A 16 page paper. The introduction provides an overview of becoming an IT consultant. The next section outlines advantages and disadvantages of becoming an independent consultant. The writer then discusses how to find potential clients and includes specific ideas for the private sector client and the government process for contracting with independent businesses or individuals, including Web sites that are useful. The RFP (Request for Proposal) is explained section by section with advice on completing the proposal. And example is provided. The writer ends by discussing the many other skills needed to be a successful information technology consultant, including people skills. Bibliography lists 8 sources.
Name of Research Paper File: MM12_PGitcns.rtf
Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
others will pay for, it can be a very rewarding venture. It is never easy because being a consultant in any field can be a "cruel, cold business world" (Smith,
2000). Anyone who has read Michael Porter knows that one of the strategies for gaining a competitive advantage is to find a niche and fill it. The same thing
holds true for a person who has decided to become an information technology (IT) consultant (Smith, 2001). Smith says that each IT expert must find their own niche, that
is the area in which the individual has expert skill and ability to compete in the market (Smith, 2001). "Operating in a niche makes it both easier and more cost-effective
to focus your sales and marketing efforts at a much more targeted audience, giving you a measurable marketing advantage over general consultants" (Smith, 2001). General IT consultants are always
trying to get whatever job they see might be offered, even those for which they have marginal skills and knowledge (Smith, 2001). A consultant who operates within a niche market
wont waste time with those projects for which she is note really qualified and will focus energies where they belong - obtaining the job they can do well (Smith,
2001). There are some ways in which a person can find their market niche (Smith, 2001). One idea is to focus IT skill sets in a market segment, such as
building networks for public schools (Smith, 2001). Each market segment has its own set of politics and procedures and appreciate finding a consultant who is familiar with these (Smith, 2001).
Finding the market niche requires a personal listing of all the sets of skills the person possesses, rate and rank them to determine in which the person is most skilled