A consultant is someone who offers professional advice and service based on his deep knowledge and expertise in a specific area, combined with a broad knowledge in the related field. What does it take to be a good IT Consultant? Here are some of my opinions, and tips that I have gathered:

Client relationship

Client trust is key to being a good consultant. It is assumed that a consultant is an expert in something, but an expert who cannot be relied on cannot be of much help. As important as technical expertise is, from the client’s perspective, often a consultant with whom trust has been established is preferred over a stranger; in some cases even when the consultant is required to pick up a new skill or expertise.

Time management

A consultant must be self-starter. Unlike most regular full-timers, who are looking to others for instructions and vision, the consultant needs to think, learn, and act independently for the most part. He must be disciplined and become good at juggling multiple projects (personal or business) simultaneously. A person who works hard even when no one is watching possesses a crucial character trait that makes up a good consultant.

Technical skill

A consultant must constantly be seeking to build on his expertise. By nature, he should never stay stagnant in his knowledge and understanding of his field and beyond. Much of this happens while working on a project, but he must set aside time to supplement inevitable learning with intentional learning based on his education goals.

Drawing on prior experience is beneficial in any context, all the more when it comes to consulting, where the client is often looking to him for a solution or opinion that is based on real life success (or failure for that matter).

One must be familiar with the latest trends in IT, and be able to think through how they can be harnessed in a specific client context. Depending on how technologically ambitious a client is, this skill can make a huge difference.

Other basics

A big part of building trust with clients is to be honest in all matters, from billing hours to owning up to your mistakes.

One must sincerely seek the success of the clients, as opposed to merely viewing them as opportunities for financial gain. In all contexts, help others as much as possible. Within reason, be willing to inherit the technical problems of others as you try to help them arrive at a solution. Don’t shy away from hard challenges; becoming well-versed in knocking out such challenges regularly refines the consultant as a whole.

Know yourself well

Not everyone is cut out for consulting. Know your strengths and weaknesses well enough to be able to discern whether consulting is for you. At the same time, remember that there will always be a risk involved in switching from a ‘steady’ full-time job into consulting; take it slow, and work on developing your consulting skills within your current job.

Some questions to ask in gauging whether you have consulting blood in you:

• Do I try to understand the business goals of a client on any given project? Am I a big picture person even when working on the nitty-gritty details?
• Do I see technology as an end rather than means to help clients succeed in their business?
• Do I have a curious mind in general? Do I care to know the new IT trends in the market?
• Do I think critically when working on solution implementation, or execute without constructive questioning?