How to Start an IT Consulting Business
IT, or informational technology, refers to the development and use of computer-based technology. This can mean many different things, starting with the design of computer software and ending with the transmission of information over the Internet or via specialized networks. A consulting business can cover several aspects of the industry or focus on just one, depending on your areas of expertise.
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Instructions
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Decide what type of services you will offer. This depends mainly on your knowledge, although it's possible to start an IT consulting business by joining forces with experts in other fields and offering a more comprehensive service. In any case, you still need to make up a list of services offered and a list of services you won't be able to provide (so you can turn down or refer work as soon as you are asked).
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Decide what type of IT company you want to start. If you work on your own and freelance for companies, you will have to file your own taxes. If you form a corporation, you will be entitled to tax breaks and government help that you would not have as an independent worker.
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Set up a website that looks professional. Have a professional do it for you if you don't have the knowledge, and make sure the site is optimized for search engines. Your website should offer a good view into what your company does, what type of problems you can solve and what the credentials of the people in the team include.
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Look for steady work from a single company (or two) rather than small jobs from many different ones. While the small side jobs are great as extras, they may not provide enough income to keep up with payroll and business expenses. Working as an IT consultant for a single company means steady revenue and more peace of mind.
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Visit the website of the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) for information on setting up a consulting practice that takes advantage of the latest developments in the industry (see Resources below). The ITAA website also offers data on policy issues and membership opportunities for more direct support.
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Tips & Warnings
Before you start a consulting business, make sure you have the right equipment for it. A laptop is a must if you intend to provide outside consulting, but you will probably also need a desktop computer to deal with more powerful software.
Resources
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Comments
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kooknoi
Nov 18, 2010
this article is very useful, but however the more information for the details of this IT consulting area is the need for me. thanks, -
etips
Sep 14, 2010
Wonderful article thanks for writing it.
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sibleyhaley
Sep 08, 2009
Trianz Hi, Thanks for writing such an interesting article. It is not easy to take the right employee especially if we dont have great human resource division inside our company. Special division of human resource usually required but some companies think that is not necessary thing. Trianz is a client-oriented organization that provides an integrated set of Consulting, IT and BPO solutions, each enabled by innovative and proprietary global execution models. Trianz firmly believes that the flawless execution of business, technology and operational initiatives is a key ingredient of business success. Their mission is to partner with business leaders, who share the belief that Execution Matters. They understand top management vision and objectives, visualize business results and translate these to the execution of strategy using relevant technology and process outsourcing. Thanks...
