Tips for Hiring a Computer Network Consultant
Hiring a Computer Network Consultant at some point is a foregone conclusion for many small businesses these days. It is nearly impossible to stay on the cutting edge of technology solutions without a dedicated computer expert on board. Often times even an in house computer/IT person will at some times need to enlist the assistance of a professional computer consultant (i.e. your servers and backup crashed and you need someone to assist you with hard drive data recovery). Because you will be trusting this person with the safety and well-being of your company, it is a absolutely critical that you make an informed decision and hire the correct person.
One major problem with hiring computer network consultants is that often the person hiring has no real grasp on the work that needs to be done or how to do it. When talking with and interviewing computer network consultants look for someone you can communicate with. Beware of a consultant who tries to bulldoze you with technical jargon. The consultant should be able to explain in a clear and easy to understand fashion the work he/she is proposing and the steps that will need to be taken to get to the desired end result. Don’t decide based on hourly or daily rate alone. A true expert will finish the work efficiently correctly—saving you maintenance costs down the line.
Ask your prospective computer network consultant if she/he has any vendor certifications (Microsoft, Sun, etc.) or is a member of any professional organizations such as the Independent Computer Consultants Association (ICCA). Also be sure to ask the computer network consulting service if you will be allowed to shop for parts anywhere or if they will insist on selling you parts through their company for a profit.
The tech world is an ever-changing field and it is imperative that the consulting service that you hire is up to date in his/her experience and training. Don’t be impressed by a long resume. Instead ask for references from similar consulting jobs this person has done in the last year. The type of work doesn’t have to be exactly the same but the client should be totally satisfied.
Finally make sure the computer consultant you hire has a contingency plan for who will complete the work if he/she is not able to for some reason. The consultant should provide detailed documentation of everything he/she does as well as regular detailed progress reports including fully itemized bills (make sure they are not billing you to drive everyday from San Francisco to San Jose!). This will help you keep the work on track and from going over budget. This is your business so get everything in writing. You can’t be too careful!
