An IT consultant job description includes analyzing and diagnosing a company’s security framework. IT infrastructure has become an essential part of any big firm that acquires, stores, and transfers customer information. From eCommerce ventures that collect payment information to companies with a large network of clients and employees, information security represents an essential process in modern industries.
IT consultants provide services to companies through their expertise. Unlike more programming-centric IT jobs, however, IT consultation focuses more heavily on communication. Read on to learn about what IT consultants are and the skills and experience they need to succeed.
What are IT Consultants?
As opposed to IT engineers or architects who design company security systems, consultants simply evaluate them. They can be hired on a freelance basis or as an in-house company wage-earner to evaluate security protocols. They must be able to identify a company’s security issues as well as implement solutions to solve their business’s issues.
Therefore, IT consultants are responsible for these tasks, at a minimum:
- Being aware of current technology solutions to security problems
- Identifying a security network’s problems
- Testing and installing new security technology
- Communicating with IT departments and managers about the business’s technology needs
- Creating user manuals that reduce technical information to readable instructions
Thus, IT consultants have two major duties: knowing technology solutions that match a company’s needs and communicating these solutions to the company’s departments. As a mix of computer science and communication, IT consultants need diverse education and skills to be successful in their chosen position.
IT Consultant Job Description: Education, Skills, and Experience
IT consultants need experience in technology solutions, which should include a degree in programming, computer science, information systems, or a related practical field. However, those who want to become more competitive as consultants in this industry should consider higher education. Owing to an IT consultant’s communication duties, a master’s in business administration can go a long way.
This is because IT consultants need not only programming expertise but interpersonal, problem-solving, and organizational skills. Company managers know that they need a mix of analytical thinking and expertise in their IT professionals.
As for responsibilities, these are the basic skills that an IT consultant needs to refine to accomplish the duties mentioned above:
- Analyzing and diagnosing IT infrastructure for system weaknesses
- Creating timelines for departments to complete security solutions
- Identifying a business’s technology needs and communicating them to managers
- Responding to security threats
- Training IT staff and collaborating with other departments
- Keeping detailed reports on technology solutions
Experience in these areas will make you a competitive applicant in a growing field. While many IT consultants work for companies on retainer, freelance consultation work has quickly become a major avenue for consultants to build their portfolio.
The Takeaway for Prospective IT Consultants
The IT consultant job description includes many skills and responsibilities involved in not only programming but communication and management. Therefore, diverse experience and education in multiple fields can make an applicant more competitive. Follow the above brief guide to skills and responsibilities to begin your career as an IT consultant, perhaps even as a freelancer.
