infrastructure may look in the next 5-10 years, so you can support them in their growth.
Getting to know the customer and their systems
Many people won’t understand the full details of an IT solution or know what systems they have in place. They don’t need to. They just need it to work, and work well. Understanding what your client wants their IT system to deliver is key. Then you can map this on to the most appropriate technology to provide the perfect solution. At Greystone this is one of our key consulting principals and allows us to provide a tailored, personal approach that our customers really appreciate.
Read the room
Unless you are an IT consultant the chances are you won’t understand the finer details of an IT system, as why would you? People’s understanding of IT varies, so part of the job is to understand what level of knowledge you are pitching too, and can talk at your audience’s level of experience and clearly explain the real-world benefits of the service or solution.
Attention to detail
Essentially an IT consultant is dealing with systems that a business completely relies on to operate. You need to ensure you know the infrastructure inside and out. Some IT systems are complicated and if you are implementing, carrying out maintenance, or upgrading it to help deliver efficiencies, it’s vital you do all this with attention to detail to ensure the system works effectively. Sometimes a seemingly small system change can lead to significant problems further down the line.
Always learning
IT evolves at a fast pace. As an IT consultant, you need to be at the forefront of any changes and any new developments within the industry. Whether this be new technology developments, new systems, security updates, etc. Ensure you are learning all the time so your knowledge is up to date and you understand how you can use it to help deliver even more for your clients.
If you are looking to join a team like Greystone, then keep an eye on our careers page here or get in touch.
Greystone: Making sense of IT and software solutions
