IT consultant

Information technology consultant job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

IT consultants are contracted to work with industrial and commercial clients who are seeking help and advice about business and IT problems. There are many similarities between their work and that of systems analysts, designers and applications programmers.

A typical project involves:

• consulting staff
• defining objectives
• determining information system requirements
• making recommendations
• compiling and presenting information
• writing reports and documentation
• designing and installing IT systems
• training users
• answering feedback.

A flexible attitude to working patterns is also helpful as periods of working away from home can sometimes be required.

Typical employers of IT consultants

• management consultancy firms
• software houses
• financial organisations
• consultancies that specialise in technology.

Vacancies (particularly those with major employers) attract intense competition, and are advertised by recruitment agencies, careers services, via the internet and in newspapers and publications such as Computing and Computer Weekly. The Directory of Management Consultants in the UK, and Computer Users Yearbook are useful sources of contact information for speculative applications.

Qualifications and training required

A degree is acceptable for entry, although a qualification in a relevant subject can be advantageous. These subjects include operational research, business studies, management, mathematics, computer science or software engineering. For graduates without appropriate experience or qualifications, a postgraduate IT conversion course may be beneficial.

Key skills for IT consultants

• meticulousness
• a logical mind
• capable of meeting high standards
• good problem-solving skills
• teamworking skills
• analytical skills
• interpersonal skills.