Consultants: Hire one? Be one?

January 30, 2001 —

Welcome to ITworld.com's special report on IT consultants. Each week ITworld.com presents a comprehensive examination of an important IT topic, with content targeting the various components of our audience, CIOs, IT managers and technical professionals. You’ve all heard the old saw: “A consultant is someone who borrows your watch and then for a hefty fee tells you what time it is.” Kidding aside, consultants have become a vital part of the IT landscape. And who hasn’t thought about striking out on their own? Our report covers both sides of the coin: How to hire a consultant and whether you should become one.

Hiring And Working With A Consultant

How to pick a winner

Know the difference between a consultant and a contractor

E-Commerce strategists differ from old-line business consultants. Here's what you need to know before you hire one.

Paying your consultant may not be as straightforward as you think. Several methods exist; choose the one that's right for your company.

Make sure these horror stories happen to someone else

Computerworld’s second annual consultants salary survey

Living The Life Of A Consultant

Should you move on? Feeling unappreciated? Now is the opportune time to explore the consulting waters.

Veteran consultants tell how to set up your new business

How to bankroll your new venture

Is it better to know Java or C++?

Need to update your skills? Try a Web-based training course

Don't make these 10 stupid mistakes

The art and science of estimating

Demand grows for Web-savvy developers

What’s it really like being a consultant?

Additional ITworld.com Network Resources

Case Study: An IT department becomes a consulting company

Computerworld's 4th annual hiring forecast

The Computerworld Career Advisor answers your questions

Best and worst career moves

Tell us what you think about being a consultant or hiring one. Go to ITworld.com's Careers and Management discussion forum and share your thoughts.

Book Excerpt: Five fatal flaws doom most consulting assignments. Learn how to recognize and avoid them. From the book High-Impact Consulting by Robert H. Schaffer

Other Resources

These third-party sites are not endorsed by ITworld.com.

Learn how much consultants are charging at realrates.com

Get information on consulting legal issues, finances and more at Contract Employee's Handbook

From the IEEE, the Consultants' Services Page supports self-employed IEEE members

The nonprofit Independent Computer Consultants Association provides professional development opportunities and support programs for independent consultants. The site also offers a "find-a-consultant" feature.

The Professional and Technical Consultants Association offers consultant directories, referrals, training, mentoring, insurance discounts and more

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