Steps to IT consulting?

[FFactory0x]

If you work for a IT software/hardware strategy consulting company.

What are the steps from the beginning to the end of the consultation.

Ive worked with computers for years and held IT admin and IT analyst positions for the past 3 years. I have an interview tommorow with a Business Strat and IT Consulting company. They are a systems integration firm that specializes in business and IT strategy, industry-specific software solutions, and IT staffing services.

What kind of things should I know before going in there?

I want to have the consulting steps down pat as well

Example

1) Entry

Communication between client and change agent
Organizational change process analyzed

2) Contracting
Formal Agreement between client and change agent
Identification of goals and expectations of involved parties
Agreement on projected dates of completion

3) Information Gathering

etc

 

[SagaLore]

4) ...
5) Profit!

 

[ultimatebob]

It sounds like you should really do a Google search on "Software Development Models" and figure it out from there.

 

[her209]

Wow. Just wow.

 

[mooglekit]

And this would be why many people (myself included) avoid the majority of IT consulting firms...

 

[IceBergSLiM]

1) find out what the customer wants and needs
2) promise them everything they want and need x 100
3) Deliver something they don't need, over budget and not on schedule
4) Profit.
5) Repeat steps 1-4 for Phases II + III

 

[SoulAssassin]

Everything you need to know is here.

Seriously, if you're going for a consulting interview they shouldn't be asking you about all of the backend stuff like how they obtain the SoW. I've been working in IT for about 8 years and consulting for a little less than a year. When I interview people I focus more on their knowledge of the product and troubleshooting abilities. We have people that work with the customer ahead of time to create the SoW which encompasses most of the information you mention. Salesmanship is a part of the job to the degree of keeping the customer happy and that's something that is absolutely part of the interview process but I wouldn't expect to be asked to explain the entire consulting process from soup to nuts.

If the interview doesn't work out let me know what skills you have and if it matches with something we have I'll see what I can do. Mostly engineering and implementor roles, travel (fully expensed of course) would be required for most roles.

 

[Descartes]

I own a consulting firm with about 20 consultants and 2 partners, and we do a lot of interviewing for ourselves and clients. I'll give you some tips that, in my experience, immediately separate the desirables from non-desirables.

Personally, I think you've got the wrong start with trying to memorize "consulting steps." Where did you get those steps? First of all, that's missing probably 90% of what's typically performed for a client; second, trying to derive steps at all implies a misunderstanding of consulting in general. You never know what the client will expect, and the transaction between companies is almost never the same. Sure, you have some artifacts that ultimately echo across clients and industries, but that's rarely the case. Then when you consider the incredible number of processes out there (e.g. could be anything from ITIL to CMM, XP to Scrum, etc. depending on what you intend to do).

Ok, so now let me provide something constructive. You absolutely have to be flexible in mind. You'll develop this over time anyway, but what consultants absolutely must have is an ability to adapt; they need to be able to consider any scenario and orchestrate it with appropriate efficiency, and attempting to push it into a mold so that it conforms to some process simply doesn't work. You have to anticipate change, embrace it and factor everything that comes up into the solution at all times.

Finally, you need to appear "bright." Many don't necessarily expect you to have the greatest technical ability, but you have to give the impression of confidence, because this is what you'll convey to the client. If you're a little timid, don't answer assertively, etc. you'll likely be passed. Answer with confidence even if you don't have the "right" answer (there likely isn't one). Don't try to regurgitate what some webpage said, but instead try to understand intuitively and speak about it intelligently.

I realize I'm probably not helping, but hopefully this made some sense. Just realize that consulting firms look for people that are dynamic and accepting of change. Let me know if I can help...

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Finally, you need to appear "bright." Many don't necessarily expect you to have the greatest technical ability, but you have to give the impression of confidence, because this is what you'll convey to the client. If you're a little timid, don't answer assertively, etc. you'll likely be passed. Answer with confidence even if you don't have the "right" answer (there likely isn't one). Don't try to regurgitate what some webpage said, but instead try to understand intuitively and speak about it intelligently.

I just wanted to echo these comments and add that at all times you need to be honest and if you don't know the answer, say so and that you'll find out what it is. A person who doesn't know and is afraid to admit it is 100x more dangerous than someone who will. This goes for consulting in general as well as the interview itself. Recognize that if it's a technical interview the person on the other end of the phone probably (hopefully) knows more than you else they wouldn't be interviewing you and they can usually see through bs.