A successful IT consultant has numerous varying responsibilities which require a blend of hard and soft skills. The nature of the role means it is often difficult to find someone who fits the criteria entirely. It also means that many IT employees in other positions might be suited to the job, but haven’t recognised that they meet the requirements. IT recruitment agencies are useful for distinguishing suitable candidates who can cover both the technical and customer-facing side of things.
IT consultants are unique.
As mentioned above, it can be difficult, at first glance, to identify who will make a successful IT consultant. The fact is only a small proportion of IT professionals are a good fit for the role. Most IT salespeople have an abundance of communication skills, with a lot of customer service experience to back it up, but lack the technical capacity. People who work as programmers or developers have plenty of technical knowledge but may not have the necessary communication skills and customer service experience. However, a small number of those with the technical skills and expertise will also love interacting with a broad scope of people. Those are the candidates who have the foundations to make great IT consultants.
Technical skills.
An IT consultant must have a robust technical knowledge. After all, they are there to advise your company on the steps they should take to improve their IT. 48% of companies report tech-performance issues daily, and IT consultants need the knowhow to tackle the variety of problems thrown their way to reduce this statistic. They also plan, design and install software, so lacking in technical skills is not feasible. Having exceptional tech skills also allows IT consultants to foresee risks and future problems that they can provide solutions for.
Many companies will have potential candidates who are currently manifesting technical roles. But recognising the right intersection of skills and experience can still be challenging. By using an experienced IT recruitment agency, you can save the time you would normally spend looking for potential consultants.
Communication skills.
IT consultants have to talk to people both in and outside the IT department. They, therefore, need to be able to successfully communicate (sometimes complicated) knowledge in a laymen’s terms.
Not only this, but they need to be active relationship builders. If a consultant is going to be trusted to make recommendations of how a company should invest in its tech, they need to be able to build rapport quickly.
Excellent communication is also essential for quick decision making. An IT consultant who isn’t afraid to flag down those in charge of investments to make recommendations is going to improve the productivity and ROI of businesses. The stats back it up, too. Companies with connected employees can improve productivity by up to 25%, and 28% reported poor communication as being primarily responsible for failure to complete projects within its original timeframe.
Conclusion.
Overall, a successful IT consultant is someone who embodies the necessary depth of hard skills and soft skills, i.e. the intersection of technological capabilities and communication. Finding a candidate who has the right combination of hard and soft skills is a challenge. That is why GK recruitment is on hand to help you identify candidates with the right attributes to be successful IT consultants.
At GK recruitment, we have over 20 years of IT recruitment experience. If you need help in recruiting a successful IT consultant who suits your team, we can help you find your perfect match. Contact us on 01257 429 499 or email us at info@gkrecruitment.com.
